Writerly Wednesday: May I have a word?

Dear Writer,

For months, you've spent hour after hour clacking away at your keyboard, swallowing the tough criticism of other writers and absorbing every last morsel of advice Nathan and Rachelle offer.
Last night, you dusted off your manuscript, gave it a good look and told yourself: "This is brilliant. There's not an agent out there who would reject this (except maybe Janet Reid)."
Then, when you climbed into bed and delved into Jodi Picoult's latest bestseller, doubt began worming its way in. You thought, "I'll never be able to write like her."
By the time morning rolled around, you'd convinced yourself that this dream you're chasing -- this dream of being a published author -- is futile. The fear of rejection has crippled you. So now you're walking away from your computer, neglecting your blog and ignoring your online writing community. You don't intend to come back.
But you will.
In a couple of days, the characters in your head will become too vivid to ignore. You'll go back to your manuscript and once again let yourself believe it might spark the interest of an agent or editor. And maybe, just maybe, one day you'll see your novel in the hands of someone at the checkout counter of Barnes & Noble.
Do you know how I know this? Because I am you. You are me. We are writers.
We can't let the fear of rejection keep us from becoming the authors we want to be. Success does happen. You've seen it happen. It takes hard work, skill, heart. Yes, it does happen. It will happen to you, too. But not if you don't believe. And not if you don't try.

Sincerely,

Yourself