| We've all suffered rejection and disappointment. | | | | liked your writing but the story wasn't right-they |
| Perhaps that job you coveted or someone you | | | | may have run something too similar to it already |
| loved who might have even led you on before | | | | or it didn't fit with the other pieces or theme or |
| dropping you. It hurts. But you move on. And it | | | | whatever.) |
| does get better. It does, trust me. | | | | View rejections as part of your success journey. |
| Being a published writer involves accepting | | | | Rejection is a given in the writing business, where |
| rejection. Think of rejection as an integral part of | | | | a story may be considered "before its time", |
| a road to success. If you have never been | | | | untried, or a risk and therefore harder to place. |
| rejected then you haven't really tried, have you? | | | | This is often why a book that was rejected so |
| There are several ways that you can gain a good | | | | many times becomes a great hit once it is |
| perspective on your rejection letters and even | | | | published. The very quality that made it hard for a |
| make them work to your advantage. | | | | publisher to accept made it a success with the |
| Adopt a Healthy Perspective | | | | readership-its refreshing yet topical originality. |
| One way is to adopt a realistic, objective and | | | | View rejections as your first step to success. |
| healthy viewpoint on your story's rejection: | | | | Take heart in the fact that you reached this |
| View selling manuscripts as a "cold call" business: | | | | stage in your writing career. Getting that first |
| When you view it this way, you will treat it that | | | | rejection in the mail is a great affirmation that |
| way. Until you establish a relationship with your | | | | you have taken that first significant step to |
| market, selling becomes a numbers game. The | | | | becoming a serious writer. |
| more you send, the more likely you are to get a | | | | Acceptance begins with rejection. |
| hit. It's all in the statistics. | | | | Make Rejection Work for You |
| View rejections as an opportunity. Rejections can | | | | You can maintain a more objective view on your |
| provide you with the opportunity to learn and | | | | rejections by keeping an objective view on your |
| re-evaluate, usually of appropriate market and | | | | submissions. This can be accomplished by |
| publisher subjectivity rather than writing quality. | | | | submitting a lot and submitting often. Treat your |
| View rejections as the beginning of a relationship. | | | | submissions-and rejections-like a business. The |
| Not all rejections are final; in fact most aren't. | | | | best way to do this is to submit lots of stories |
| Most rejections by a publisher or magazine editor | | | | and to keep submitting them. The critical part of |
| stem from story redundancy, lack of space or | | | | this process is to always have a contingency |
| editorial requirements. Many rejection letters will | | | | ready for each story submitted. Once a story is |
| reflect this (e.g., "Thanks, but this isn't a match for | | | | returned you have a place to send it already. |
| us...do try us again." They mean it. It means they | | | | |