Lessons learned in the dating game also apply to freelance writing

Dating and writing tend to breed unattainable visions. We expect passionate kisses during a rainstorm. Instead, we get stilted conversation over slowly congealing appetizers. We think our piece can change the world. Instead, it’s “this isn’t the right fit for us” or “the structure is off” or “can you turn this 2,000-word, multiple-sourced feature into a 750-word listicle?”

For both, the silence – that awful, endless stretch of uncertainty – can crush your self-esteem to dust.