TFTSP: Rejections

Let’s talk rejections. Rejections are hard. They feel personal, like a mini attack on your dreams. But rejections are also a huge part of this industry. Doesn’t make it easier. Rejections are still hard.

Celebrate your rejections. You are taking steps, making progress with each one. Even lovely stories get rejected for reasons that have nothing to do with the actual writing. When I was in the querying trenches, I saved up my rejections and then bought a box of donuts to honor my progress. But I’m already chubby, so I switched to roses. I know some people keep a giant nail in their office to stab the rejections on. Cathartic, I bet. See your rejections as progress toward your publishing goals.

However, do not take to public places (oh, like FB, for example) to vent about your rejection and how the readers were clearly wrong and your story is beautiful and perfect. Especially don’t do that when your story didn’t actually follow the guidelines.

Y’all know how I feel about guidelines.

So tell me. How do you celebrate your writing progress?

Photo from Unsplash.