Inspiration For Writers - A Writer's Vow
As writers, we may not remember the worst sentence we ever wrote. But we may never forget the worst sentence we ever spoke. It’s only three little words, but every writer has at least mumbled them under his breath: “I give up.” It’s so easy to give up our pursuit of publication because the writing life is so tough. Yet, quitting speaks volumes about what we believe about ourselves -- and our work.
“I give up” eventually becomes “I gave up,” and that is literally a death sentence to any writer’s dream of publication. That said, when should you realistically give up on your first finished novel if it appears to be going nowhere?
Let’s say your first novel absorbed three years of your life. You hired a freelance editor who once worked as an editor for a major publisher to make sure it was ready for publication. You expanded it, edited it and revised it again -- then again. You proofed it with a recently retired English teacher, tested its impact with multiple readers, and had a few journalists analyze it. You analyzed it, dreamed about it, and virtually memorized it. Finally, you submitted it (or at least the first three chapters) to an agent -- make that thirty-five agents. They showed some interest, but they all rejected it in the end.
