Rejection is the sweetest....yeah, no it's not.
But, it is a part of a writer's life. A big part.
I average about two rejections a week at this point. Doesn't seem like a whole lot, does it? Well, I've got news for you, it adds up.
Let me put it in perspective. I've sold 56 short stories in the last three years which is pretty awesome, right? Sure it is you say and I'd agree with you. Well, in order to get those 56 acceptance letters, I had to wade through 807 rejections. That's not so awesome. That's a lot of rejections! In mathematical terms, it's a whopping 7% success rate! Not a winning percentage no matter what game you're playing.
The funny thing is, at first, it hurt. Rejection always does, doesn't it? I got angry. After all, how could a publisher or a magazine not see how AMAZING my story was? How DARE they not demand to publish it immediately? Well given the fact the stubborness gene was bestowed upon me (yeah, it's a thing) I kept submitting and I kept getting rejected and rejected and a whole lot more rejected until I honestly felt like all the rejections ever written were being forwarded right to my inbox.
It sucked.
Then an even funnier thing happened. I began to get 'nicer' rejection letters giving me feedback and encouragement and the acceptance letters, while they didn't outpace the rejection letters, began to roll in too. I began to understand the market better and targeted my stories to magazines looking for specific types of work.
I think it's about perspective too. I once thought the rejection letters were personal stabs at my ability as a writer. I now know better. They are the badges of honor all writers wear on their sleeves to show they're serious about their craft and no matter how many times their noses are bloodied, they continue to work and continue to submit.
Never stop writing. Never give up.
I average about two rejections a week at this point. Doesn't seem like a whole lot, does it? Well, I've got news for you, it adds up.
Let me put it in perspective. I've sold 56 short stories in the last three years which is pretty awesome, right? Sure it is you say and I'd agree with you. Well, in order to get those 56 acceptance letters, I had to wade through 807 rejections. That's not so awesome. That's a lot of rejections! In mathematical terms, it's a whopping 7% success rate! Not a winning percentage no matter what game you're playing.
The funny thing is, at first, it hurt. Rejection always does, doesn't it? I got angry. After all, how could a publisher or a magazine not see how AMAZING my story was? How DARE they not demand to publish it immediately? Well given the fact the stubborness gene was bestowed upon me (yeah, it's a thing) I kept submitting and I kept getting rejected and rejected and a whole lot more rejected until I honestly felt like all the rejections ever written were being forwarded right to my inbox.
It sucked.
Then an even funnier thing happened. I began to get 'nicer' rejection letters giving me feedback and encouragement and the acceptance letters, while they didn't outpace the rejection letters, began to roll in too. I began to understand the market better and targeted my stories to magazines looking for specific types of work.
I think it's about perspective too. I once thought the rejection letters were personal stabs at my ability as a writer. I now know better. They are the badges of honor all writers wear on their sleeves to show they're serious about their craft and no matter how many times their noses are bloodied, they continue to work and continue to submit.
Never stop writing. Never give up.
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