UPDATE: Line of Doom and Move Back Home?

[youngmaid]

Hello everyone,

I just want to thank those that helped me through these recent hurdles for their kind wisdom and incredible insight. You guys have greatly benefited me and I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to help.

If you're interested, I just wanted to let you all know what's transpired since the two previous posts I've made "Line of Doom (29.4.6 > 6)" and "Move Back Home (39.3>8, 37".

OK, I seriously gave up. I was SO over it. My life was in shambles, I was weary, and I had absolutely no resolve, inner strength or motivation to attempt to rectify my situation anymore. I was prepared to move back home with my mom and get a job as a used car salesman or something. And then Thursday happened.

I woke up stupid early in the morning this past Thursday, defeated. I asked the I Ching whether or not it could even slightly be possible to be successful in my industry (publishing/writing) if I moved back home to L.A. (where film is dominant and book publishing is fairly nonexistent--I live in London now). I got 51.4>55, "Shocking" turning to "Zenith/Abundance". I took that as a great sign that I would do OK back home, once I got there. But then, I had no idea what was going to transpire throughout the rest of the day.

Got to work, bummed, thinking about how I was going to break the news to my bosses that I was planning on returning home. I had to drop off some posters to a photographer for a photo shoot for some book I'm working on, as soon as I got in. Met with the photographer at a train station: he was the most awesome person on earth. We had some coffee, made great conversation; his presence made me feel so much better about everything, his positivity was infectious. What a great human being.

Returned to the office and WHOA: as soon as I stepped in a really awesome guitarist from one of the BIGGEST, most LEGENDARY BANDS ON THE PLANET was sitting in my office, discussing a book proposition with my boss. I met the man, shook his hand and, again, he was one of the most magnificent human beings EVER. That was THRILLING.

Then, after he left and we all returned to the humdrum, my bosses followed up with a publisher that was "seriously considering" a book proposal I pitched to him at one of last year's book fairs (a book which I and a friend may be writing, if pushed forward). He got back immediately saying they're "interested" and that they needed more info on the market AND they were asking my bosses about schedules, asking when the book could potentially be delivered. Another serious WHOA.

Then, an hour after this, a publisher who rejected my book proposal (I REALLY wanted them to take it specifically, but the sales people said they didn't know how they could sell it, so the editors had to reject it) randomly called and I just HAPPENED to pick up the phone. Long story short, they rejected one of my bosses' proposals because they couldn't sell enough of that title. We learned a lot about their market after this phone call and my boss asked me to come up with three ideas for titles, specifically geared towards this publisher, for me to pitch at the upcoming book fair next month.

OH, it doesn't stop there: I submitted one of my poems to this literary magazine months ago. They rejected it. The magazine collects poems and then commissions illustrators to create a piece in response to the poem. My poem was written for their "liberate" theme, and it was about a brain trying to break through the skull, navigating through synapses, in essence, liberating one's self from the mind. Checked out their website randomly and, GUESS WHAT? The COVER of the issue of the magazine which rejected my poem is a BRAIN trapped in a corset with nerve endings dangling down. Like, WHAT? Sorry, I don't think I'm an egomaniac, but I find this extremely uncanny.

I was really worried about my mom's health and that was eating away at me internally. She called me in the evening to let me know that she visited the doctor and that she has a clean bill of health. Her symptoms were all due to menopause. YAY! What fantastic news!

In light of all these signposts, I asked the I Ching the next day whether all of this new energy could actually signify success with publishing/writing. I got 1.1>44. I get it, the dragon is underwater. I'm just going to have to do my thing behind the scenes until the dragon is unleashed into the world.

Submitted one of my pieces to a really awesome lit magazine this same day and, they rejected it, because the editor "didn't get what I was trying to do". Although she liked the beginning, she said the piece "degenerated" towards the end and that it wasn't a good fit for their magazine. I found "degenerated" a bit insulting. My stuff is pretty experimental, and what I submitted to them was a flash fiction piece, under 500 words, anchored in loads of poetic device. I didn't think that being clear necessarily did the piece justice, but I took her advice and asked my writer friends for feedback. I replied to her, thanking her for her time and feedback. Anyway, in response to the rejection I asked, "I'm not Hemingway, but I'm an OK writer, I think. Am I delusional? Will I ever get published?" I got 22 "Grace" unchanging.


Anyway, sorry for the longwinded update. Again, I just want to thank everyone for providing me with such incredible advice and insight. You really helped me improve myself and I appreciate you all so much.

I don't know what's going to happen. Don't care anymore. I'm going to do the best I can with what I've got going on. Provide what is needed, keep writing and just let go and let the universe. My work's at least inspired a few people thus far (musician friend's writing songs, people drawing stuff in response to it), so, even if five people are feeling the love, that is incredibly fulfilling and I appreciate that profoundly. We'll see what goes down in the future.

Infinite love to you all, thanks again. xx

 

[youngmaid]

Oh, and for some reason my recent divinations have been pointing to June/July for some really important breakthrough, talking about summer months. Dear Gosh I hope it's good news! If not, doesn't matter, I'm up for the ride either way! Much love xx

 

[willowfox]

I see two things here, one is that you don't appear to be ready to fire your engines go go into orbit just yet but the potential to be a writer/perhaps publisher is there, as Hex 44 says, "He sends his commands/words to the four corners of the world." So, that's nice.

But Hex 22 suggests yes you will get published as your words will be considered beautiful by some, but it carries the idea that you will be accepted by a limited group of readers, perhaps your writing is aimed at a select minority? The reason I say that is because you have fire under the mountain which suggests a limited audience.

 

[youngmaid]

Gracing it up!

I see two things here, one is that you don't appear to be ready to fire your engines go go into orbit just yet but the potential to be a writer/perhaps publisher is there, as Hex 44 says, "He sends his commands/words to the four corners of the world." So, that's nice.

But Hex 22 suggests yes you will get published as your words will be considered beautiful by some, but it carries the idea that you will be accepted by a limited group of readers, perhaps your writing is aimed at a select minority? The reason I say that is because you have fire under the mountain which suggests a limited audience.

Hi Willowfox,

As always, your interpretation is so on point. I'm taking your words very literally.

In terms of 1.1>44, you're right, I'm not ready to fire up all the engines and blast into orbit just yet. I've been working on my book of short stories for years now and currently I'm enacting a hardcore revision schedule on the collection, staying on task, and the first stage of revision should be done by the beginning of July. I'll be ready to submit the actual book by this fall, September or October. So, at the moment I've just been focusing on submitting stories as they're revised to literary magazines that may be receptive to the kind of work I produce.

In terms of hexa 22, thanks for your reading. I hope I'll get published! But, again, you're right, my writing is out of the box. I've been doing my research, reading lots of lit mags featuring contemporary writers, but my work just doesn't fit into the mold. Weird, I went to visit a tarot reader years ago (that was the craziest, most accurate and most unexpected spiritual experience EVER) and he told me to write my heart out, 'cause I'm here to make people FEEL. And that's what my work is about: feeling. I structure all of my clauses, storylines, every part of the narrative to evoke primal emotion and, although it doesn't sound envelope-pushing at all because writing is supposed to make people feel, the end result looks like nothing that I, or a lot of other people who have kindly read my work, have seen before.

Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm not speaking out of hubris. I'm not saying that I'm the most innovative writer ever and that nothing can hold a flame to what I'm doing. I'm also not saying that I know nothing of traditional narrative and that I'm all about the shock factor and rebellion, 'cause that's not true either. I read all the time, I absolutely revere so many writers and I totally imbibe from the stuff that they've produced/are producing. I'm just saying that maybe some people aren't used to reading the kind of stuff I produce? Maybe, in some way, some people don't get it because the type of reading process that it requires is not status quo? Maybe my work does only appeal to a limited audience for that reason!

So, with this in mind, how else can I apply hexagram 22 to the situation? I found this a bit confusing. Is it telling me to alter my work to fit it in with the school of writing going down right now? Or, is it telling me to stay in line with my vision and to enjoy the "beauty" that I'm currently producing?

Again, a horribly longwinded response! I hope I'm not annoying you! Thanks for your time and insight

 

[willowfox]

So, with this in mind, how else can I apply hexagram 22 to the situation? I found this a bit confusing. Is it telling me to alter my work to fit it in with the school of writing going down right now? Or, is it telling me to stay in line with my vision and to enjoy the "beauty" that I'm currently producing?

No, its not telling you to fit your writings to what others deem to be currently "correct", rather it indicates a natural but somewhat simplistic beauty, a poetic beauty, but a beauty that emanates from you, your vision.

 

[youngmaid]

Thanks Willowfox.

My oracle book made out 22 unchanging to be blind idealism:
"Grace in an unmoving form suggests that the moment is isolated in time. While you can see the true perfection that might be in the situation of your inquiry, it is not necessarily consonant with reality. You are dealing with idealisms. There is no redemption in your illusions, however fervently you feel them. The perfection in the heavens has put stars in your eyes."

So, whether I'm starry-eyed and blind or not, I'm going with your advice and I'm going to keep writing how I write and try to take rejection from editors gracefully.

 

[willowfox]

The perfection in the heavens has put stars in your eyes."

The symmetry and beauty of the universe should give you the necessary inspiration to create grace and beauty in your writings. Think planets, stars, galaxies, black holes, super novas, beauty that is alive, beauty that is natural, beauty that is eternal.