It is time to pack my bags because in a couple days I am headed to writing camp. For a week i’ll be staying at Stanford university for Emerging Writers Institute (EWI). I am definitely excited not only do I get to experience college life by living in the dorms but also get to meet my writing peers. During my writing program at UCLA I met two people who are now good friends of mine. I love reading their writing and they are always supportive of mine. But more than that this camp is my comeback.

I applied a while back to a very competitive and prestigious writing summer program. I put absolutely everything I had into that application and program. I dreamt of it and wanted to go more than anything. Sadly I did not get in. For quite a while I was in a slump. I did not want to talk about it, did not want to write. I just could not accept it. It was like my best just was not good enough. I know it is dumb but that rejection felt personal. But then I read a post by Sofia Aguilar. It was about her being rejected from all 8 of the MFA programs she applied to. Thats when it clicked probably the best writer I now was also rejected. She was rejected and yet there she is still an incredible writer and woman. I am in pretty good company. I was rejected but that does not make me any less of a writer. I am still the girl who dreams of being an author. I am still the girl who built her blog from scratch. The girl who is always reading, researching, and submitting. I am still a good writer. I do not need an acceptance letter to validate that and no rejection can take that away. I am still Lili Lang

Another way I have been motivated by Sofia is how she has carried on. She continues to create awesome content. She has not let her loss stop her. So neither am I. This summer I have continued working on my writing and acting. Now for the culmination of that work. I might not be going to the writing camp I planned on but I am still going to one and I am going to to enjoy every second of it. EWI is my comeback!