Rejected?
We’ve all been there and experienced it – being told that our article/writing/ blog post/ copy is just not good enough. But luckily (or maybe not!) plenty of more experienced writers than yours truly have dealt with how to accept rejection as a writer and move on.
So, here are some real words of wisdom on an essential part of a writer’s life from writing experts from across the blogosphere:
Dealing with Query Rejection
Ever sent a query only to get a rejection letter? Or worse, nothing? Yeah, I’ve been there and done that. So, that is why I find these tips from All Freelance Writing very helpful in coping with query rejection.
You can easily use these tips to deal with rejection from A-list bloggers for a guest post request. Yes, it happens to almost all of us. All too often.
Dealing with Manuscript Rejection
This one is for all those aspiring book writers out there. However, one can easily use the tips and apply them to craft that perfect article query or article itself. In true, Laurie style, the post includes expert advice from agents and publishers and ensures that you leave the post a better and stronger writer, able to identify what would prevent rejection in the first place. Isn’t that cool?
Dealing with Rejection Like a Pro
Okay, I admit. I came across Paul Wolfe’s blog during a random Google Search but his series on Writer’s Block (check that out as well) and this particular post on dealing with rejection stayed with me. In this post, Wolfe talks about how a fear of rejection can actually lead you to procrastinate and not finish your project.
Then, he offers you 3 ways of dealing with it and includes his own personal experiences with rejection. Great read and very encouraging.
Finally, here are a few of my own personal tips on overcoming the “rejected” feeling and moving on with my life and work:
- It Isn’t Personal : I know this. I just need to remind myself about it when I see a letter start with , “Unfortunately..” The editor or blogger doesn’t have anything personal against you. They’ve probably had an influx of the same ideas and just can’t run it again.
- It Isn’t Perfect: Read the query or the article and re-read it once to identify areas of improvement. Did you tailor the pitch according to the editorial calendar? Did you address it to the right person? Did your tone reflect disrespect or arrogance? Make notes. Learn from rejection and then, trash the rejection letter . I still keep copies of my early day queries to remind myself never to make the same mistakes again. Yes, I am strange like that. **laughing**
- Polish It Up: Also, when dealing with rejection, it gives me great joy and a renewed enthusiasm for my writing to actually polish up the rejected piece and then, submit it to another magazine or blog. It’s worked. By polishing it up, I mean going over it with a fine-tooth comb to weed out all the areas of improvement that we’d identified in #2 above.
- Fun It Up: And finally, when dealing with rejection, I like to spend the rest of the day doing something fun. You know, read a book, hang out in the kitchen with my toddler, eat chocolate, take a walk with my husband. Have fun. Tomorrow is another brand-new day, waiting to be filled with your words. Come back refreshed and energized, ready to write up a storm!
Have you ever dealt with rejection as a writer or blogger? What tips do you have?
Photo Credit: Sean MacEntee
Yes – I’ve experienced rejection for articles and manuscripts many times over. But I try to stay positive about it. Maybe the article wasn’t right for that particular publication or blog and maybe the manuscript wasn’t the right fit for that agent or publisher. The only thing you can do is keep sending it out until you find the right fit. Sometimes that doesn’t happen, so you just have to move on to the next article or manuscript. I never take rejection personally – they are rejecting something I’ve written, not personally rejecting me. Honestly, if you can’t deal with rejection – you are in the wrong business!
Deanna recently posted..Come Visit My New Blog
Hi Deanna, thanks for sharing your tips and showing that perseverance does pay off. You’re right, we, writers, need to learn how to deal with rejection. It is one of our must-know-skills.
Thanks for the reminder and great links, Prerna. It’s just so easy to let that little voice tell you to give up when dealing with rejection when what it really should be saying is to step back and see what changes need to be made – to the piece and/or the venue. There are so many opportunities out there – and it really is true that when one door closes, another opens.
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Love the, “one door closes, another opens” tip Crystal. Thank you so much for sharing!
Oh, yes; I am all too familiar with rejection! I always use the mantra “fail foward” in cases like this, something I learned from John Maxwell. Every time I’m rejected, I see it as a learning experience and I move forward from that experience into something better. Rejection comes with the freelancer’s lot; I’ve learned to take it all with a grain of salt! It can sting your pride once in a while; personally, I’m all the better for it!
Thanks for sharing the John Maxwell mantra, Martine. I must check the book (?) out. And I agree, rejection is a great learning experience.
Hi Prerna,
What a topical post! I’m facing a peculiar case of rejection. I am pitching to a lot of Indian companies for content creation. It is perhaps the nature of the writer’s market in India that for every writer there is a cheaper option available somewhere. No matter how competitively you price your services at, the Indian habit of ‘haggling’ gets the better of us!
I am having a tough time setting a price and sticking to it! HELP!!!
Hi Rituparna, glad this post helped and sorry to hear that you’re having trouble sticking to your price.. Have you considered pitching to a different clientele? Maybe ones who would be able to afford your services and value them, minus the haggling, etc. Do let me know if you’d like to chat sometime.. Happy to help!
The “Rejection” that stuck with me was from a client I’m working with on a company brochure.
He said, “Apple has the best copywriting I’ve ever seen… But of course, you can never write something as good as that.”
I vowed to prove him wrong…
Cham recently posted..Of Cubes and Stubbornness…
Wow, Cham! Love how focused you are.. Go get ‘em girlie!!