Dealing with Rejection – Part 2
As stated in part 1, there aren’t many
writers who relish a rejection. It’s a
word that most fear, and some hate, while others – usually those experienced
enough to have plastered an entire room with rejections – simply shrug and
carry on.
Is there such a thing?
Without them, writers wouldn’t be able to improve and develop. But how is that possible?
Reacting
positively to rejection:
But the thing to remember with
rejections is that not all are bad. Receiving
one can be a positive experience – although it won’t feel like it at the time.
Turning
rejection into a positive thing
Is there such a thing?
Actually there is. Rejections can be, for want of a better
cliché, a blessing in disguise.
Without them, writers wouldn’t be able to improve and develop. But how is that possible?
Rejections, on the whole, usually specify
where the story lacks, whether it is weak, or needs stronger characterisation,
or there maybe plot pitfalls etc. The editor might have taken the time to point
out some possible improvements. This
means that the story could be strengthened rather than dumped into the nearest
bin.
Feedback should enable the writer to
learn from those errors and improve their work.
This is a continual learning process – rejections means ironing out the
flaws and making the work the best you can possibly make it.
It is up to writers to digest the
advice and suggestions given by editors – if they truly want to improve and
develop - and they should rewrite the story to make it much better and
stronger. They would then be in a
position to resubmit work.
It’s not uncommon to receive several
rejections for the same piece of work – but the idea is to remain positive,
take on board any comments and edit the work, improving it all the time. That’s how we learn and develop as writers.
There are occasions when you receive a
summary rejection with no comments, so it’s very disheartening to know where
you have gone wrong. With these types of
rejections it is best to re-examine the work and go through it thoroughly to
see where you can improve the piece, because writers can always improve on their
work. Fact.
Always think like an editor, too: Is the story strong enough? Are the characters well thought out? Is the plot water-tight? Is there a balance of description, narrative
and dialogue? Is it believable? Does it grab the editor’s attention? Are there any grammar mistakes, etc?
· Be
professional. Always take on board any
comments – editors are there to help you improve. If you disagree with comments or criticism,
then have someone else look over your work for further opinions – a fellow
writer or editor.
·
Make
sure you are not overreacting or taking it personally. You control the writing – the writing should
never control the writer.
·
Always
look over your story for ways improve it.
Think like an editor. Don’t write
a good story, write a great story.
·
Let
it motivate you to do better. Remember,
rejections help create better writers.
·
Be
persistent. Don’t let rejections turn
into negativity. Pull your socks up and
get on with the job in hand – making that story better and stronger.
·
Keep
submitting. The more you submit, he likelier
it is to get an acceptance. Hard work
does pay off in the end.
·
Self-revision
is a key factor in recognising strengths and weaknesses in your creative
writing, so make sure you revise your work thoroughly before sending it to editors/publishers.
·
Never
give up.
Above all, plan to receive a
rejection. It is an essential part of
being a writer. It’s less of a disappointment when it does happen, but a
fantastic bonus if it’s accepted.
Finally, take heart that the vast
majority of famous novelists have been rejected umpteen times throughout their
careers. They did as most writers do – they
dusted themselves down, took on board the criticism, swallowed their pride an
got on with the job – writing.
Next
week: Writing from experience.
Thanks for your take on rejection. It's good to know that others experience it too and the best way to tackle it.
ReplyDeleteAfter initial pouting, I have to grudgingly admit that the the criticism given is usually positive and improves the piece. Still, practice makes perfect and you have to pick yourself up and get on with it!
Great post, thanks.
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