I Quit! A Writer's Journey

I quit. After one too many rejection letters, I'd hadis habit I can't break, no matter how hard
enough. I marched into my office, gatheredI try.Another rejection arrived in my mailbox
up all the paper copies of my manuscripts, tossedyesterday. This time there was a hand written note on
them into a raging fire, and cried.Cried! Heck, I sobbed
so hard I gave myself a wicked case of thethe side of the standard form letter. It read, "You are
hiccups.Not my finest moment but one that, if you're aa very talented writer, and I know you
writer, you've probably experienced at somewill sell this manuscript. It's just not for me. Keep
point. Even if you didn't respond to your feelings oftrying."Today, I mailed my first query since I officially
despair with a manuscript bonfire, youquit writing. I walked to the mailbox with the
probably had the same thoughts of, why exactly do Ireverence of a mourner at a funeral. When I opened
do this?For my part, I vowed that this was the end. Ithe mouth of the blue postal box, I
would never write again and I would never sendhesitated and wondered if I really wanted to put
my existing manuscripts to another editor or agent. I'dmyself through all this again. Then I
wasted too much postage, money, time,remembered one of my favorite sayings by Korczak
sweat, and tears on a dream.This, my friends, is aZiolkowski, the sculptor who created the
dark, lonely place to be. Never had I felt such coldnessCrazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota: "When the
in my heart.Over the next few weeks, I learneddreams end, there is no more
something about myself; I am a writer. It's impossiblegreatness."~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Stacy Verdick Case is
forthe owner of a store that offers quality custom
me not to write, despite my strong conviction to thedesigned products for writers of all genres. Stacy
contrary.Story ideas, characters, even scenes floodedinvites you to visit her store and sign up for her free
into my head unbidden. What did I do with thesemonthly ezine that offers writing tips to help keep you
snippets? Wrote them down like the trained monkey Ion track.
am.Soon, I was writing again on a regular basis. Writing