Rejection is a part of everyday life. It starts with playground politics, then advances to dating and relationships before proceeding to workplace advancement. We each have different coping mechanisms to deal with this.
Rejection letters (the thanks, but no thanks letters from publishers and agents) are an expected part of my writing life. I log them in and tuck them away with my growing collection. Occasionally, the letters arrive in groups or happen to show up on the same day that I encounter other excitement such as running into the steps in our garage crushing the bottom one and/or burning half the dinner I made from scratch because the bottom rack of my oven is too close to the burner (something I would know if I used the oven more often).
On days like this, there is only one thing to do. Accessorize. I put on every single piece of jewelry that I own, well almost. Why does this make me feel better? I’m not sure. But I do know that women have been adorning themselves for many years. Shells that were pierced to be strung as beads dating back to the Middle Stone Age have been discovered. Egyptians fashioned gold into many forms of jewelry over 5000 years ago.
So what keeps you on an even keel when rejection shows up?
Everyone writer faces rejection. Click here to read snippets from rejection letters received by some famous authors.
Blogger’s note: I did not receive any rejection letters this week, but the running into the steps thing and burning half the dinner were both all too real.
Speaking of bling, click over to author Brenda Novak’s annual Online Auction to benefit Diabetes Research. The auction takes place every May and offers handmade jewelry, autographed books, and lots of other fun stuff for writers and readers.
Rejection letters (the thanks, but no thanks letters from publishers and agents) are an expected part of my writing life. I log them in and tuck them away with my growing collection. Occasionally, the letters arrive in groups or happen to show up on the same day that I encounter other excitement such as running into the steps in our garage crushing the bottom one and/or burning half the dinner I made from scratch because the bottom rack of my oven is too close to the burner (something I would know if I used the oven more often).
On days like this, there is only one thing to do. Accessorize. I put on every single piece of jewelry that I own, well almost. Why does this make me feel better? I’m not sure. But I do know that women have been adorning themselves for many years. Shells that were pierced to be strung as beads dating back to the Middle Stone Age have been discovered. Egyptians fashioned gold into many forms of jewelry over 5000 years ago.
So what keeps you on an even keel when rejection shows up?
Everyone writer faces rejection. Click here to read snippets from rejection letters received by some famous authors.
Blogger’s note: I did not receive any rejection letters this week, but the running into the steps thing and burning half the dinner were both all too real.
Speaking of bling, click over to author Brenda Novak’s annual Online Auction to benefit Diabetes Research. The auction takes place every May and offers handmade jewelry, autographed books, and lots of other fun stuff for writers and readers.
3 comments:
I--uh--cry. Then I tell my family and cry some more. I'll have to try the jewelry thing.
When I'm depressed I often use "retail therapy," which for me consists of buying books!
I try a more realistic approach to rejection letters: I vow to publish if for nothing else to rub the rejecting publisher's nose in it. Maybe there is a psychoanalyst who would say there is something wrong with this line of thinking; then again, maybe not. I have quite a pile of the things, and I keep them in plain sight to remind me to keep pressing on. Perhaps it is just a male aggression thing. I guess my wife would like it if I bought her jewelry when I get a rejection letter. She might even root for them.
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