How to Deal with Rejections
Rejections are hard. Sometimes it’s very tempting for a writer to toss cold water on their computer and then go away and burst into tears. Feeling hurt is a normal response, especially when it relates to your own story. Is it helpful? No, as a matter of fact, getting into an angry fit and yelling at a publisher will not get your book published. It will only make things worse.
Your little outburst will ruin your reputation as a writer! If you just dig in your heels more and more, you won’t get any writing opportunities. Let’s face it, being a writer is sort of like getting a job. If you want to make a good impression on a publisher, put yourself in their shoes.
How would I respond if this situation happened to me? What if I was the publisher or the editor? Would I be happy about this writer’s actions? No, probably not. You might just cross off the writer from your list or delete the email right away.
New writers tend to get possessive of their manuscripts. Their “babies.” They push away their critics, telling them, “I don’t want to hear this type of information! I worked too hard on this story. It’s mine!”
But did you know that rejections can actually help you to become a better writer if you are willing to stop and listen? Perhaps there is something that is missing in the story or in the character development. It’s very important to have another pair of eyes look at your work.
Think about the well-known stories that you might have on your bookshelf, like The Lord Of The Rings and The Chronicles Of Narnia. These stories are famous because of the time and energy that J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis took to make them memorable in the minds of the readers. They probably had to deal with criticism and feedback about their stories.
If a story is bad, with poor writing, characters, or plot, no one is going to read it. Don’t take the rejection personally! Take it to heart! Learn from your mistakes and move on! Keep writing even when it’s tough. Ask God to help you along the way. And when you are tempted to throw the computer across the room, calm down. Take a break.
God will give you the strength to continue the story.
Copyright 2023 Angela Lano
Angela Lano
Angela Lano is a freelance Catholic writer, book reviewer, and illustrator. She is a self-published author. Angela wrote and illustrated two children's picture books. They are called A New Auntie's Fear, and St. Therese: The Little Flower. She also wrote a children's fiction chapter book. It is called Hope And The King. It is self-published as well. These three books are available on Amazon.