There hidden in the junk mail was an email from a manager I'd first contacted over three months ago. I'd sent him one of my pilots and asked him to consider me for representation. I'd followed up and he'd claimed to be busy. Life goes on. But this morning? There was that email. And as I clicked it open, I held my breath.
Another rejection. A polite one but still...a rejection.
And yet? Life goes on. I got dressed, made a smoothie, drove Angela to school (today is car servicing day and hers is first up), and then made my way back home and settled in to do some work. I checked the manager off my list, no need to follow up any more. Then I opened some of the blogs I usually read. And I found this little gem from TV writer Ken Levine:
"Someone has to break through. Why not you?"And that immediately erased the rejection letter feelings I was having. (Well, momentarily, they came back soon enough, never fear.) The manager said he didn't fall in love with the script like he needed to in order to call me in. I get that. It wasn't a script written for him. It was about a 40-something woman firefighter, probably he's not my ideal demographic. I get it.
So...what's next? (one of my favorite President Bartlett lines from The West Wing)
In the two hours since getting rejected, I haven't become a better or worse writer. I haven't even written much (a Neighborhood Watch agenda and some emails don't count, right?). So, after getting back from the smog checks, I'll settle in and open a fresh page and do some writing. And more likely than not, the early morning rejection will inspire me. Maybe one of my characters will be pissed off today. Maybe another will cry. And yet another? She'll probably do something awesome. Because really? Today, I needed the kick start of that email. And the reminder that someone has to break through.
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