I Didn't Give Up. Neither Should You.

I received my first rejection letter in September of 2002 (that's it on the left).

About thirteen years later my first book was published.

There's a lot hiding in the blank space between those two sentences. A lot of learning and growing, hope and frustration, failures and successes. More failures than successes, to be honest.

There were more than a few moments during that time that I felt like giving up, but I didn't. I kept writing, kept submitting, kept trusting that God hadn't given me this passion for nothing.

Many of you may be in that space right now, wondering if it is worth continuing. I'm here to tell you that it is worth it. If you have a talent for writing, it will grow. And if you have a passion for what you're doing, you won't let something as simple as failure stop you.

If something is worth doing, it's worth the struggle it takes to get it done.

So don't quit.

Instead, take every rejection as a challenge, and every submission as an opportunity to present your best self. But stay humble. Connect with other writers, published and not. Learn. Grow. Improve.

Eventually, you'll get there.