Rejection. The big, scary word that makes writers and creatives cower in fear. Whether we like to admit it or not, a lot of work, both good and bad just slips by. I’ll admit, for myself, that it can be hard to stomach a letter of rejection. Why, I’ve poured my heart and soul into my work, only for it to be not deemed good enough! I’ve learned as time has gone on however, that it’s not as scary as I once believed it to be.
For a recent example, besides writing, I wrote a short story, and had attempted to send it out to a publication. Admittedly, it wasn’t my best piece. It was a rush job that had more excitement in my head than the words that were on the paper. However, I had felt that my work was adequate, and happily sent it off, without another thought in my head. A few days had gone by, and the thoughts still turned in my head, until I finally received an email back.
“Awesome!” I thought to myself, excited to read it. Not long after however, my excitement had turned. They were nice of course, but alas, my work was not up to snuff. Was it frustrating at the time? Absolutely. Was my frustration unfounded? Definitely. After reading their feedback, I can say that without a doubt, I couldn’t agree more.
Their words helped me to see where my vision was lacking. Moving forward, I’ve kept in mind the idea that I should slow down, and take my time. Without that rejection, I wouldn’t have found such areas to improve my writing. As the weeks went on, I can only see how that the critique was beneficial. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but having real, honest feedback is one of the most valuable experiences one can have writing.
Another bit I’ve found useful from rejections, is that I get real, honest feedback. For instance, whenever I show a new piece to family or friends, most people don’t really want to say anything hurtful to your face. The usual that I get is “Sounds great!” or “Really good!” At first the gesture is nice, but the more time goes on, I want to know how it really sounds.
When you send a piece out into the world, especially as an unknown author, all that they see is your work and email address. They have no emotional stake or interest. It may sound cruel, but it’s far from inaccurate. Most feedback I get from anonymous sources tends to be the best, if not a bit harsh. This part was the hardest of all for me. Once I realized the criticisms were real and honest, I was able to accept my flaws, and see where I need to work on. The Unfortunate Majority
Unfortunately, the reality is that the odds are stacked against publishing. It’s a tricky business, and with everyone vying to get their work into the hands of a publisher, it tends to happen that the majority of books get rejected. I’ve stumbled across this site, litrejections.com that keeps a list of books that are bestsellers, and just how often that the work got rejected. According to litrejections.com, Twilight was rejected 14 times in a row! Yet for how often so many great works were rejected, all it took was one yes to change everything.
Rejection is a commonplace bit in the world of writing. If you keep your chin up high, and can admit what your strengths and weaknesses are, rejection can be a positive.
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