Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Collective Brain is Brainy, Plus Rejection

In a quest to find movies where musical-based jubilation saves the day, I'd like to thank the following generous contributors: Dan, Becky Book, Headspace, and Green Dragon.

Later Dan shared TV Tropes's page The Power of Rock, but I'm proud to say using our crack critical thinking skills, we came up with a couple they don't have.

I consider this a satisfying collaboration. I think we should do more. Any other topics of interest for unleashing The Collective Brain?

So tonight is my second first writing class; the subject is science fiction and fantasy. My inclination is usually to start in this genre, but then somehow it wanders off into a cross between weird fiction and horror. (Think Haruki Murakami crossed with Shirley Jackson crossed with Lovecraft.) Then I get discouraged when I try to find a place to submit the work. (Ignore the fact I'm not quite good enough yet; it'll come.)

I'm not trying to be a downer here, but this would be a good time to address the rejection side of my writing. In the next few days I expect another one. And just because I expect it, it doesn't mean it won't throw me into a mini-funk. I know the important thing to remember is you can't stop writing and submitting just because one situation isn't a good fit. You've got to be a professional and divorce yourself from feelings.

I'm a robot. Beep, beep.

One day I was feeling particularly weak and whining (a teeny bit) to Jer.

He said, "Wow, so you've submitted a lot in the last couple of months, right?"

"Yeah," I said. "Tons. I just keeping getting rejected."

"So, like 50?"

"50?" I fiddled with the zipper on my jacket. "Oh, no. Not 50."

"25 then? At least 25?"

"Not exactly..."

"How much would you say you've submitted?"

"Um. Four. But at least 3 times each. I've kept a spreadsheet."

He blinked. "So, you're expecting to get published after 12 tries? When people who've been doing this for years can't even get published?"

At this point in the conversation I did something befitting my maturity. I stuck out my tongue.

And that is my story of why life is totally unfair. This story's subtitle is: Unrealistic Expectations for Fun and Profit.

3 comments:

Folly Blaine said...

Spoke too soon. I received the rejection ahead of schedule. On the bright side, I won't spend the next few days anticipating it and hoping for a different outcome, right?

I think I'll drown this rejection in a Weight Watcher's smoothie. Hello, bananas, you wacky yellow fruit you.

AZGypsie said...

Sorry about the reject and good for you on the smoothie. Persistance is key, I don't need to tell you that. As for the science fiction, I love it. When I was young, my father subscribed to a science fiction "magazine" about the size of a Reader Digest that was full SF Short Stories. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Ray Bradbury was my first love!

Dan said...

I love that you're asking the Collective Brain for Collective Brain topics. Unfortunately I got nuthin'.