Today’s guest post is brought to you by author Tyfany Janee. Thanks, Tyfany!
Rejection is valuable. It reveals to us when our work or skills are still not good enough and need to be improved.
If it is painful for a reader to tell you that he does not like your work, the more it is that a publisher does. Why? Because editors are professionals in literature, they have seen and struggled with works of all colors, and therefore, have a greater understanding with books.
If a publisher says “no” to your work, there will be reasons why he has rejected it. From experience, we can say that nothing would be more pleasing than the scenario where all the works that were received by the publishers had enough quality to qualify them for publishing.
Look at it this way: do you get angry when the doctor tells you that you are sick, that you must rest and that you have to follow a treatment? Nobody likes to be told that he is ill, right? especially if it’s said by a professional who knows what he speaks. So, when your write up is faulty, the publishers always give you a ‘no’ … even if it hurts.
Here are five ways to deal with getting told no:
If the publishers send an email saying that your work cannot be published because it has this or that defect; Okay, you’ve already received the news. Now … get away from that email as soon as possible, run! Let it pass a reasonable time until you assimilate it (if you are strong and do not allow yourself to be easily frightened, maybe within a few hours). Take the time you need to accept the rejection. You may even feel the typical post-traumatic symptoms (denial, hatred, acceptance …) on a small scale. At this point, staying away gives you enough time to assimilate the effects of the rejection and move on.
- Do not take the rejection as personal affair
Once you have assimilated the letter, put yourself together and read it again, keep your head cool and send all available pride in your heart for a walk. The first step in recognizing a mistake is to take a humble stance.
Do not worry if your blood boils a little as you re-read the notes. It is understandable but remember that you should not take criticism as personal; It is about learning from mistakes, not about wallowing in failure and putting on a bitter mood.
Every writer, from the most professional to the lowest, has once been rejected. Every book, movie or story you like has once been rejected as well. Probably not just once. Maybe dozens, or even more, hundreds of times. It’s part of being a writer, as rejection is part of what we are as creative beings.
- Do not resort to self-publishing
Being rejected is not enough reason to run and self-publish. Seriously, it’s as if you say, “Everyone hates it, so why not punish readers by publishing it? But on very few occasions, the pattern of rejections does indicate that self-publishing is an option. If you already had a lot of these: “It’s good, but I cannot do anything with it,” it means that the publishing industry is not willing. At this point, you could take a risk and self-publish.
Rejects make you harder. Accept them, absolve them. Let the blow in. We’ve all been knocked out. This is your chance to get back to your manuscript in hand and keep blowing like a potential professional.
- Take the rejection as an opportunity to acquire more knowledge
After being rejected, do go ahead and put yourself in the position of the publishers. Source for possible reasons in the most objective and neutral way.
The truth is that the fire of rejection purifies us as long as we do not burn all our sense of positivism while trying to assimilate it. The writer, when rejected, learns a great deal about himself, his work, the market, the business. Even authors who decide to self-publish should, from time to time, expose themselves to the sharp heels and teeth of the machinery of rejection. The writers who have never been rejected are the same as spoiled children who receive prizes for everything they do without ever having to make their way to the summit through the snow and wild leopards.
When you start to write, there will always be comments about your work. Some good and some bad. You must receive both of them in the same way.
If someone criticizes your novel by saying that the argument is loose, it may be time to review it.
Neither should you be depressed if at first you “destroy” your work. Far from abandoning your drive for writing, you must improve. Learn from this, and so your next books will be better.
When someone wants to become a writer, he must be strong. Not only to handle criticism, but also praise, which in most cases tend to be more harmful.
In conclusion, many writers do not accept rejection or support any negative commentary on their work. Unfortunately, rejection comes with the profession and to become successful, you must live with it and accept it as it proofs that you really are a writer.
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Tyfany Janee is a devoted mother and a graduate of Strayer University in Virginia. She is a prolific writer, author and poet and she has an upcoming plan of releasing a debut novel in 2018 that she titles; “I Used to Love Him.” and another book titled “RSVP: To Be You Unapologetically.”
Tyfany Janee’s love for poetry has gained her several publications in Anthologies as a young adult for poetry. Her recent book is comprised of truth, meaning, hope, possibility and a much needed element of humor when it comes to exposing the true nature of humankind. Tyfany devours inspiration wherever she can get it, from cult classics, to just about anything she can see.
