I am the mistress of rejection

I've had short stories rejected. Long stories, articles, even ideas have been received with a 'thank you but no'.  I've had nice letters that show that the writer has actually read my submission; I've had anonymous pre-printed 'the editor regrets' slips. Fact or fiction they've all been spurned by those who think they know better.

You'd think when you have that many - and yes, I've kept them all - you'd be used to it. But it doesn't work like that. Each time I send out something I've written, whether it's fact or fiction, it's a bit of me that's going out into that big scary world to be put in a pile, ignored, laughed at, considered ... and finally rejected.

And still I like to think I'm a writer.