It’s a fact that fiction writers will face rejection many times. It may number in the hundreds or even thousands during the course of a career. Even after becoming a published writer, rejections may still be more common than writing acceptance.
How do writers stay positive through all these rejections? There’s an old saying, “Keep your eyes on the prize.” This is something writers need to do in order to continue perfecting their skills. This means staying busy by working on the next project and sending out the manuscript to the next agent or editor.
Writing tip # 1 is to Keep Sending out Manuscripts
Some manuscripts seem to go through a revolving door between the author and prospective markets. A story won’t sell if it isn’t being offered for sale. One way to keep stories circulating is to create a list of at least ten prospective markets. A writer can create personal lists of markets using a spreadsheet program or another program such as Sonar Submission software.
As soon as a rejection is received, make a note of it, and immediately submit the manuscript to the next market, writer’s agent, or fiction editor on the list. There’s a psychological boost to this process. Each new submission brings a new sense of hopefulness that helps to overcome the depression that sometimes accompanies the rejections.
Writing Tip # 2 is to Remember Literary Rejection is not Personal
Editors and agents are under many constraints. They say they’re always looking for the next great writer, but that great writer needs to fit into the portfolio they’re creating. Sometimes rejection notes will indicate the writing is good, but the market isn’t ripe for that particular story.
Rejection is also very subjective. Just as readers have defined tastes in books, agents do also. What one agent hates another may love. It may take months or even years to write a novel, and it may take just as long to find a publisher. Therefore, keep following Writing Tip # 1. Don’t dwell on a rejection more than one day, otherwise the writing motivation may slow or even stall.
Writing Tip # 3 is to Never Give up Writing Fiction
If writing is pleasurable, then it’s something to continue doing and continue enjoying. If a manuscript is bought and published, that’s icing on the cake. Fiction writers need to celebrate every victory, even if the victory is as simple as a critique partner’s praise. Celebrating helps writers stay focused and positive after many rejections.
Writing Tip # 4 is to Remember Famous Authors Who Survived Rejections
Stories abound about writers whose manuscripts were rejected dozens or more times before being published. The New York Times ran an article on September 9, 2007 titled, “No Thanks, Mr. Nabokov,” by David Oshinsky. This article, researched through the archives of Alfred A. Knopf Inc. correspondence, details the many famous authors whose novels were passed over. They include Jorge Luis Borges, Isaac Bashevis Singer, George Orwell, and as indicated in the title, Vladimir Nabokov.
Staying positive in the face of rejections may be as simple as remembering the great writers who also traveled down the long and lonely road of rejections.
Suzanne Pitner - Suzanne Pitner is a teacher and published writer. A member of RWA and YARWA, she writes fiction as Suzanne Lilly.
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