A Hundred Rejections
A rejection came in my e-mail box this morning just after the other one that arrived last night. Now they just roll off me like water off a duck's back. Rejections that is...Or rather, refusals--someone's decision not to use your idea, your story, hire you, _________ (You fill in the blank). No one likes them. We all get them. And as writers, we actively put ourselves out there to get them!Someone in sales once told me: "Look to get 100 no's first." I'm still counting as I've run out of fingers and toes. It's not yet one hundred (Do I really have to wait?), but I must say, these refusals have been sporadically interspersed with "Yes's". So where does that leave me? Where does that leave us as emerging and even accomplished writers looking to put our voice out there?
It strikes me that while I wait for that "Yes," I should be writing more, not less. I should be working on my next great piece of writing that will get me a yes. For that just might be the creative piece that does it--and if I had sat there wallowing in my self-pity from the no's I'd gotten, then I would never write again. Writing is funny that way. For some reason, the creativity flows, despite the no's.
How do you handle your no's? Have you reached 100 yet? Does it make the "Yes" sweeter?
I had a 'no' this morning too - I handled very maturely and only ate half a Soreen Malt Loaf this time.
ReplyDeleteps - please stick an 'it' between 'handled' and 'very'. Ta.
ReplyDeleteMy job is full of rejection and refusals (I'm a stay at home mom). So most of the time these refusals... while showing a go getter attitude on the part of my little ones... are unacceptable. I will be entering the work force soon, however, and I will need to discover how to take the job search rejection again.
ReplyDeleteLOL Gary! Then, can I have the other half of your Soreen Malt Loaf?
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Jenn...lots of those with parenting. You might just find the job rejections easier to handle! :-))
ReplyDeleteRejections are difficult no matter what form they take, but when they seem to reflect on the piece of art into which we've poured our heart and soul and huge chunks of time, it's hard not to be discouraged. Kudos to you for your fabulous attitude!
ReplyDeleteThank you, K.M., for that key insight. It can be so difficult to separate oneself from one's art. I have learned that as writers, we need to develop a thick skin while persevering. At the same time, I won't let someone else decide whether I should be writing or not, especially when that writing comes from a genuine place.
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