by Adedotun Adejoorin
Hello dear writer, how are you doing?
Do you know that Ray Bradbury the author of over 100 science fiction novels and stories had around 800 rejections before selling his first story?
Entrepreneurs, writers, artistes or anyone who puts his work out there must know that rejection is inevitable. It is not every time that the publisher, editor or boss is going to think your work is the best thing that has happened to humanity. Sometimes your work will get rejected and this can be really tough and annoying too.
So what do you do when rejection stares at you in the face?
- Relax. When you get a rejection it does not mean that your life is over or your career is dead. Do not be too hard on yourself; it is JUST a rejection. You may need to take a break from writing especially commercially and just rest. This will give you fresh inspiration when you return to your writing desk.
- Get used to it. This is not because you are a terrible writer. It is because it is just a part of life. Rejections happen to the best of us so don’t let it bring you down. Nobody likes to be rejected but when we are, we must ensure that we learn from it and move on. Rejections are part of your experience in becoming a better and more successful writer. It’s part of your writing story!
- It is not about you. Instead of moping around, acting like you were rejected, remember that it is not about you. Your work was rejected not you. Don’t think that the publisher hates you or does not like the way you dress. Instead go back and get better.
- Go over the comments and corrections. When your work is rejected with comments explaining why it was rejected then you should rejoice. Not every publisher takes the pain to do that. Go over the comments written down and learn from them. You do not have to agree with everything that was written. Pick what you can and move forward. Although your work was rejected, at least you gained extra knowledge.
- Send to another publisher, editor or writing group. Sometimes it is good to get another ‘diagnosis’ for your work you know. Send your work to another publisher or writing group that can help review it sincerely and professionally. Sparkle Writers is one writing group you can trust. We truly care about that article. We have the expertise to help you ensure that your work is properly reviewed.
- Implement the recommendations. According to Malcolm Forbes, failure is success if we learn from it. Have you taken time to check the reasons why your work was rejected? Instead of thinking it is because the editor does not like your face, check the comments on your work and learn from the corrections. If you have to change one or two things about your work, change them and ensure that they never repeat themselves again. Even if the work was rejected, at least you learnt something.
- Share your feelings. A problem shared is already half solved. You can share your feelings with friends or other writers. It will at least help you lift the burden that rejection seems to have placed on you. By sharing your feelings you may get to hear stories of other writers who were also rejected and got encouraged again.
- Remind yourself why you love writing. Let’s face it, rejection can be a huge disappointment and it can discourage anyone. So take a piece of paper and just write down all the reasons why you love writing. it will encourage you not to give up.