Nevertheless She Persisted
In the spirit of wanting to be vulnerable and authentic in this space where it's easy to just let the best moments be the focus, I want to share a recent set-back and how I’m choosing to respond to it.
In the spirit of wanting to be vulnerable and authentic in this space where it's easy to just let the best moments be the focus, I want to share a recent set-back and how I’m choosing to respond to it.
Last month, I completed a manuscript for a new book. It's a book about self-trust: how I learned to have it, and some strategies to help others have it, too.
Pretty quickly, a literary agent agreed to look at it. (Happy dance!)
And guess what: She liked it. (Happier dance!) She liked my writing. She liked my story. She liked the whole concept.
But (here's the droopy sad dance part): She wouldn't sign me on as a client because I don't yet have enough followers on Instagram.
I was thrown off-kilter. Over two decades, I've been focusing my energy on honing my craft so that I can tell a good story. And I've been focusing my energy into synthesizing my life experiences so that I can tell a story that's useful and helpful.
But it's no longer enough. Now, I also have to turn myself into an internet sensation, which I haven't been focusing on. Not remotely.
I actually like Instagram. I love the people I've met and the friendships I've made. I love how inspired I get by seeing what others are working on, working through, and sharing.
But Instagram is a small part of my life. I purposely keep it that way. And it really hadn't occurred to me that it would become a measure against which my craft and skill—my value as a writer—were measured.
I felt a bit like being told I wasn't popular enough.
And I spiraled a bit. For a few hours. I left myself feel shitty for a few hours.
And then I remembered the very thing I've just written a book about: I trust myself.
I trust my skills. I trust my story. I trust my persistence and endurance. I trust my courage and resilience. I trust my book will find its place. There are many more agents to query, many more options to pursue.
I'm persisting.
Whatever setbacks you're facing now, I hope you will persist, too. I hope you will trust yourself.