January 15, 2020 Message Exchange with a Potential Peer Reviewer
Woman:
You may feel compelled to tell your story, but one important aspect of writing is finding your target audience. Rejections should give you direction to look elsewhere for an audience. Your genre has followers, or Fifty Shades of Grey wouldn’t have such a following. Also, my advice… is find a balance with nutrition, exercise, and medications that leads to a more positive outlook about your writing.
Me:
My book could not be further from the concept of Fifty Shades of Grey. I feel completely misunderstood by you.
And you obviously do not suffer from bipolar hypersexuality. Yet, you’re not my target audience. I can’t hold that against you.
It’s a torturous world if you believe you are the only one going through the pain of bipolar and the guilt of behaving in ways that aren’t in line with the truth of who you are. The most miraculous revelation is I am not horrible and there are people more than willing to take my hand and walk this through by my side. Healing is possible.
The entire book is about forgiveness and redemption. Forgiveness and redemption for acting out sexually in ways that are not in line with the truth of who you are. You, I feel, have made some very sweeping and very predictable assumptions. How very unfortunate, for you and for me.
I imagine your response is the type to which I will become accustomed. Many many many people have had their messages misunderstood or simply disregarded before me. I’m not unique.
Photo by Rithika Gopal on Unsplash