Of Humble Pie and Closets

Navigating the publishing world can be a humbling experience. We write a piece that we think is going to take the world by storm. We edit and refine it and then submit it.

We wait. We get a rejection. Or an editor rips it to shreds.

Big slice of humble pie, anyone?

Meeting industry professionals can be an intimidating and humbling experience as well. I must say that the agents and editors I have met are nice, down-to-earth people, but I still get nervous when I meet them. That was especially the case the first time I had an appointment with an agent at a writers conference.

It was my initial visit to Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference at Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville, NC. If you’ve never been to BRMCWC, register NOW. It’s like Disney World for aspiring Christian writers.

If you have ever met me, you know I’m one of the most outgoing people on the planet. I love people and will talk to anyone or anything, even a tree, and I love to laugh. However, I walked into the registration area at that first BRMCWC, looked at all the people and wondered “What am I doing here?”

When it came time for that first appointment, I was fidgety and didn’t know what to do with myself. I was understandably excited and nervous about meeting a real-live, big-time agent. I prayed and felt God telling me in my spirit, “be yourself.” I sat down, handed the agent my card and introduced myself.

We had an easy rapport, and the 15-minutes seemed to fly by. He requested I send him a proposal and agreed to keep in touch. I was on Cloud Nine.

I got up and turned around to leave. That year at Blue Ridge the appointments were held in a big room near the cafeteria, and there was a wall of doors, with only one leading to the hallway. I chose a door and walked out of the meeting area . . . into a closet filled with tables.

I’m not sure how many people noticed my faux pas, because I was too embarrassed to turn around. I backed out of the closet, found the real exit door, and took off as fast as I could.

I think God allows embarrassing things like this one to remind me to not take myself too seriously. Writing and publishing are serious endeavors, but ultimately God is in control. If I keep myself humble, I’ll remember that and won’t let the rejections and the criticisms get to me.

Get yourself to BRMCWC—they have nice closets.