Sunday, August 9, 2009

a cup of comfort for writers


i met with Amanda the other day in Bryant park here in nyc. as she now lives in california, it's been years since i've seen her. i adore her. she always asks me about my writing, and encourages me. she always encourages me as well to send it out for publication. i had two professors say... well one said, 'i hope to see you on the new york times best sellers list. and the other would pass me in the hallway and say... i'm waiting for your book. and just as sweetly, when i once tried to introduce myself to one of my new professors he looked at me in all earnest and said, 'i know you, you're a poet.' (how sweet is that?)
at first, years ago, i thought i was not ready. now i am just fearful and undisciplined truth be told. while browsing through 'a cup of comfort for writers,' i'm reading an essay on rejection slips. and i thought i would like to at least get one rejection slip. you know what that might mean? it would mean i finally did what i needed to do to tell a story, or develope an idea into essay, polished a poem well enough for submission, and sent it out. i suppose someone would say 'thanks but no thanks.' but at least i know i tried. and that makes all the difference, i think. and as they say, fail forward into success.

4 comments:

La Belette Rouge said...

Add me to the list of "I hope to see you on the new york times best sellers list." I love Amanda for inspiring you to think about sending out. Now send!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hello! Thanks for your comment on my post at LBR's blog. I actually spent my junior high/high school years on Staten Island! I know the place well. Can't say I miss it much, though - it was not a happy place for me, having moved there from Greenwich Village when I was twelve. I've written a lot about in my book, but I'm not sure it'll stay in.

I'm also fighting with myself to finish the book and start the process of getting published. Let's cheer each other on!

l'air du temps said...

belette...:)!! with the idea of you and Amanda routing for me, i'm a lucky girl. merci!!

dear Tara, you've got a cheerleader in me. i really enjoyed your piece. and as s.i was not a happy place for you, even better that you've found a place you're happier in. sweet indeed!

Hans Martin Landgreen said...

Well.. I won't read a top 5 novel before your name is on it;-)

Here is a link to a blog that I read a lot

http://www.newmusicstrategies.com/2009/03/06/fail-early-fail-often/

personally I enjoy my own little failures..