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Dealing With
Rejection
by
Donna Marie Wallace
Writers have to have a tough skin. Rejection happens all the time, and you
just have to brush it off.
It's not easy, though. Opening the mailbox to see your own SASE (self-addressed
stamped envelope) will make your heart skip a beat. Your hand will quiver as you
tear open the envelope. You think, Maybe this is the one! And maybe it
is. But more often than not, it's another rejection.
So how do you deal with it? Oh, I still have a hard time with it. But think of
it this way: One "YES" is worth 100 "no's". The first time I received an
acceptance call---YES, the editor actually called me to offer me a BOOK
contract!---I was beside myself with joy. My feet didn't touch the ground for
two weeks.
So here are some tips for dealing with the inevitable rejection:
1) Accept your emotions. When you're tearing yourself apart, trying to figure
out how to be a real writer, remember this: You ARE a real writer. Writers are
supposed to be emotional; they are supposed to be insecure; and they are
supposed to question their validity. That's what makes your writing so good.
2) Count your failures. A long time ago, another writer introduced me to the
power of 100 "no's". (My apologies to unknown creator of this concept.) She
explained that every "No" was one step closer to a "yes" --- and in order to be
successful, you simply have to get the 100 "No's" out of the way. Let me tell
you, there is great power in saying, "I already have 86 rejections. Only 14 more
to go!" Believe me, by the time you get to 100, you'll be successful.
3) Think smaller. Not everyone is a Mark Twain or J.K. Rowling. Some of us are
just ordinary, girl-next-door type writers. We go to PTA meetings; we watch our
kids play ball; we go out with our friends. You don't have to sell a
best-selling novel. Try working with newspapers, trade magazines, or local
businesses. Success is only a footstep away.
4) Send 10 submissions every day. Okay, so you're not that prolific? Wrong! You
don't have to write 10 articles each day, you only have to query 10 places each
day. Or send recycled queries (queries that were rejected by one editor, but
completely usable for another publication). Email local businesses, or call
friends that know a business owner. Networking is the key to success, and all
submissions are a form of networking.
5) Promote yourself. Do you have a website? (Ha! You have me there! Mine isn't
completed yet.) Do you have business cards? Write a blog. Get a small
advertisement in the PTA newsletter. Join the Chamber of Commerce. Tell your
friends what you do. Networking is the key to success (see #4 above).
Rejection is just another of life's lessons. Don't dwell on the negative. Put a
positive spin on it, and let it work to your advantage. When you're a complete
success, you'll know that you really and truly earned your right to write.
About the Author
Donna Marie Wallace has been a professional freelance writer for almost 20
years. Her resume includes several books, articles, and websites, as well
as corporate documentation such as press releases, brochures, annual reports,
etc. You can visit her blog at
mdonnadesigns.blogspot.com.
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