When I first started writing professionally many, many years ago, I heard back from one agent and two publishing houses, who requested the full picture book manuscript. Although they all ended up passing, I realized that I was that much closer to being published. Plus, I could write a pretty darn good query letter. Oh, and the Christian women's magazine that requested the humorous essay I had queried, ended up folding, but still, they were interested!
When I self-published my first romantic comedy short story, with a horrible cover, I wasn't sure what to expect. But that Sunday morning, I sold my first copy, and gained a $0.35 royalty. That was more than I had ever earned in the past for my writing, and I knew that it was just the beginning. I stopped off at the local convenience store on my way to church, and I couldn't keep it in anymore. I burst out to the clerk that I had just sold a book. She told me congratulations. It felt so, so good.