What is the procedure for rejections?
I ask this because there seems to be three camps about them.
- There are people who don’t talk about rejections. You only ever read about the achievements, the good times, the glamour side of writing.
- There seem to be people who talk about rejections on their blogs. They say that it doesn’t matter about rejection. It’ll make you a stronger writer (which I agree with) and seem to still praise the editor who rejected them. Do people do this because they don’t want to upset the editor, just in case they come across the blog entry?
- There are also people who write about rejections and use it as a way to slag off the magazine, etc. They take it personally and just let rip with the swears.
I suppose I am thinking about this because I have recently had a few rejections. A story for a lit magazine was rejected, I didn’t make the short-listing for the novel opening competition and not winning a writing competition.
I am probably in the second camp. But I have probably been in the first camp too. Keeping quiet, not wanting to admit. Is it all down to writing confidence?
for me, yes. Getting hit after hit of rejection can take its toll. I think, am I good enough? Do I have the authority to keep a writing blog? Emails to other writers seems to slow down or stop because I can’t keep emailing saying, oh I had a rejection and I have run out of ideas.
Another aspect of aspect of this loss of writing confidence is the novel. I keep wondering if I can still write short stories? Will there be another idea? Have I used up all of my writing juice? Then more doubt creeps further, crumbling at the writing confidence.
Then I write this blog post and laugh at myself from being so silly.
Then I remember I have achieved my writing goal – write a novel.
I am now off to unpack my copy of Writing Down the Bones. Its my go-to book when the writing gets tough.
