Miss a deadline because you underestimated how long a project would take.
Miss a deadline because of a family emergency or your own illness.
Ask for not one, not two, not three, but four deadline extensions.
Have a manuscript declared unacceptable.
Cancel a contract and return your advance money
Feel hurt by an editor’s harsh words.
Experience a major printing error.
Hate your book cover.
Hate the book title the publisher selected.
Have your name misspelled on the cover or inside the book.
Be kicked to the curb by your publisher despite your incredible relationship with the publisher’s team.
Suppress envy and puzzlement over others’ success.
Watch other authors rise while you toil to the tune of rejections.
Become an “overnight sensation” after writing for twenty years.
Feel supported by your editor and marketing team.
Be slandered because of your fame.
Be criticized in public as a poor writer despite making every bestseller list.
Learn how to be a gracious winner.
Feel overworked and underappreciated.
Love your career despite every trial and teardrop.
A Literary Agent Guarantees Your Publishing Success (Or Not?)
Tamela, I saw myself in every paragraph. Thanks for posting this.
I loved this! Thanks Tamala..
It’s indeed encouraging to know we are not alone in this ever-changing writing journey.
Thanks for the reminder, Tamela. I got to introduce my sons to the concept that just because a book is great, doesn’t mean everyone loves it. One of them was baffled that someone didn’t like his favorite author, thinking that something must be flawed in them as a reader. I read them the one-star reviews that this author had accrued. They were shocked. How was this possible? Then the next question: “Do you have any one-star reviews, Mom?” Just to let you know, if you are going to leave me a one-star review please make it entertaining as my sons are eagerly waiting to hear about every one!
In “Sherlock Holmes and the Needle’s Eye”, I have Mrs. Hudson say, “. . . eat the eggs better another time.” A “b”, a “b”, my kingdom for a “b”!!!
I bought a cookbook once, where the second half of the book had been flipped upside down. Mistakes certainly do happen.
I found this encouraging, Tamela. Thank you for posting. I love the picture, too!!!
I like your approach, Tamela. It’s nice to know we have company in this journey.
I’d also add that you’re not the only author who forgets, at times, that God is the ultimate measurer of our success, not ourselves, not the publishing world, not our readers. And that His measure of success isn’t like our own.
Amen!
THANK YOU!
I tend to measure success by money or fame. I know that is not necessarily God’s measure of writing success.
I do want God’s message to be shared through my books to people who are hurting. If that shall happen, then I WILL be successful.
Amen. Thanks, Sarah!
Thank you for this! It’s always good to be reminded we aren’t alone. And also that others have overcome struggles and we can too.
These are some of the reasons I’ve chosen to be an Indie, but regardless, it’s nice to know we are not alone in our struggles, whichever path we’ve chosen. Thank you, Tamela.
Helpful reminders that there are bound to be speed-bumps to navigate in a writer’s life and not to take them seriously or give up.
Thanks, Tamela. It helps to read these and smile over them. But as Elaine said, I’ve come to realize they are only speed bumps. The journey is an amazing blessing.
wow Thank you. I needed to read this today.
This is one of the most encouraging posts ever. Am starring and saving it to my writing file. No, better, I’ll print it out and tack it to my office wall. Thank you, Tamela!
So true. My mom kept pointing that out a few years ago when I was forced to leave my job–one I loved and grieved its loss deeply. It is reassuring to know that I am not the only one or I am not the first to experience [fill in the blank], but I have to say that when it comes right down to it, knowing that others have walked the same path before–or even with–me doesn’t help me when it comes to dealing with the hurt and pain of the experience. I still have to go through the experience and FEEL–and that is often more painful than the experience itself. I thank God for praying friends and family–as well as for amazing counselors–and God’s Word. 🙂
Indeed,so true and more of such…. God bless you Tamela. It was consoling. We in the writing industry might know this .What about the the world of our reading community?Hopefully!
Great reminder! Thanks for the pep talk!
Well said, since the solitary efforts of writing so often make a person feel like the “only one” in these cases. But I am surely not the first to submit my work and then immediately find two glaring typos, lol.🤦♀️
Life goes on…
I see the angle this article is coming from but I strongly disagree. Writing should be a relaxing and cathartic process. Conversation can often be very manipulative and nebulous. I write to make sense of all the messed-up human interactions I have. I’m at my worst when I interact with people without writing about those experiences. Making music is the best way to deal with heartbreak. Additionally, I hold in a lot of anger and resentment so it’s easier to express that anger in a song as opposed to yelling or getting frustrated with the people I care about.
Thanks, Tamela! Your savvy encouragement motivated me to keep rewriting my story! 🥳