I’ve been chatting with some writer pals about the big Rs lately. There are all kinds of them: a crit partner doesn’t like your work, an agent says “no thanks”, a publisher gives you the shrug off, or there’s the ever-unpleasant bad review. Without a doubt, they can make you gain five million pounds in peanut butter ice cream weight, cry, or worse, give up on writing altogether. Don’t even think about it! So then what? How do we deal with those hurtful rejections?
BROOD
Give yourself a break. No one expects you to paste a smile on your face and pretend you aren’t disappointed. Be disappointed. Curl up on the couch and watch a crappy Lifetime movie that makes you cry. Eat a bag of Doritos. Have a scotch. Or three. Do what you need to do, but you only get 24 hours. Then back on the horse.
HASH IT OUT
Call your critique partner(s) and pick apart every single detail of the rejection or bad review. Whine. Complain about how no one gets your work or how every other p.o.s. novel that’s ever been published doesn’t hold a candle to your genius. You get 24 hours. Then back on the horse.
EXERCISE
You’re stressed, distressed, depressed. You feel like crap. Dejected. Don’t sit around on your butt and do nothing. DO SOMETHING! Go for a run. Hope on a bike. Play tennis. The harder the better. The endorphins will start pumping. Your mind will clear. You’ll know what TO DO with said manuscript. Or hey, maybe it doesn’t need editing. Maybe person X doesn’t GET your work. That’s okay. Someone will. You get 24 hours to pout. Then back on the horse.
APPLY THE BAND-AID
Lick your ego. Lick your open wounds, then spray that bad boy with Neosporin and patch it up. I have a wise friend who says one rejection/bad review is one less negative you must endure before the golden moment of success. She’s right. Back on the horse!
GO TO THE MATTRESSES
This means WAR! War on your WIP! War on your craft! Take this opportunity to LEARN and GROW. There’s nothing more badass then rising to a challange. They want the POV deeper? They want the pace to move? They want the protag to make them cry? Work it! Ply the verbiage with your savage wordy skills. SHOW THEM WHAT YOU’RE MADE OF. Back on the horse!
Because let’s face it–the winners drag themselves out of the dirt, dust off, and pull their sword from its sheath and shout “Is that all you got? Bring it! I will slaughter this!”
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About Heather Webb
Heather’s historical novels have received national starred reviews, been featured in print media including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and have been chosen as a Goodreads Top Pick in 2015. To date, her books have sold in a dozen countries. She enjoys helping other writers and may often be found tweeting helpful links, writing craft articles, or speaking about the industry and her love of books at conferences and retreats. For more information, see her AUTHOR page.
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Excellent advice. I agree with your approach, especially take time to analyse the critique (if there is one) or the reasons it was rejected – then learn, go over the work again, make the changes, refine the text – but keep writing!
Great post and timely for a friend – I shall have to share this!
I especially like the optimism of your friend’s advice: one rejection/bad review is one less negative you must endure before the golden moment of success
😀
I haven’t been in this spot yet, but I love that your advice allows for a little wallowing!
Love it! I just got my first “Work on it and get back to me when you do” from an agent. I’m actually not that down, and this post just got me revved up!
I’m glad to help, Jess! I coached high school track for 10 years–I LOVE to motivate. 🙂 I’m glad to be of help. Oh, and having an agent leave the door open to resubmit is a great thing! This is a gift many many authors don’t ever get. Celebrate that!!
Brilliant! Yep, 24 hours is just about acceptable so go for the self-pity big time, because that’s all you’re getting. If it was easy, they’d call it football… (I stole that from a sticker on my daughter’s wall but you get my drift??)
Great post! Love it!
It’s been awhile since I’ve been rejected as I haven’t submitted anything ever, really. But one day. 😉
Really helpful advice. Thanks Heather! I will bookmark this for when I need it, (oh, I wish I won’t though, but I know better than that.)
Thanks sugar!! you’re the BEST and so…SO spot on!
Who loves ya??
{THIS GUY!}
Did you write this just for me? Ha ha ha 🙂 Thanks for the pick-me-up. Grrrrrr where’s my sword! 🙂