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The last week of February, I had one of those nice “published four times in one week” moments last week. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s nice when it does. If you haven’t caught them up, I’ve got the links all lined up for you!
- The first piece covers improvement in my winter blues, and how it ties in to prayer and faith.
- Here’s the article I wrote after interviewing Rabbi Dr. Natan Slifkin–he was wonderfully approachable and a pleasure to work with.
- I got to read and review two delightful new children’s books, both highly recommended.
- In my monthly humor column, I enjoyed poking a little fun at myself for fangirling when I bumped into Jeff Goldblum about a month ago.
I also had an important and possibly game-changing epiphany while reading a Brene Brown book. Despite the number of times Daniella Levy, of the wonderful Rejection Survival Guide, has insisted to her followers that it’s important to feel hope and excitement when you send out your submissions, pitches and queries, I have a terrible habit of sending them out expecting the worst. I actively try not to get my hopes up. I’m too afraid they’ll be dashed.
In Daring Greatly, Brown suggests this behavior is maladaptive and even gives it a name: foreboding joy.
I’m trying to overcome it, but it’s a struggle, since the habit is so ingrained in me. My first step was journaling, then speaking my dearest professional hope aloud. We’ll see if that helps in the coming weeks as I keep querying my novel and submitting other work out into the world.
Writers and other creators: how do you cope with the fear when you take a professional risk? Are you able to comfortably express your hopes and feel joy? Tell me about it in the comments.
Rebecca Klempner 
Haven’t sent much stuff off to be honest, but I’m already anxious and expecting to be rejected when I send off the books I’m working on now.
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I have sooo much to say about that anxiety associated with submissions. They might all sound like cheerleading, but here are a couple thoughts: 1) If you don’t submit a manuscript, the answer is always no. 2) Each no you receive in reply to a submission gets you closer to a yes. 3) Each time you overcome your risk-adverseness, it strengthens the “muscle” to keep submitting more and more work. 4) Everyone (okay, 85% of writers) who has ever been published has felt these nerves, too.
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I’ll be honest, when I send out stuff in most cases I assume everyone will love it. I’m actually shocked when people don’t and say something like, “It’s sweet.” I’m not sure if I’m drawing good Mazel towards me because I haven’t hit it big yet, but I’ll keep banging out those creative pieces as fast as I can.
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Out of curiosity, what do you do when they don’t like it or dismiss it with a fluffy comment?
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