When I finished writing A Writer, A Laptop, and No Psych Meds, it appeared that my work had really just begun. Never mind the fact that I had this book out to two different editors who were in themselves published writers. Not only did I spend hours also going over the manuscript in a line by line labor of love, but I also ran an electronic editing program (the free version, of course) over said written baby just to make sure things were perfect.

But now that I’ve gotten said manuscript finished, I have sent it out yesterday to 4 agents, so far, for representation (Oh do relax. I do plan on sending my work out to dozens if not hundreds of agents). When I sent my opus out, I read the fine print that says that it could take 4 to 6 weeks before they would or if they would get back to me. So, what do I find in my email this morning? My first (at least for this book) rejection slip.

Oh, Happy Day!

Now, I know that getting rejected is all part of the game of being a writer. In fact, if you are a person who can’t handle being rejected, I have two pieces of advice.

One: Seek Therapy

And Two: Don’t become a writer.

You have to have a very thick skin in order to survive in this business. If you can’t handle people telling you that the very work you’ve put your heart and soul into is not good enough to line a bird cage of a particular feathered friend with irritable bowel syndrome, then, again, you need to find another line of work.

I look at people like J.K Rowling, Stephen King, John Grisham, Ernest Hemingway and have learned of the hundreds of times they all have been rejected but kept plugging away at their craft. They didn’t give up and neither will I.

Besides, success is the best revenge against rejection.

When I said that my work was just beginning, I wasn’t kidding. Because not only am I putting out my work for acceptance, now I am in the process of building a website/blog then I have to hook everything up to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and any other social media outlet that I can use to publicize myself and my work.

When I spoke to Mrs. Nickels about what I was doing, she was a wee bit concerned that all of this notoriety would go to my head, thereby making me more difficult to live with than I already am.

But, and I quote her here, she said “There is only room for two people in our bed. And since I am not giving up my side, it’s between you and your ego who gets the other half of the bed. Choose wisely.”

So, tomorrow I have a meeting with a friend who knows about setting up the websites and connecting up the various social media outlet designs I need to do. And while I’ve been playing around today with the site and other things, I have come to the conclusion that I am a writer whose job is to come up with content that will make people laugh and think about life.

So, sit back and enjoy the ride. My goal is to let you laugh on a regular/semi-regular basis (assuming Mrs. Nickels doesn’t put me on another “Writer’s Timeout”).

Yeah, I know this is a short post, but I had to come up with something really quick, and I had to get it done before Mrs. Nickels came home so she didn’t think I spent the day reading and eating massive amounts of bacon…again.