With Author Mentor Match going on, ReviseResub coming up, and Pitchwars showcase just over, writerly angst seems to be riding a bit high. I thought this would be a good time to say I never got into a writing contest, a mentoring relationship, or won an editing opportunity. Nevertheless, I got up to bat every time. I swung. Every darned time.

Oh, I got pulled down. I had moments when I was sad, tired, and sure I’d never make contact. I’ve had plenty of rejections. I’m sure to have plenty more. That’s part of the game. Strikeouts are far more likely than home runs. But the way the writing game goes, when you aren’t getting home runs, it feels like you aren’t even hitting the ball. The truth is that every time a writer writes a query, enters a contest, pitches their work to an agent or publisher, or applies for mentorship, that’s a hit. We just feel like we can’t call it a hit unless we get to run the bases, am I right?

But a curious thing happens when you keep getting up and going to bat. You get another chance to swing. That next hit could be your home run.

Keep swinging.