As a writer, you will have to face rejection at some point. This is especially true if you want a literary agent, and to have your book professionally published. What you write isn’t going to be everybody’s cup of tea. I may still be fairly new to the rejection game (I’ve spent most of my writing career writing, so far) but I have already gotten a few rejection letters.
Rejection isn’t something that people want to face, but it’s a fact of life. The best thing you can do is to learn how to handle it. Don’t let it destroy your life, and don’t take it personally. You’ll find somebody that likes your work. Let’s look at a few ways to handle rejection.
Learn From It
You won’t always get a personalized letter of rejection. A lot of them are generic “Thanks for querying, but blah, blah, blah.” There are a few that will give you their thoughts. Instead of throwing the letters out, or deleting the email, listen to what they have to say. There may be something in their letter that can help you improve your chances of finding representation. Now, if you receive criticism like, “You write like a child,” or a blanket statement like, “There is no potential audience for your book,” then, by all means, throw that away. Those statements aren’t helpful.
Remember Why You Write
Rejection will get you down, especially if you have heard no over and over again. Take some time to remind yourself why you started writing. Write yourself a letter that states why you write.
For me, I write because I like creating a new world that I can escape into. It’s a way to get out my feelings and plan things out the way I want them. It’s a situation that I can have complete control over.
Find Empowerment with Self-Publishing
A lot of people have worked through their rejections by self-publishing their books. If you think you have a best seller on your hands, then publish it on kindle or nook. There are lots of ways to get your book out there. Before you do that, make sure that your manuscript is clean. Sending it to an editor would be a good idea.
Take a Break
When you are working through rejection, you probably won’t feel motivated to write so don’t. Take some time for yourself and reconnect with the world. Then you can come back to your writing.
Be Friend with Writers
Having people who you can relate to will help you out. If you don’t have friends that write, join some online writing communities. Talking is a great way to work through feelings.
In the end, acceptance or rejection shouldn’t influence you as a writer. If you have a story that you want to tell the world, then tell it. It shouldn’t matter if people love it or hate; you shared your story, and that’s what matters.
“Was I bitter? Absolutely. Hurt? You bet your sweet ass I was hurt. Who doesn’t feel a part of their heart break at rejection. You ask yourself every question you can think of, what, why, how come, and then your sadness turns to anger. That’s my favorite part. It drives me, feeds me, and makes one hell of a story.” Jennifer Salaiz
Pen to Paper 