How to Press Forward When Stopped

As a writer, how to you move when stuck?



As writers, I've learned we are frequently told the word “no.”




“Your idea isn't a good fit for us.” (A polite
rejection)



“Not publishing this type of book.”



There are many other ways we are told no or stopped in our
tracks. For example, I've mentioned in these entries about using the tool called
Refollow every day to grow my social media presence. 

Refollow helps you
follow up to 800 people in your target market—and you can also unfollow about
1,000 people a day. You can get month's FREE trial and see if you like using this program (use this link). Consistent use of Refollow is one of the reasons I
have a large Twitter
following.



I want to use this program as an example of how we as writers
need to not get stalled with “no” and instead keep pressing forward. Today I
used the program and followed 800 new people. Normally I open a window in my
browser and Refollow works along as I do other things. To make sure the program
is working, I check on it from time to time. Refollow works with Twitter and
sometimes the program will stop and flash a message saying the program stopped
not because of the program but because of Twitter's limiting the number of
people you follow.



When this happens, I suspect some people close the program
and stop using it—and return tomorrow. I do not take this path. Instead Refollow
allows you to unfollow people who have not followed you back. In some cases,
I've been following these people for years and they have not followed me back. I
use the program to unfollow people. Even using the unfollow portion of the
program, I am stopped. I get a message saying my connection between the program
and Twitter has expired and I have to restart. Some people at this message,
would probably quit the program. Instead I try it again—and often it keeps
working. The program and the process isn't perfect or straightforward because it
works with Twitter. You have to determine your next move when stopped—continue
or use a different aspect or decide to return later (even tomorrow).



This process is often the same in other parts of the writing
world. You pitch a magazine and get a rejection. (Follow this link for
a resource to help you.) Or you approach a literary agent and they don't respond or they say their
client list is full for your type of writing. Or any number of other polite ways
people say “no.” When you get this response, does it discourage you and you take
it personally or do you press forward with something else (like a different type
of writing)?



I encourage you to figure out your game plan before you get
stopped or hear no. Then keep moving forward with the next plan on your list.
Otherwise, you go into stall and don't accomplish what you wanted. The choice is
up to you. I choose to look at the world as full of opportunity and you are
searching for the right opportunity. 



As writers we have many different
directions for our writing. I've written books, magazine articles, websites,
Ebooks, radio scripts, and other types of writing for many different audiences
(preschoolers, young readers, teens and adults). If you need some ideas, I
encourage you to download and read the first chapter of Jumpstart Your Publishing
Dreams (no optin and
use this link).



How do you press forward when you are stopped? What are your
strategies? Let me know in the comments below.



Tweetable:















When you are stopped, how do you press forward? Get ideas from this prolific writer and editor here. (ClickToTweet)