On Failing Up

Looking up at the sun from inside of a well

Rejection sucks, but you know what sucks more? Letting yourself disappear.

I heard back from Clarion West today. It's the second time I've applied to the workshop, and the second time I've been rejected. On the plus side, I got the "good" rejection you may have seen floating about, so that's something--and that something is everything.

Not every publication is gonna like your stories, not every workshop will think you're the best fit for their class, and not every agent is for you. Still, rejection can feel like failure.

But there is failing, and then there is failing up.

Failing up means recognizing when a rejection doesn't mean "never," just "not right now." When that dreaded e-mail comes, sometimes it's not saying "you suck," but "you're getting better!" or "you're so close."

This is the carrot in the stick-preferring world of writing that can get you through to the next submission --and then the next. It tells you that your name will be on a byline sooner rather than later, if you just keep going.

So keep failing up. I know I will.

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