Sunday, January 3, 2010

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong...They'll Rue The Day!

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After receiving a rejection a few months back, my agent tried to make me laugh by saying, she'll rue the day!

it worked, I did giggle.

But, it also made me think about how important it is to believe in ourselves, our work, our ability, our dreams.

As we step into this fresh new year -- brimming with ideas of how we will turn our dreams into reality -- let's remind ourselves

that we can do this

even if it is difficult

even if it requires sacrifice, time, change

even if a rejection or two sifts our way

We will just pick ourselves up, shake our fist in the air and say,

they'll rue the day they turned me down!

After all, even the Beatles got this rejection in 1962 - just 18 months before they debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show and sold over 2.6 million copies of I Want To Hold Your Hand in a two week time span:

"We don't like their sound and guitar music is on the way out" - Decca Recording Co.

wrong, wrong, wrong.....

I bet that decision maker at Decca Recording Co did rue the day.

Just some thoughts to help us steel our resolve in 2010. I sense good things on the horizon....what are you feeling today?
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45 comments:

Unknown said...

I am trying to "..accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative and don't mess with mister in -between."
Happy New Year XOXOXOXOXOXO

Jennifer Shirk said...

Ha! That's good positive thinking. That phrase "You'll rue the day" makes me giggle too. (And think of ICarly) LOL

Oh and here's something: when American Idol first came on TV, I thought "What a stupid idea for a show". And now I'm a total Idol junkie!!! So I was WAY OFF on that. :)

Unknown said...

Very nice post. :) It's funny how something hits it big when people (sometimes professionals) are convinced that it will tank. Just goes to show you. :p

This shall be my new mantra. B-) (Rue has such a musical ring to it.)

Anonymous said...

Absolutley!
Hope your year is fantastic.

Unknown said...

"Rue" is such a great word. And they will! Hope you have a fabulous 2010.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Indeed. Let them stew in their rue!
There's a letter Andy Warhol received early in his career from a major museum asking him to come pick up the painting he gave them as it was in the way. So there's a whole lot of rue-ing going on.
Here's to a great 2010 for us all!

Angie said...

Ha! I love that Beatles rejection. Dr. Suess' first picture book was rejected 27 times! Oh, yes. They'll rue the day.

dellgirl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dellgirl said...

Oops, had a "typo", failed to capitalize "Happy". I hate those things!

This is a great post, I love the list. Will definitely remember these for this year as they are exactly what I had in mind also. Thanks for posting this as a written reminder for us.

Happy New Year, Tess!

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Yes! 2010 is going to be awesome. Even with rejections or setbacks, I am going to try to learn from them all and make this next year worthwhile.

Anonymous said...

I'm feeling overwhelmed and yet grateful. Here's to a great 2010!!!

Tess said...

Suzy: you have be breaking out in song and dance over here :D

Jennifer: I thought that about American Idol, too! hahaha

Danyelle: it is musical, isn't it? fun yet true.

Michelle: thanks! hope your 2010 is fabulous as well.

Karen: I must admit that I secretly hoped that rejecting editor read the version of Publishers Lunch when my contract was announced. It wouldn't be 'rueing' but at least it was a crumb of satisfaction ;)

Tricia: seriously? I love that story! It's going in the keeper notebook, for sure.

Angie: for all of us, I hope :)

Dellgirl: howdy friend. these are just things I've been thinking on ... glad they are of some consideration and help

Cindy: thats an awesome attitude! I'm going to try to keep it going and really have this be a productive year as well. Let's help each other, shall we?

LT: yes, I feel that way too at times. It's all good.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

I know it's going to be a great year! Happy New Year, friend.

Patti said...

Love that word "rue", it has a good ring to it.

lisa and laura said...

Oh yes, we've got lots of people that will be ruing lots of days. We're taking publishing by storm! Who's with me?

Nayuleska said...

That's a great attitude to have. World domination will be (y)ours!

Crystal said...

WONDERFUL POST, Tess! I LOVE your agent's outlook! And I'm sure that editor WILL "rue the day." You are on your way, girl! Yes, I do have high hopes for writing success in 2010 . . . just have to get up the nerve to send it out! :)

Janna Leadbetter said...

I like the way you think!

Susan Fields said...

Thanks for the encouraging words to start out the new year! There will be a whole lot of rueing going on if (when?) I make it big!

Tess said...

Sharon: I think you are right..good things comin'

Patti: that's why it stuck with me

L&L: me! I am!

Yunaleska: wahahahahaha (our maniacal laugh)

Crystal: yes - you can do it and will have a great year. Each step is one step closer :D

Janna: thanks :D

Susan: maybe we will have a rueing party one day..that would be fun.

Wendy Paine Miller said...

I'm picturing every evil character in the movies hissing, "They'll rue the day." Rue the day kind of rolls off the tongue. Great encouragement here.
~ Wendy

Linda Kage said...

Great pick-me-up. Thank you.

Corey Schwartz said...

Oh, I knew about Seuss, but not the Beatles! Awesome post, Tess!

Amy Allgeyer Cook said...

I'm thinking I need a new computer. And I'm thinking it's going to cost a lot of money. And I'm thinking I need a taco.

Jody Hedlund said...

Awesome inspiration, Tess! I feel like standing up and cheering and giving everyone high fives! :)

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

That's a great title too!

My favorite author's first book was rejected almost 100 times before he sparked interest. And while he's published 6 novels (the seventh coming out this summer), he wrote one in between all of those that was summarily rejected. That gives me such hope!

Michelle D. Argyle said...

Hahah, I'll be Meyer's agents who rejected her rued the day, too.

Still, some things just aren't a right fit, and you wouldn't want people to try and make them fit, either. I want to make sure I get the right fit for an agent and a publisher, and that of course means rejections. Maybe even after the Beatles hit it big that record company still didn't like their sound. I'm sure they still felt bad, though. :D

Caroline Starr Rose said...

My agent's great attitude about rejection was something that really drew me to her. Her take is rejection is part of the process, to laugh at it and make "rejection pie." She believes in my work and believe someone else out there will, too. It's very encouraging to be a part of her upbeat take on the process.

Tess said...

Wendy: me, too - that's just how I picture it ;)

Amy: a new computer? drat! DelTaco has 3 for 99cents if that helps at all :)

Jody: thanks, I feel that way too.

Kristen: I like that story .. how he/she wrote a non selling book in the middle of a line of books. We need to know that as writers. It's important to remember.

Glam: absolutely. fit is sooo important. but, a little revenge (which is how I imagine it) is nice. ;)

Caroline: You and Glam bring up a good point about finding that agent who can be upbeat and happy about your work. It helps, doesn't it?

MG Higgins said...

Yes, I'm feeling lots of good vibes on the horizon. Rejections be d****d! Thanks for the uplifting post and welcome back!

Robyn Campbell said...

They SHALL RUE the day!! I love it. I'll remember this along my road that I'm traveling on. Hope your Christmas was wonderful. Great post, thanks! :0)

Elana Johnson said...

I like the way you think, Tess. I like it very much. I hope 2010 is a year full of new things, both in publishing and just life. :)

Jill Kemerer said...

Oh, they WILL rue the day! Ha! Ha!

Clementine said...

Oh I love this post! I so needed to hear it, thanks!

Davin Malasarn said...

Ha ha! Great post. At this point, I've got a long list of people who will be ruing many days! :P

lotusgirl said...

Rue the day is one of my favorite expressions. I even used it in my novel. I feel good things on the horizon, too.

Tess said...

MG: glad to be back, I missed my blogging friends

Robyn: it was good, hope yours was as well :)

Elana: thanks, I hope so too.

Jill: Yes! they WILL

Amy: I'm so glad if it was helpful in any way

Davin: a giggle, good :D and, my list is long too.

Lotusgirl: so you did -- great novel, btw. very well done, friend.

Cynthia Chapman Willis said...

Love, love this post, Tess! What a brilliant agent you have! : )

* said...

I'm feeling possibility. And love for you & this upbeat post!!

Jackee said...

Ha! I love it. Can I use "rue the day" on my six year old when she won't clean her room without help? As in, "She'll rue the day when she doesn't have me around to help her? :)

Tess said...

Cynthia: ha, you would know ;)

Terresa: yes, possibility. I like that word very much.

Jackee: funny, that's exactly what my husband said. He wanted to use it on our 15 year old and say, "You'll rue the day you overlook curfew!". I think it totally works.

Mary Aalgaard said...

My writer-mama-pal, Roxane and I decided to view the rejections as successes and make a friendly competition. The one with the most rejections at the end of the year wins! She won last year, so it's my year to send out more work!

kah said...

1 or 2 rejections? Ha! It's all part of the writing world. Subjective and full of waiting, wondering, and wishful thinking. But I love your agent's sense of humor. :)

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

happy new year. lets set upi your meeting! ;)

jenn said...

Hi Tess, I discovered your blog via the comment challenge and I'm so glad I did! I'm right with you here on steeling my resolve for 2010. Thanks for the encouraging words.