"Lili...you're a beautiful woman. Lose the hat."
Seriously?
Yes, it would be silly of me to think that everyone loves my picture. And I'm not looking for accolades here.
Just in case you don't know, this is the picture in question:
The point I'm trying to make is:
If you put your brand out there, be prepared to received unsolicited criticism. Be prepared to get some rejections. And grow thick skin for when you get the 1-Star reviewer who absolutely MUST go out of his way to criticize you and your writing.
I'll be honest, it's not always easy to accept harsh criticism.
Thank God, we're not alone!
After reading the depressing "lose the hat" email, I was so happy to find a wonderful guest blog post by award winning author, Vicki Hinze.
"Writing isn’t a passing fancy. It is so interwoven with who we are as human beings it’s impossible to separate the two. That’s the reason writers get so upset at rejections. They take them in deep. So deep that many writers struggle with letting them (and I’m lumping in bad reviews and other negatives that come with the territory) mean too much."
Vicki is right.
And here is the part that really helped me today:
"Most writers have something to say they want others to hear. They have a purpose for writing. So long as the writer is writing to his or her purpose, all the rest is just stuff. Purpose outlasts market trends, bad reviews or rejections."
If you get a chance, I recommend you pass by and read the rest of her post. It made such a difference for me.
And if you get another minute, check out her site. (Click here.)
I'm telling you, Vicki Hinze is the real deal! She genuinely cares. On a few occasions, when I have been feeling pretty dejected as a first-time author, Vicki Hinze, for me, has been that voice crying out in the desert, telling me that I CAN really do this. I don’t think I could ever repay her.
Do you ever have these type of days? I'd love to hear from you. Is there someone in the pub world that has encouraged you? I'd love to know.
As always, thank you so much for supporting SAND.
