Rejection Hurts. Ice Cream Can Help.

(Pep Talk To Self)

So here’s an announcement I haven’t really made but probably should have, since this is a blog that focuses on my writing: I have started querying On the Line. *Cheers* And with querying comes rejection, something I can now say I’ve experienced.

I’m not going to go into more detail, because there’s really no need for it. As a writer, I’ve learned that you have to be tough against rejection; you have to push for what you want, but you also have to know where to stop.

When I got rejected at first (not during querying, but with writing in general) I was crushed. I was mad with myself for not trying harder, doing better, clocking in more time and working harder. But with time, I’ve learned to accept a rejection. Art is subjective, and a rejection is not a measure of your merit as a writer–just the opinion of the agent/editor/blogger/other person in authority. You respect their opinion, accept their choice, and move on with your life.

Sure, it might take some ice cream with Eli Young Band’s When It Rains blaring in the background; you might have to tell yourself “I don’t care” repeatedly; you might even cry. It’s okay. You’ll be able to move on and send your baby out into the world again and again until finally, some day, you’ll get it. You’ll get that book deal or that dream agent. You’ll succeed.

While querying, I haven’t really gotten down because of rejection. Maybe because it’s been drilled into my head so many times that everyone gets rejected at first. Maybe because despite my teenage naivety, I’m cynical enough not to let myself hope for too much. Hope is great and all, but hope for the hopeless, I think sometimes, leads to heartbreak. And I’ve learned the hard way that you don’t always get what you want in life. There are no fairy-tale endings.

Sorry for the pessimism (or, should I say, realism). :) All I’m saying is, keep on dreaming… But don’t let it break your heart. (Another Eli Young Band reference there.)

Hey, while we’re on that topic, look up that song. Even If It Breaks Your Heart by Eli Young Band. It’s some of the bit more mainstream country, so maybe you’ve heard it; I think it’s the perfect song that mixes cynicism and realism with hope. Dream all you want, but make sure your feet stay firmly planted on the ground. Don’t be afraid to chase even what seems impossible–as long as you acknowledge that it may be impossible, but you’re gonna do it anyways.

Don’t let rejection set you back.

Remember, art is subjective and rejection is an opinion–an opinion you should respect, but not be brought down by.

I don’t know if I’m making any sense here. You know what? When in doubt, eat ice cream.

Tell me about your experiences with rejection in the comments. :)

-Paulina

[Aside: Hey, for someone who is supposedly "taking a break" from blogging, I'm not doing too badly keeping you posted, huh? :)]

MIA

As you may have noticed, due to circumstances ENTIRELY OUT OF MY CONTROL, I’ve been slacking on the blog a bit… So because these next few weeks are going to be insane, I’m gonna take a small hiatus here. Because I’m working the summer and not being a child like I want to be, this hiatus/slowing down may be a bit extended.

Since I’d like to keep up with content on the blog (but don’t have time to create it) this would be a great time to remind you people that I do accept guest posts, interviews, etc. If you’d like to contribute (please please please) go to this page here.

Please. :)

In other news, 20 000 words into my On the Line sequel, I’m coming up with ideas on the fly. Very unlike my planner/plot-er self, I know. But it’s going, slowly. I’ve decided against writing a trilogy, because I’m not sure if I’ll have enough ideas to fill three books (especially since I’m having trouble 1/4 of the way through Book 2) and because trilogies are cliche. Everybody’s writing trilogies. I’m not everybody–therefore I will not write a trilogy. :)

Because ideas aren’t really coming, after some deliberation I’ve decided I’ll start on a completely separate book. Not quite sure what it’s going to be about, but it’s going to be set in alternate-time Detroit, it’s going to be about a girl (nameless so far) raised by the Mafia. She’s going to run away, meet new people that teach her how to survive in a better way, and come back to bring the Mafia down. Hopefully that’s not giving too much away. :) Thoughts?

Oh, and it’s going to include this brilliant quote I came up with myself:

Fortunately, men mere mortals be.

Throughout May I’ll sit on this idea, do research, character development, etc. etc. while I crank out those words of Book 2, just so I have the first draft finished and can revise to my heart’s content at some later time. Then I’ll write the new book and hopefully start querying On the Line towards the end of May. Scariness.

As for this blog, I’m hoping to get some more stuff about Playlist YA out soon-ish. I’m also thinking about doing stuff with pictures. You know those Tumblr blogs like so-relateable and teenagerposts? Like that, but with writing. I know it’s not the most original of ideas, but it’d be fun. I’d take reader ideas for those, too.

So I know this wasn’t really informative/entertaining/interesting in any way, but hopefully you stuck to this point. If not, (or if that rambling confused you so much you forgot) here’s a recap:

  • I’m taking a break because I don’t have enough time at the moment to create new content.
  • But PLEASE submit guest posts, I’m still hanging around.
  • Writing Book 2, sitting on new ideas, starting to shop On the Line around soon.
  • This blog post really had no point whatsoever.

Thanks for reading, hope you comment! Send me guest posts/pictures/anything! :)

-Paulina

Best Spam Comment

In honor of… In honor of… In honor of… National Jelly-Bean Day! There we go. In honor of National Jelly-Bean Day (and because it’s funny), here is my funniest spam comment. Enjoy.

This is an interesting topic. And I’ll be glad to take seriously what you have to say about it, right after you adopt or begin fostering one of the nearly half million children in the foster care system.

Because I’m not a broke high-schooler without a house, a job, or a husband.

That was sarcasm. Sorry, I know it’s hard to catch through writing. :)

What’s been your funniest spam comment (if you blog)? (Please keep it PG-10 -ish.) Share your favorites while I go come up with something substantial to blog about. Actually… If you have something you’d like me to write about, you can leave that in the comments too. That creativity-on-demand thing letting me down again… :)

Thanks for reading, as always.

-Paulina :)

Creativity On Demand + Super Cool Announcement of Awesomeness

I just want to say, all the positive, supportive responses to my anti-abortion essay really mean a lot. Thank you. If you missed it, you can check it out here.

First off, let me get to the announcement of awesomeness and tell you about my newest project.

Along with my friend Natalie, who you’ve seen on this blog a couple of times, I’m helping out with Proof, See the Evidence. Because of unforeseen events, the website was going to close down, but Natalie and I volunteered (as tributes!) to keep it going. My first post should be going up Friday (-ish). I’ll be sure to let you know.

And now on to the actual post.

From what I know about bloggers, I’d assume most of you are pretty creative. You not only have to manage your normal every day lives, but also come up with something witty/touching/entertaining/educational a few times a week. You are charged with the task of enlightening your audience, and you feel the pressure to post.

Personally, I can’t be creative for someone else. If a teacher at school were to tell me to make a poster on such-and-such a topic, I would have no idea where to start. When I come up with an idea myself, though–for my WIP or for this blog or for a completely unrelated project, I can keep working on it turbo-speed until it’s finished. Whereas with schoolwork or assignments for other people, it’s hard to force myself to get it done.

I’m just curious: is it like this for you too? Can you be creative on demand, or do you have to have personal motivation for a project?

Sorry, I know this isn’t the most witty/touching/entertaining/educational of posts. I’ll get something writing-related up here sometime soon, and then maybe an update on Playlist YA (It’s Over by Laura Smith, sequel to It’s Complicated, is coming April 19th. Get excited for it!)

-Paulina

Dare You Speak Out?

I’m not going to call this a disclaimer, because I take full responsibility for my beliefs. But by writing this essay, I don’t mean to offend anyone or alienate them. I’m casting blame theoretically, but I do understand that I’m in no position to judge anyone. That said, I do believe that abortion is wrong–no one has the right to take any other human’s life for any reason whatsoever. As always, I welcome discussion in the comments.

What do you think when you think World War II? Adolf Hitler killing thousands and thousands of people. Cruel death camps. The world letting it happen all under their noses.

How could that happen? Why didn’t anyone speak up? How could people living mere miles away from death camps, work camps, concentration camps not know what was happening?

We ask these questions, these painful questions, and we realize that everyone is guilty for keeping their silence. We say that we would never have done that, if it had been us. Even if we’d been threatened, we would’ve stood up for ourselves and the persecuted people.

So why are we letting the same thing happen again?

Over 50 million people—living people with beating hearts, emotions, dreams, and the potential to become something great, people with souls who were loved by God and intended for life—have been killed in the past forty years. Fifty million. By abortion.

And who’s speaking up? Sure, there’s the pro-lifers and the crazy Christians who no one takes seriously, and we’re trying our best. But how could you, or anyone, just sit there and let this go by unnoticed?

You say you’d speak up if there was a concentration camp in your backyard, even if you were threatened with death, because that is cruel and nobody should ever do that to a human. But you won’t say anything about the abortion clinic down the street, and you’re not in danger. Everyone has the freedom of speech in this country. Use it!

Politics has twisted the abortion issue. Because it’s not about women’s rights, or choices, or money. It’s not even about religion when it comes down to it; it’s not about God or the Church. It’s about lives. It’s about the 50 million people, living people, who are heartlessly, cruelly murdered. That number is rising every day.

Think about this. That baby? It’s not a choice or a mistake. It’s a person. That baby would be a child, a cute little preschooler running around on the playground, a middle school-er getting straight A’s, a high school student living his or her adventures, a girl on her first date, a boy winning his first football game; that baby could grow up to save someone’s life, that baby could be an ecstatic girl on her wedding day. That person would someday graduate from college and start his or her life. That baby could be an expectant father or mother within a couple of decades.

How could you—yes, I’m calling you out on it—how could you just stand by and let that baby be murdered?

You remember in history class, they taught you about early cultures? Like Japanese ritual suicide, or customs of being buried alive, cruel medieval tortures, wars. You remember how disgusted you were, how proud you were that your culture wasn’t like that?

Well, we are that culture now. We are the ones who will be blamed in the future if abortion doesn’t stop.

So what are you waiting for?

I’m sorry if this comes off as harsh. I know I’m putting this on you, and I’m really in no position to judge. I don’t know your story; I don’t know what you’ve been through. I’m sure it’s a lot easier for me to say these things from my comfortable couch, with no life experience and without knowing what it’s like to be in a position where I’d be considering an abortion. I know it’s hard.

But I also know it’s wrong.

There’s a couple of things you can do. First of all, you can pray. Even if you’re not the praying kind. If you’ve had an abortion, or know someone who has, it’s okay. God forgives. Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Second, spread the news. Write a similar post for your blog, or reblog this one, send the link to everyone on your contact list, share with Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or any other social media sites you might be involved in. Write your own powerful message—it’s not about the blog stats here.

Do what you can. It’s the little things that really count.

Hope this helped change your mind, or at least open your eyes.

-Paulina