The Rejection Garden Tree/Story 5 The Spelling Bea

  The Rejection Garden is less about rejection and more about creativity, persistence, and joy. 

Over the next month, I am going to share one Tree or Manuscript with you, not in its entirety, instead, 

I’ll post a synopsis, how many times it has been rejected, and then, 

I’ll finish with my favorite line and include a picture of the tree and name tag. 

"I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing (his) talent (he) would be wise to develop a thick hide." - Harper Lee

Tree/Story 5- Living with dyslexia has always been a struggle for me (hello imposter syndrome on level 11 as a writer), but in school, the yearly required Spelling Bee was the worst. It challenged me in so many ways, increased my anxiety and to this day will cause me to bloom hives. I brought this voice to the story but gave it hope and a wiggle out and agency I was never able to materialize for myself as a kid. 

The pitch: Letters cheated, played hide-and-seek, and piled into messes for Bea, especially during the class spelling bee. Unwilling to let words and letters defeat her Bea finds a new way to communicate. Using art Bea can't beat the bee, but she can participate, in her own way. 

Art is used when words are a struggle. Neurodivergent voice, anxiety, and hope with a twist.  

This one has been rejected 6 times since 2021.

My favorite line...I couldn't pick just one here are three:

"Bea tried and tried to pin down letters...

but swiveling and swirling to catch them made her head swim and hands sweat."

"Nothing about today would be fine. 

She'd much rather play dodgeball all-day than have to stand up and spell... 

One. 

Single. 

Word."

"Art untangled Bea."

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