Good for One, Not So Much for Another

Getting outside of your head to make a decision is sometimes a difficult thing to do. In my case, I'm not sure what to think about a story I've written so that I can make a decision for what comes next.

I've talked about it before: it is the story that I sent off to The New Yorker earlier in the year. Although it got a rejection, I was happy to have tried. It's been sitting around doing nothing since April. I haven't been able to get motivated to send it someplace else, but my mind seems to be playing tricks on me. What I thought was a story that would be good for a prestigious publication now seems like it's not really good enough for any other publication. I'm not questioning whether it's the right fit for a particular publication--there are plenty of good ones out there that I think would at least consider it. It's just that I'm suddenly struck with questioning myself about the quality of it. Has this ever happened to you? If I thought it was good for one, why am I questioning the quality when it comes to another?

I know that I'm going to send it out again anyway. Today, and to a publication that does offer payment if accepted. I'm not sure why this submission feels different, but it does. I hate when people tell me this, but... I'll just have to get over it.