The REAL

I was checking my inbox when I saw an email from a magazine that I'd submitted my work to. My heart dropped deep down into my stomach as I clicked on the message. I scanned quickly through the words to find the pivotal ones that tell me whether I've been accepted or not. I spot "unfortunately" and feel my hopes drop along with my heart. Lately, I've been getting a lot of rejections for my poetry submissions. I took a tally and the ratio is about 13 rejections to 2 acceptances.

I share this because I want to show that the rejections are a normal part of this process. They don't mean that I should stop and give up. If anything they help me to make sure I submit a stronger sample with each new submission. And when those acceptances do come around...baby! The joy is real!

Following your passion is not always glamorous, but it's definitely always worth it.