The Worth of Naysayers

The Worth of Naysayers I cleaned out some files last week and stopped cold at a ten-year-old  folder of agent rejections. Im not sure why I kept them all these years, especially once I landed a contract for my first series. Maybe it was to show them somehow downstream. Maybe it was to let each one know that I managed to write a book decent enough to publish. . . in spite of them. But my books havent sold a half million copies nor have they been made into movies, so Im not sure how much effect I would have on people who dont remember who I was nor recognize who Ive become today. Theres just too much noise in the world these days for agents to know all the great authors, much less the mid-list ones. So I threw the folder on a stack to shred, and again, stopped. These responses altered my life. Some spurned me. Some were nice. Some called me boring. Some said I had no zing. Some encouraged me. Did I want to close this door or keep it open as a constant reminder of how far Ive come? Then I stumbled across this quote while hunting for quotes to add to my newsletters. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed To me, that meant  dont look behind you, wondering about that harbor you left behind. Instead, move forward, think future.  Explore. Dream. Discover.   I didnt need to waste energy thinking of my past failings. I shredded the letters. Now I have one more file to fill with acceptances, contracts, and congratulations from those who ride with me on my boat, heading forward.