The Camp Site

You win some and lose… a lot

I’ve talked about some of my recent wins in my previous posts. Wins are fun and exciting and keep me moving forward.

But behind each win, there are at least five to ten rejections.

I admit, the first rejection email I received felt like a massive blow. I’m a terrible writer was all that could think. Despite my family and friends telling me differently, it was hard to believe in myself.

But after about twenty-four hours of moping, I decided I wasn’t going to let this get me down. I would get better!

John Scalzi’s book When the Moon Hits Your Eye has a wonderful chapter about a woman who experiences similar dismay about her craft. She struggles with the rejection of her work by others. I won’t spoil the story, but the woman perseveres and receives excellent advice from a professional in her field.

I almost cried when I read this chapter. It gave me a new perspective on rejection and ways to rethink the intrusive negative thoughts. Thank you, Mr. Scalzi!

There are about a hundred reasons a piece is rejected by a publisher. It could be the wrong tone for their publication. There may be other pieces they are committed to publishing and just don’t have room. The piece may be too long. The list goes on.

I’ve come to accept that rejection is a way for me to improve. Yes, it still stings a bit, but I don’t let it bother me as much as I previously did.

Keep on writing.