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It's hard to imagine anything that could be more soul-destroyingly painful and embarrassing than being a teenager asking another teenager out - particularly when it's going to end in guaranteed rejection.
As a writer though, you may be getting flashbacks to those school days as you get ready to send your lovingly worked manuscript out into the cruel hard world.
Every author needs to think about the possibility of a rejection. There's no denying it. How you choose to react to these rejections is up to you, but I've come up with a few suggestions.
1. Artistic - paper your study with rejections slips. Turn something horrible into something beautiful.
2. Join the club - there are some famous names who have had horrible rejections - this little book compiles some of them - so you can be in good company.
3. Pre-empt your rejections. Try the Automatic Rejection Generator. It allows you to choose your own rejection, from the bland to the blustering.
4. Decide all those idiots out there are missing the point of your writing, and publish yourself. Self-publishing is a very real option these days, and how wonderful to be able to send a sales statement to a dismissive agent years later, showing them how wrong they were.
5. Kick the cat. Please note - I am not recommending any actual cat-kicking - but have a strop, cry, shout at something blameless, and generally release those feelings of disappointment.
But seriously - how can you move forward from a rejection? Take heart, it's not an ultimate judgement - just a snapshot in time about that particular manuscript.
If you've had anything other than a standard rejection, any scribbled notes or 'near miss' comments - view those as gold-dust. For an agent or editor to take time to make a few points, your manuscript has had something that's given them pause, and that's something you can build on.
On the other hand if you're getting rejection after rejection, maybe it's time to get some professional unbiased feedback. Writers' & Artists' offer a range of editorial services, and there are other editorial consultancies out there. A report that points out elements that need work and areas of strength can be an invaluable roadmap to take you further into your writing journey.
What do you do when you get rejections? Or has the fear of rejection stopped you sending your writing out? Let us know.
Lin Churchill on May 2, 2012
Hi Cressida
1I just wanted to say I would advise anyone writing a novel to use the 'how strong is your book idea' service offered by WAYB.
My fear has always been that the idea is rubbish, so being told it is a strong idea which will appeal to a mass-market was the most incredible boost.
Yes, they pointed out my weaknesses, but at least I now have a clear idea where I need to look for help. And because of the report, I'm now getting that help.
I have yet to experience rejection, since I have never submitted my work. But one day I will turn that corner, and being a natural pessimist I will expect a rejection.
Posts like yours here are a great help in making me realise I have to believe in myself, before I can expect anyone else to believe in my work.
Lin
Louise Hughes on May 2, 2012
My usual reaction to rejections is a few minutes of disappointment, followed by the excitement of finding somewhere else to submit to (somewhere that I convince myself is even more suitable than the last place I sent the story too). Chocolate and rubbish TV also helps ;)
1I've had about 7 or 8 agent rejections, and approaching 70 short story rejections - so clearly fear of rejection has no effect on me. I have no fear of rejection any more, just a tiny bit of hope for each of the eleven stories I've currently got out there. They're mostly all form rejections anyway and even the personal rejections are just that - they're the "personal" response of just one editor.
I've also had two short story acceptances (one on its 2nd trip out, one on its 7th - neither were re-written in any way after rejection), and they make all the difference :)
I'm sure the services offered by WAYB are great, but as I've had as many job rejections as I've had writing rejections, I really can't afford them right now. I will just have to have confidence in my own writing and carry on.
Adrian Sroka on May 2, 2012
Nice post Cessida.
1Good reply Lin
To add to your suggestion of 'how strong is your book idea'.
A wounded ego does not warrant a knee-jerk reaction to self-publish.
To many budding authors rush off to publish. They do not realise their manuscripts are far from the finished article. But I can understand an authors excitement of thinking his or her manuscript is ready.
To save time and possible rejection, it is crucial to have a professional literary editor look over your work.
Ernest Hemingway - 'The first draft of anything is always shit'
I have been working on my first novel for nearly four years. I should complete it late this year, or early next year. When my private literary editor and I are satisfied, it will be time for the fresh-eyes of the publishers reader to evaluate my work. I hope that my dedication leaves an agent or publisher with little work to do.
Time is not my enemy, but impatience could be.
Adrian Sroka on May 2, 2012
Louis.
I admire your determination to succeed.
How do the stories you had accepted compare with other examples of your work?
Were they a more recent and natural evolution in your writing style through gained knowledge?
Good Luck.
Louise Hughes on May 2, 2012
Adrian,
Its Louise not Louis ;) But no worries, I seem to get that a lot online - I guess its an easy enough slip to make.
Its weird. The first story, at around 6000 words, was written over a year ago, the ending was re-written, and I honestly had almost given up on it. The second was shorter, at 2000 words, written in a night, briefly edited for spelling and grammar, and sold to the second place I submitted it. I really have no idea why it sold and the others are still out there. I guess its luck and getting the right market at the right time.
A lot of rejection is simply because they've just accepted something similar or because its not quite to their personal tastes, or because they're looking at an overall theme for a single issue and the story just doesn't quite fit. That's why you just have to keep at it and have faith :)