I belonged to a writers group years back that was comprised of some talented people who were dedicated to short story writing. But they were so perfectionistic, that despite writing and rewriting stories, and going through our critique process, they were terrified to send work out.
THE REASON WAS NOT JUST REJECTION! The reason was that they feared that everyone in publishing knew each other - and that if they had the nerve to send out a story that some editor thought of as less than A-plus, unworthy, then they would face something equal to being blackballed out of being published - ever. Their efforts - their very name -would exclude them from the very world they so desired to be in, that is if there were a lot of truth to this almost paranoid notion.
Being published does not make you a writer, writing does. And the best way to become a better writer is to write. No doubt being published can sometimes be a personal rather than professional matter. I simply do not believe that a writer who wants to be published should worry that rejections, even a series of rejection, means that they will become infamous within publishing circles.
If you have had an experience that would prove the paranoid notion, please contact me and tell me your story!
Christine
