The Agony of Rejection

Bench In Winter by Petr Kratochvil

Public Domain Pictures

 

 

Rejection can be looked upon as a repudiation of self, or a slap in the face. But I've learned that along with rejection comes a learning process that can be invaluable to an aspiring writer. For those of you who have the good fortune of never receiving a rejection letter - congratulations! Maybe the rest of us can learn something from you.

 

I feel fortunate that along with my letter (or rather email) came a personal critique of my story. They actually read the entire thing! And were thoughtful enough to make comments. To me, that's a five star review that can only serve to improve my writing. Had I received a form letter or email, I would have chalked it up to experience and moved on. But with personal comments I can dig in and make some changes that will strengthen my story and improve my style.

 

Being rejected by a publisher seems to be a part of the writing world. And being invited to submit another story is a plus also. So, before I decide to submit that second story, I'll make sure I have addressed all of their concerns in their carefully prepared personal critique. What an excellent way to grow and learn about writing.

 

Don't think I didn't have my moments of feeling froze out and rejected. It was my sister, Loretta Stephenson (Art By Retta) who pointed out how lucky I was to get a personal reply. She helped me turn agony into victory by showing me that it's all in how you choose to think about your experience. So, next time you experience rejection, find what you can learn from it and turn a negative into a positive so you won't have to spend too much time feeling the agony of rejection.