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Writers Should Embrace Failure.

In the month of November, I received 2 rejection letters and another came in the mail yesterday.

Not that this is disheartening. Not at all! Rejection's part and parcel of writing. I'll get there one day.

Fellow writers facing rejection might find solace in Ha Jin's words from an interview published in AGNI Magazine:
The more ambitious you are, the stronger the sense of failure, because there are so many great books that have been written. When I was at Emory University I often taught a story by Kafka: “The Hunger Artist.” That story explains the psychology of a writer. Very often we write not because we want to achieve—maybe there was that desire, but so much has been accomplished. We can’t do anything better. On the other hand, you have to go on and continue. That’s why I think some sense of failure is essential to a writer from the very beginning.
So there you go. Keep on writing, y'all.
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Comments

  1. Anonymous6/12/06 3:42 pm

    If there's someone who will get there, it would be you Ted. I know it in my heart. And if you do I will make sure I purchase a copy for myself and tell all my friends to get a copy for themselves...

    But I want mine autographed. Can?

    BB

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ted Mahsun6/12/06 3:46 pm

    Of course, BB. Sure can one. Thanks for the support!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous6/12/06 5:26 pm

    Ted, which one is it that rejected you? That sci fi magazine again? You don't need them!

    Anyhow, you know I'm calling for submissions. So if you have a twisty tale to tell, email me first and discuss the plot. Then if we decide the story's a go, write it. You see, I have full confidence in your writing abilities. You are very good writer. You just need to come up with good plots and make your stories more exciting, that's all.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ted Mahsun6/12/06 5:36 pm

    Yeah, that scifi mag again (but they're nice so I don't mind.) Also Zoetrope and Paris Review (they're nice too).

    I've actually been thinking about what stories I could submit to you... er... I still got time right? Feb 07 right deadline? Hehe...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous7/12/06 7:27 pm

    Of course, Ted!

    Xeus

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous9/12/08 2:43 am

    Ted, I want to find out how you do it. How do you manage to survive if you keep being rejected? I mean you can eat the rejection slips can you? being rejected doesn't pay bills. So how do you do it?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous9/12/08 3:13 am

    I mean you _can't_ not you can. Sheesh.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ted Mahsun9/12/08 10:23 am

    Like many other writers before me, you have to get another job in the meantime that *does* pay the bills.

    ReplyDelete

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