When I started sending work out to publishers at the tender
age of 13, I kept a paper log (which I still have) listing what I sent out,
where, when and the outcome. It was soon
peppered with red crosses but that occasional black tick made the continuous struggle
worth it.
When I eventually got an agent, many years later, I thought
that was the end of rejection but of course the agent just fields much of that
for you, and I still laboured over submissions that publishers eventually
turned down, continued to enter writing competitions (most of which I got nowhere
with) and sent speculative feature proposals to a range of magazines. Yes,
every rejection thickens the skin (but still hurts) and yes, every acceptance
still makes me whoop with joy. You’re
never too old to whoop!
Being rejected is part and parcel of being a writer,
especially if you want to be published.
If you decide to go the indie route (by-passing the gatekeepers) then you
are still at the mercy of your readers. Some
will love you. Some will hate you. And
some won’t give a toss. Which is kind of like life, isn’t it?
Canny writers have a positive approach to rejection – no
sooner has their work been returned to them, than they are repackaging said
work and sending it elsewhere. I would
recommend this strategy, because it means you always have plenty of work “out
there” (at least 10 pieces if possible) so you continue to maximise your
chances. On several occasions where one
editor has turned me down, another has accepted my article or story. Subjectivity, timing and sheer luck all play
a part. The trick is to keep moving forwards. Onwards and upwards.
So, how do you deal with rejection?
