The Taste of Rejection

Sadly, my proposed abstract (Finding Ourselves in Play: Identity and Identification in Video Games) was not accepted to be part of an edited collection on cinema and games (linked in the previous post). It was a bitter-sweet rejection. I was excited to be part of this project, and had the entire paper written (to be edited of course) and so I was saddened to be rejected – but on the other hand, the tight deadline of September 1st for the full paper when we only found out today if we were in or out – made my chest a little tight. I am still struggling with a chapter that has already been accepted (and is due August 15th) – so the rejection, I suppose, is welcome in a sense.

Which is always how I feel when I submit something – sad but releived. Although I am quite a chatty, outgoing person in my everyday dealings, my career – or path towards one, is plagued with a fear of public speaking (and a fear of failure – but then, who does not feel that fear once in a while.) So, while I push forward to be a bigger part of something, I am secretly scared to death.

Scared or not, I won’t stop at this book. I am now looking for a journal or two that I could submit this paper to. It is a nice balance between game and film studies literature, as it was originally presented in a department of cinema/film class. If anyone has any suggestions – feel free to post a link in the comments.

Published by Kelly Boudreau

Associate Professor of Interactive Media Theory & Design at Harrisburg University. I research Digital Games, Play, Sociality, Avatars, Toxicity, and Social Norms & Boundary Keeping. Thoughts and ramblings on this site are my own as I grapple with all the things professional and personal and everything in between.

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