Dealing with Rejection

As a writer, it is inevitable that you will experience some form of rejection at some point in your career. Here is our advice to…

As writers, especially when first starting out, it is inevitable that we will face/experience some form of rejection at some point.

– Let yourself feel sad.

Getting rejected is definitely not a fun feeling. It’s important not to brush these emotions under the rug and to truly allow yourself to feel sad. That mourning period is a positive (and we feel, somewhat necessar) step that will eventually propel you into trying again and working even harder.

– Be able to let go.

While it’s important to allow yourself to feel sad, it’s also counterproductive to hold onto that resentment and become bitter. Meditate on it, but then let it go. That’s the only way to move forwards.

– Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

It’s easy to become fixated on a project. We’re recommending against that, though. You should always have several writing projects going on at the same time, so when one doesn’t work out, you can easily maneuver yourself over to another one without having to start all over from square one.

-Take a break.

Breaks help you recharge those creativity circuits. Avoid burnout and stress by just taking a little break from writing, as opposed to diving straight back in. Your break should be long enough that you feel rested when you begin writing again, but short enough that the break doesn’t knock you off of your writing schedule/routine.

– Talk with other writers.

Chances are you are not the first, nor the last, to experience rejection. Talking with people who share similar experiences will do wonders for boosting your morale.

-Listen to feedback.

If you get a rejection that includes feedback, consider yourself lucky. These notes are an invaluable resource for your next drafts. Think of them as a teacher’s notes, which can steer you in the correct direction for your re-writes. Usually, the person vetting writing entries are excellent writers themselves. You will want to take their advice into consideration.