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Disappointments and Bouncing Back as a Writer

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Anousha at Cape Disappointment

 

 

 

 

 

Article by Wendy McCance

I recently had experienced the most exciting news, and then last night, I saw it ripped away from me.  To say I was disappointed is an understatement.  I spent the rest of last night in a funk over an event that had drastically changed in an email I received.

A few weeks back, I had opened an email from the moderator of a prestigious writing site.  I was asked if I would like to join a few experts and share my knowledge as a blogger.  I was thrilled to be asked and in awe that I was even noticed.  I hadn’t reached out to anyone on this site and yet somehow, they knew of me.

I was so excited about the opportunity that after I replied to the email letting the moderator know they could count me in, I mentioned this opportunity on my Facebook page as well as on this blog.  I just couldn’t contain my excitement.  It was, in my opinion a big deal to be asked to participate.

After replying to the email, which was done within fifteen minutes of receiving the offer, I didn’t hear another thing.  At first, I chalked it up to a site that is so busy that it would take a while to get another email with more information.  After a significant amount of time passed, I decided to email the moderator so that I could get additional details on what to expect on the day that I would be participating.

I was shocked to get a reply within ten minutes of sending my email.  I definitely wasn’t prepared for what I would read.  The email stated that they were sorry, they thought they had emailed me back, but a mistake was made and they already had the event booked.  They thanked me for my interest and said they would keep me in mind for a possible future opportunity.  What made this situation so painful was that they had reached out to me, dangled an incredible opportunity and then in the blink of an eye, the opportunity disappeared.  I never even knew they used other individuals for their classes.

My first thought after reading the email was, did I upset them in some way?  I was just so taken aback to being bumped off the list.  I also couldn’t believe that I hadn’t received an email about a change in plans until I wrote again to them.

Who knows, maybe it was an honest mistake, but it stung.  I couldn’t help but take it personally.  I spent the remainder of the evening sulking over the news.  I was also embarrassed that I had announced my good fortune and now there was nothing to celebrate.

Being a writer/blogger can be full of amazing moments.  As I learned last night, there will also be some big disappointments along the way.  The hardest part is not having closure.  Not knowing for sure what really happened for this site to change their mind about using me in their lineup.

I realize that I am going to have to toughen up.  This will not be the last time I will be rejected.  I haven’t sent in articles to any magazines or tried to publish a book yet.  I know that once I get into that end of the writing game, I am going to have to find a way to roll with the punches.

The tricky part of having a career as a writer/blogger is that there are no co-workers to chat with about the ups and downs that come along as part of the career.  It was a fellow writer I called to vent my frustrations to that pointed this fact out to me.  In that moment, I was so grateful to know another writer that I respected and could talk with about what had happened.

Writing is a solitary career.  Finding other writers to learn from, commiserate with and just appreciate is so important.  It keeps you sane, focused and determined to move forward.

So, my fabulous opportunity was nixed.  I was thrown off and disappointed. At the same time, I am so grateful to have a friendship with a terrific writer whose opinion I truly value.

I will get over this and move on.  These moments will only make me tougher and more determined in the long run.

What about you?  Have you had an experience as a writer or blogger where an amazing opportunity fell through?  How did you deal with the disappointment?  What have you learned along the way?  Please leave a comment and share your thoughts on this subject.  I’d love to know what others think about what I shared.

Wendy McCance

Wendy McCance

Wendy McCance is a Michigan based freelance writer and social media consultant. Wendy has gained attention as the founder of the popular blog Searching for the Happiness which can be viewed in 9 local papers online, including the Oakland Press. The combination of writing skills and social media knowledge is what makes Wendy such a powerhouse to work with. Stay tuned for opportunities to advertise, guest post and as always, have your questions answered.

To contact Wendy McCance about a writing or social media assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]
Wendy McCance

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17 thoughts on “Disappointments and Bouncing Back as a Writer”

  1. We writer/bloggers get rejected all them time. I don’t let it stop me I just keep writing. I wrote an article on on Depression, and was fortunate enough to have it published. Naomi.org

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  2. I can feel your disappointment, Wendy. It feels like you’ve been kicked in the stomach. Thankfully, I’m happy to see how far you’ve come since this happened and stronger for it. I’m proud of you for what you’ve accomplished.

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  3. Pingback: Why Do I Make This So Hard? | Plain Talk and Ordinary Wisdom

  4. I’ve avoided submitting to literary journals for years for the silliest of reasons. I think I’m always looking for an excuse not to write, even though it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do. In so many ways, trying to be good writer and a blogger can be such mind trip. I’ve learned that much for sure.

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    • Hi Jeri, I’m so surprised to hear that. You seem to have so much confidence and you really know your stuff. I hope you take the plunge and start submitting. I can only imagine you would have tremendous success. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences.

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  5. Maybe I don’t have all the details but it seems kind of unprofessional to invite someone to do something and then reply back saying you can’t now, the way they did. Was it like they emailed 20 people and the first 10 to reply received the opportunity? It kind of leaves me with a bad taste listening to your story. I’m sure greater things are in store for you. Chin up!

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    • Thanks Holly. I would have hoped that if they sent out multiple invites, they would have just said, we sent out mulitple invites and have already filled up the spaces that were available. Nothing wrong with that, especially if they had just emailed me and explained instead of me tracking them down. Thanks for your comment. I guess I’ll never know what that was all about.

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  6. So sorry to hear that this opportunity disappeared. I know that I was not the only one who was looking forward to you participating on this forum. Someone truly dropped the ball. I wish you hadn’t had to go through this. But, tomorrow is another day. There will be more opportunities. You will see.

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  8. Hey Wendy,

    Yes.. writing/blogging can be a lonely venture, but there are plenty of us that are typing away around the world - so what if we’re not in a nearby cubicle? 😉

    Recently I connected on LinkedIn with a key director for a large organization. I thought this was a golden ticket - until they said how they left the company a few months earlier. And that most work was done by in-house staff anyway.

    Ouch.

    C’est la vie.. just need to realize that it’ll happen several times, but not let it stop me from trying again!

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  9. So sorry to hear about your disappointment. It is part of being a writer, though. I’m glad you reached out to someone to tell them how you felt. When these things happen to me I allow myself to brood about it for a couple of hours and then I am on to the next mountain to climb!

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