It’s going to happen. A crit partner is going to offend you. An agent is going to reject your query. A publisher is going to pass on your story. A reviewer is going to HATE what you wrote. And the nay-sayers in your life are going to shake their heads and give you the “I told you so” look when anything not-good happens and remind you that you should never have tried to become an author.
You’re going to get knocked down.
Sometimes more than once. And while you’re down there someone might just kick you, repeatedly. You’re going to wonder why you started down this path. What made you think that you could be a writer? What made you think you had what it took to be successful in a market so saturated with stories that the slush pile makes Mt. Everest look like a speed bump? What the dump were you thinking?!?
And that, my friends, is when you’re going to… Get. Back. Up.
Broken, bleeding, wanting to call it quits, you are going rise from the asphalt of the back alley where Fear, Doubt and Negativity jumped you and you are going to stand tall.
The onlookers will yell, “Stay down! Don’t be a fool!” They’ll tell you its over. You gave it your best. You have nothing to be ashamed of. They will tell you to give up.
But you aren’t going to listen to them. You aren’t even going to see them. With the roar of your heart pounding in your ears you are going to look at the trio I call Team Defeat and you are going to say, “You’re never gonna keep me down!”
Say it again.
Now scream it. “YOU’RE NEVER GONNA KEEP ME DOWN!”
Because they can’t. Fear and Doubt and Negativity can take a flying leap. They are nothing but bullies. The only power they have is the power you give them. And you’re not going to do that, are you?
You’re going to wipe the blood from your face, pull yesterday’s Chinese from your clothes, and raise your fists for another round!
Why? Not because destiny chose you to be a writer, but because you chose writing to be your destiny.
Now, get back up and go give ’em hell!
“I get knocked down, but I get up again.
You’re never going to keep me down.”
What helps you pick yourself back up when you get knocked down?
