Talent is helpful in writing, but guts are absolutely essential.

...said Jessamyn West (Quaker writer) or Jessamyn West (librarian). Take your pick.

I go through these phases of sending my novels and stories out to potential agents, going on the premise...

...and then mostly I don't hear back, or I do hear back and it's a kindly rejection, or I do hear back and it's a peremptory rejection, and I go into the phase of thinking that trying to become a published writer is about...

( I AM a published writer - but not for my creative work)

So then I give up for a while. Rest. Regroup.Summon up the passion and enthusiasm again. I mostly always have that for the writing...less so for the getting the writing out there...

I was thinking to myself this morning...are there any other jobs like this where you are constantly putting your heart and soul on the line (if you have the guts) and getting rejected and doing it again and again and again and sometimes feeling philosophical about it and sometimes feeling crushed. Acting! Attending auditions. I'm sure that must be the same. I suppose too, searching for any job, filling in application forms, attending interviews, being turned down...

I try to explain it to Peter and he says 'I don't know why you bother.'

I bother because it's my dream.

Bluebirdie the dream writer