Wednesday, September 6, 2017

IWSG: September 2017

First Wednesday of the Month

It’s the first Wednesday of the month, making it IWSG time. Thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh and co-hosts for putting this on. It’s a great spot to shout your insecurities to the world. To realize you’re not alone. I’ve been part of this group for years now, so it feels like I’ve pretty much laid it all out there. But some insecurities just don’t seem to go away. Like the fear of rejection. I haven’t submitted anything to an agent/press for a long time, so I thought I was over this one, or removed from it, anyway. But then I got a stinger. A few weeks ago I submitted an application to participate in a conference as a publisher. It’s the first time I’ve done it from the other side of the table. After some time I received a rejection. The same dull pounding came back. A rejection? Why? Because our publishing company is too small, too new, and frankly too out there. And then I remembered why I left the traditional publishing world in the first place. Too cookie-cutterish. Now I know that sounds like sour grapes, and maybe part of it is. But part of it’s not. I kinda like being too out there. How about you?