Just Press the Publish Button... Submission Woes

United States
April 9, 2019 11:37pm CST
I have low self-esteem when it comes to my writing work. I have quite a bit of material, but due to the fear of rejection I have submitted not any of it to places for possible payment. I'm on many email subscription lists letting me know dates for contests and free calls for submissions but I just haven't followed through on the task of sending my writing material out for review. I can write here all day because I feel it's a safe space for me to write without judgement. But when it comes to sending out to actual publishers for payment &/or posting to blogs, etc., I freeze up like a deer in headlights. There's so many opportunities out there where I could definitely have a balanced and free life doing what I love. It's just hard for me to have my creative work judged. I'm working on getting past these fears. Hopefully, soon I will submit my material. Does anybody else have fear of rejection issues when it comes to submitting writing material to publishers?
2 people like this
2 responses
@whiteream (8567)
• United States
25 Apr 19
In time you will get over that. I know what you are going through and I was like that. Remember that being a writer, you are going to get rejected more than expected. Never stop and never give up. I have not and if anyone has thought about it a thousand times it is me. I love to write and I can not help myself. I need to write. It's like it's part of my soul. I have wonderful people who tell me when I make a mistake and they give me their input about my writing. At first I didn't like that. Now, that I have been writing online for years. I love it when someone points something out to me that will make my writing better.
1 person likes this
• United States
26 Apr 19
@whiteream Thank you for the good advice. I'm still working up to pushing through the fear of rejection but I know that I will not give up. I also enjoy writing. When I don't write, I feel empty. So I know that it's the path that I would like to continue to do.
1 person likes this
@whiteream (8567)
• United States
26 Apr 19
@TishaMears You really do remind me of myself years back. I will let you know, what happened and why, I will never stop writing or give up. I met a few writers who liked what I was doing and wanted to help me. They did it of their own free will and helped me to make my writing better. If, you are on social media joining one or two writing groups. I have discovered writers are very supportive of one another. We all want to see each other success. As far as getting over the fear of rejection goes, my dear the only way to get over that fear is to, sadly, be rejected over and over and, you build up and understand of why some people reject certain stories articles and other people love them. Most of the time it depends on the person and the mood they are in when they read your work.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 May 19
@whiteream yeah. Gotta build up a tolerance for the rejection. It is what it is.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (158482)
• United States
10 Apr 19
I don't have any fears while writing my blog; but I don't like submitting my work to publishers. They are so likely to say no.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Apr 19
@LindaOHio Yes! Submitting to publishers is where the fear of rejection comes in. Blogging and writing here isn't so much of an issue. But if you'd like real financial freedom with writing, I feel that eventually you might have to submit to publishers especially if you're not monetizing from your blog.
1 person likes this