Happy Monday everyone! Remember, every comment on a blog post this month earns you a chance to win my "Keeping Warm in Winter" prize package!
Today I wanted to talk a little bit about dealing with rejection. I think some people are under the impression that once you publish, you never have to worry about rejection again. All your book ideas and proposals will find a contract, and your editor will love everything you submit.
Wrong.
First off, authors change editors and publishers A LOT. This means that you'll have different people buying your books, and if they like your style/ideas/genres, great. If they don't, well...not so great. Take it from me: this has happened a couple of times. And going from working with an editor who knows and likes your writing to submitting to an unknown commodity (especially as industry trends change) can be challenging and disheartening.
Best-selling authors talk about this in the current issue of Romance Writers Report. Their advice: have a routine to deal with rejection. Whether that includes a hot bath, a glass of wine, or calling a friend to vent, make sure you have a way to soothe your ego.
Then, try not to take it personally. The market changes. Sales change. Editors change. This is a business, and you are part of that business. Look at the market, your writing, and current hot genres and decide whether you want to change, shift, or keep on doing what you're doing (all valid choices, by the way).
Finally, realize that there's a certain freedom in rejection. Yes, freedom. You don't have a deadline hanging over your head. You don't have hours of promotion and social interaction to keep up with. What you do have is the time to play around with your writing, your ideas, maybe even the crazy notion for a brand new story that you never had the time or courage to try out before. Now you do.
Rejection happens, even to published authors. And rejection hurts. But it can also be empowering. Keep that in mind, and forge onward.
7 comments:
Just because someone rejects you doesn't mean the same story won't be picked up ny someone else. Not everyone loves to read romance or sci-do etc.... But there are enough people who do so don't take rejection too much to heart.
I always say, if you don't like what I look like, don't look.
Hi Allie,
You said it so well about rejection and how it can also mean freedom from the pressures of deadlines, promoting and social interaction. Great post!
I know the feeling! It is hard not to be discouraged. You have to believe in your work and see it through. I like your ideas on getting through it and making yourself feel better!
I don't know anyone who hasn't dealt with rejection in one way or another in their lives. All I've ever done throughout the years, as a high school English teacher, is to put one foot in front of the other one and either continue to work with a recalcitrant student or even a close-minded principal until they see what I want them to see.
Rejection can be hard to take, but some times maybe one can learn from it if the person gives any indication of why the rejection was made. I would imagine it is hard to always be objective about one's one work just as one isn't objective about one's own children.
Susan, I'm a high school English teacher too! And you're absolutely right :)
Allie-
Thanks so much for your supportive response. I would love to know about you, what levels you teach, what your students are like, what you like to read....This is wonderful.
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