Close Don't Count

Boy it rocks to have a story in print! Good thing, too, because I got another rejection letter today. It was for my short story, "Highway Songs." It said, in effect, "This is well-written but . . ." I've had a number of rejections for this story that begin that way. "It's a good story, but it bogs down in the [certain section]." Okay, valid point. May have to consider revising that section. "This is well-written, but we want character driven stories. We felt it was plot driven." Um, okay. "This is well-done, but it's not quite right for us." Okay, that was from the editor-in-chief of Asimov's, and was actually pretty cool for a rejection. I've had two or three others for this story along the same lines. I'm getting tired of the "buts." I'm tired of just being close! Close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. Sometimes it makes me want to throw up my hands and say, "That's it. I quit!" But I can't. The thought of quitting hurts my heart. I couldn't give up writing if I wanted to (which I don't), and I can't stop trying to get these stories published, either. They mean something to me. I have something to say, and I want people to hear it. I want readers. I want to touch somebody's heart. So, I guess if I'm this close, I might as well keep going. (Having The Bearer's Oath out does a lot to keep me going, I must admit). How do you all find the will to keep going in the face of rejection?