Reflections, Rejections, and Oceanside Writing Time

Originally Published December 16th, 2019

Well, the year is almost over, and so is another decade. A person can’t help but reflect. I’m sure you’re all doing some of that, too! What have I accomplished? What do I regret? What do I hope to transform and do in the year ahead?

Those are questions I will be wrestling with in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, it feels perfect to be starting off the new year by joining several other writers, poets, and musicians at the Swedish Institute to stand against the war on the earth. If you are in the Twin Cities area, I would love to see you there. The event is free, and last year it was standing room only.

I would also LOVE to see you in Ixtapa for our first-ever international writing retreat this March. Friends, I cannot tell you how special, intense, and motivating this retreat will be. You will leave with new work, better work, and momentum. You will leave with a clearer sense of direction for your writing in the year ahead, and the tools to get you there. Payment plans are available. We would love to have you! Just three spots left. Email me for information on how to sign up.

So, all in all, despite a rough start, 2019 was a pretty wonderful writing year for me, with a good handful of exciting contest finalist positions, including one for my novel manuscript, plus one second place win for an essay I wrote with blood, sweat, and tears, and, finally, publication in a couple of my dream journals, including NAR and Calyx, as well as the MFA biggie, The Writer's Chronicle.

And my students and former students have had great success as well, with yesses from Fourth Genre (!), Still Point Arts Quarterly, Sweet, River Teeth, Mutha, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Parents, The Girlfriend, Huffpo, Scalawag, Issuu, The Startup, and many more. At least two pushed their books out into the world during this past year, as well. BUT, and here is a big BUT, every single student who's on a roll right now was previously frustrated and discouraged at the never-ending rejections. Every. Single. One. And the rejections for them, and for me, remained a constant companion even as those handful of acceptances rolled in. Rejections, rejections, rejections. But these students swam through the rejections and kept going in spite of them. They kept writing, revising (and revising and revising and revising) and submitting. And many of them got to their yesses. Those who didn't have wins this year created beautiful work that will eventually find its home as well. They will get their yesses if they keep going. And so will you, I promise. So keep trying, writer friends. Keep revising and revising and revising and keep sending your words out into the world. The yesses will come, if you don't let the nos get you down. Rejections are part of the deal. But the yesses are there for you if keep working. So keep working!

With love and happy wishes for all that lies ahead as you step into 2020,

Jeannine