Last night, within a two hour time span, I heard from two writer friends who both received news yesterday about projects of theirs that were suddenly dead in the water. I can't go into specifics other than to say that both were established professionals in their respective ways. Understandably, they felt crushed after learning that years of hard work would no longer bear fruit.
It broke my heart to witness their anguish, and it reminded me of how art of any kind is fraught with peril. Nothing is a guarantee no matter how talented, connected, lucky, or persevering one is. It is very, very difficult to get a book published or a movie made, and given the grueling process involved, it's a wonder that anyone makes it through the process with her soul intact.
But I believe there's a bright side, and I hope that once this period of loss and hurt passes that both writers can discover other paths and other opportunities for their stories. To my friends, when you're ready to enter the arena again, I'll be there cheering for you every step of the way.
Joyfully yours,
Heather