BELLY LAUGHING TO THICK SKIN

by

Vicki H. Moss

     One of the first things I was told about writing is writers must grow thick skin to deal with rejection.

     During one of my first writer’s conferences, I’d sent in a story to be critiqued. Fifteen other writers and I met to have an author go over our stories. Midnight approached. My flight had been long. I was exhausted, and knew I wasn’t in the same league as the other writers. I hadn’t grown my thick skin yet, in fact, my feelings sleeve-perched. After the author ripped into everyone else’s manuscripts, she pulled mine, read a few lines, and said, “Who cares!”

     Mortified, I mumbled something like, “Well, it’s getting late, why don’t we move on to the next person.” Later, I realized that what she probably meant was, “You have to make your story meaningful, riveting, oozing with hallelujah creativity for anyone to care.”  At least I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Yet, I had to face it. My story was odoriferous in comparison. I slunk home and started growing thick skin. 

     Later, traveling with a non-writer friend, I worked in a children’s conference while on a girls’ vacation. While my friend rested in the room, I gleaned all the tips I could from an agent’s lecture, dreading my prepaid critique. I’d not vibed any warm and fuzzy feelings that he would “cotton” to my style of writing. Was my skin thick enough?

     I’d paid thirty dollars in advance to meet with the agent, hoping to get some feedback on a story I’d already sold, in hopes said agent might represent me in the future. After reading two lines, he said, “You need to go back and work on your craft.” I’d paid worthy dollars and I pinched myself to see if my skin was thick enough. I felt no pain.

     I smiled and said, “But you didn’t get very far.”

     He picked up the manuscript, read a few more lines and said, “Keep working on your craft, craft, craft.” I’d only gotten about ten dollars worth by this time and thought I would finish out the twenty he owed me.

     I smiled and said, “That’s not telling me much. My skin’s thick. Cut to the bone and tell me what you really think. How am I going to develop as a writer unless you give me an honest opinion and some feedback?”

     He flicked a dismissal with his hand as his eyebrows ratcheted up a couple of inches and said, “Ewwwwww! I don’t like it!”

     As I was leaving, the moderator flashed me a thin-lipped grin. I grinned a toothy one back.

     When I opened the door to my room, I told my girlfriend what had transpired and we fell out on the beds, belly laughing. Between waves of hysteria and my trying to reenact the scene, I managed to squeak out, “Thank goodness that story’s already sold and the money is in the bank!” My skin grew even thicker after that experience and I scratched that agent off my, “They Want Me” list.

     The moral of this story is, you may have to develop a callous or two on the writing journey. In the meantime, understand that agents are human. They also have bad days. Your writing may have made their day worse! However, the writing business is subjective. Never give up. Someone out there may eventually love your story, even if it is in rhyme. In the meantime, keep practicing your craft, craft, craft! And soon you’ll be making a sale, sale, sale while growing a      thick, thick skin.

     And remember, a good belly laugh is worth at least ten minutes of exercise so belly laugh while growing that thick skin and depositing those checks in the bank. You might even work off those few pounds gained from cranking out that last YA novel!  

Vicki H. Moss writes for children’s magazines and has more stories to be published throughout 2013. Check out her YA and Kids corner at www.livingwaterfiction.com .