The Art of Rejection

Actual rejection letter received.

I have a pile of them. And the hard truth is, they’re never going to stop. It takes great fortitude to pursue a career where a great majority of it involves facing, accepting, and processing rejection.

I’m in the midst of a spree of people like my stories! I’m getting at least to the last ring of consideration before the rejection which helps buffer the blow. It means I’m working in the right direction. But still, when that rejection comes, the third one in as many years from the same playwright festival, it dampens the joy. I still drop into what am I doing wrong?

I have received three story rejections in the last twenty-four hours and I’d be lying if I said the rejection didn’t sting. Oh, it wounds. They were positive rejections, as such a thing exists, encouraging me to try again. They liked my stories. They held them longer for consideration. But ultimately, they were not a good fit with the other selections made.

But there are going to be people who don’t like my work. There are going to be people who hate my voice and my message. What do you do with that when you are made of so much mushy insides?

I accept the rejection. I embrace it and understand that I am never going to be good enough for everyone. It’s just true. So I don’t have to try to be. I just have to be good enough for me. Trust me, no critic will ever be harder on my writing than me.

It means I have to be vigilant at shopping around for the right places for my voice. They’re out there. I’m not going to give up. So don’t give up, either. You are the only you in the world, with your tone of word and your point of view. If you don’t tell your stories, who will?