Six months ago (man, seems like yesterday!), I got my first personal rejection (from an editor who didn’t know me). Since then, I’ve begun receiving personal rejections regularly, including several recently which encouraged me to continue to submit other material in the future.
I like to think of these warmer rejections as encouragement, and a confirmation that my writing is improving. Every one of the short stories I’ve got making the rounds right now has at least one encouraging rejection from a professional market behind it. I also know that I’m getting better at submitting my work to editors / markets more receptive to my work. My whole attitude about submissions and rejections has changed drastically in the last few months. I’m no longer bothered by how long it takes to hear back from an editor; I like to think I’m still in the ‘possible yes’ queue until the very last cut. Rejections (even form rejections, or personal rejections from first readers and assistants) don’t bother me any more. Really.
Rejections are a fact of life for writers. I’m working toward the point where I’ll start making sales more often than not. Until then, I like thinking I’m moving up; getting a better class of rejections. I can see the yesses from here…
