OLDIE #7 REJECTION (OR PTRS)

One of my fav oldies....

Like the basic black dress

it's a post that never goes out of style

but addresses (lol pun alert)!

Black dress - addresses, lol)

a topic that tortures all artist

established or new....

Odlie 7 REJECTION (or PTRS)

2004-03-04 - 7:30 a.m.

Fear of failure....

A client (who's become a close friend!) and I were recently discussing

professional rejection - you know the dreaded 'your work is lovely,

we'll let you know...' that ends in a thick envelope of returned slides

generally accompanied by a single limp piece of paper full of check

marks in the 'rejected' column. Speaking for myself I have enough of

these letters to wallpaper a room (or two).

I think it's one of the more difficult

aspects of being in business for yourself ~ this process of

putting your work out in the world for the publishers to publish

and/or for the public to adore and (hopefully) adopt.

You and you alone are 'it' from the first design draft to

the submissions/hopeful waiting to success or rejection.

And you're the only one to deal with the PTRS

(post traumatic rejection stress, lol).

It's something working

in the corporate world spares you.

If 'the company' (fill in the name) loses clients, business,

profits, accounts, employees it's obviously the 'fault' of

management' thereby insulating you from agony and angst on

a personal responsibility level. But the arrows head for

you and you alone when you are in biz for yourself

or are self promoting your art, your dream your vision.

Me, I'm particularly insane, as I do both.

I run my own business which offers

and promotes my art, heart, soul, dream.

But I have a theory (don't I always?! lol)

I think that rejection, a tough form of responsibility, makes

you stronger, makes you sharper, and encourages and forces

you to higher levels of skill in business, marketing, creativity

and emotional growth. All of which are

(IMHO) solid artistic, business and life skills.

Fear whispers

'you'll never be able to succeed on your own'

but I think of a quote

of Dave Barrys (which I edited slightly).....

"Never be afraid to try something on your own.

Remember a large group of professionals built the Titanic".

Dave Barry

Rejection, like pain, confirms you're out there trying and

alive in the midst of the adventure! So my advice to

anyone with a love of art and the desire to sell it?

Simple... just tell fear to 'fluff off'!

(and pick a room that you think will look good

decorated in 'rejection-letter-wallpaper..roflmao).

If you persist the time will come when

successes will outnumber the rejections.

Hope your day is a good one :-)