I’ve always been impressed by authors who have gotten published despite numberous rejections. One author, in particular, Stephen King, has always been a favorite of mine. And not just because I’m reading “IT” for the 20th time, and marveling at what a genius he is, but because he’s the epitome of a writer who rose above rejection to become a best-selling author.
In his memoir, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, in which he talks about his experiences as a writer, and gives advice to aspiring writers, he credits his wife, Tabby, for inspiring him and encouraging him to continue writing.
It was Tabby who’d found three crinkled balls of paper in the trash, that turned out to be the beginning of Carrie, a novel that would go on to be rejected by 30 publishers. She told him that he had something, and after helping him with the characters, he had a final draft -- nine months later. In its first year in paperback, "Carrie," which tells the story of a teen who uses her new telekinetic powers against those who torment her, sold more than 1 million copies despite mixed reviews.
Before "Carrie," King and his wife struggled to make ends meet. He taught English at a private high school in eastern Maine, while she worked the second shift at Dunkin Doughnuts. But they had each and the support he received from her was incomparable.
We all need a Tabby in our lives. I’ve always believed that one of the most helpful things for writers is someone who believes in them. It can be a family member or a friend. For me, personally, I think it’s a significant other.
And that’s what I’ve found in Guru. Someone who inspires me daily, and understands my struggle. Someone who pushes me and encourages me to never give up.
Whether you're an aspiring writer, artist, designer, inventor, creator, whatever; you have to find yourself a Tabby. Going at it alone can only take you so far. You need someone who can make you better, and tell you that you're not crazy.
Or you might need someone just as "crazy" as you. But we're not crazy, are we?
