Things go along smoothly for a while, and then you might have a series of rejections that feel like a herd of wild horses galloping across the plains, seeming never to stop. We know that, eventually, the rejections will come to a stop when an acceptance arrives instead. That one acceptance can wipe out all the feelings of discouragement, anger, and worthlessness you probably had.
We get discouraged when a story that sounded so great in our head doesn't seem to work when we write the words. Last night, I read about an author who wrote her story over and over again until it felt right. The last and final draft became the one that was published. Even then, an editor helped her rework parts of her 500+ page novel. Surely she felt discouraged during the years she worked on the book, but she had the two qualities of a writer that I have suggested here many times. She practiced patience and perseverance until she found the key that opened the lock just as today's poster tells us.
Sadly, many writers will give up before they find that final key that opens the lock and allows their work to be read by others. They chastise themselves verbally and internally. Dejection becomes a companion, but only if they allow it to happen.
Writers need to give internal pep talks, or maybe even look in the mirror and say the words aloud. However, you can give yourself all the shoring up in the world, but it won't help you until you begin believing in what you're telling yourself.
If a story doesn't work out, set it aside and begin a new writing project. Starting fresh gives us a real boost. We can forget the earlier story and its problems and concentrate on something new. The important thing is to keep writing and practice patience. Chase those discouragement blues away.
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