How Many Rejections Does It Take to Motivate You

It might seem like a loss but it’s another opportunity to win

New writer or established writer, we all face the same struggles. Would it make you feel better if I told you many of the authors of the books I’ve read — established writers — faced rejection in their day? Nevertheless, it can still take the wind out of your sails but hope their stories motivate you to accept those rejections like scars.

“Writers remember everything…especially the hurts. Strip a writer to the buff, point to the scars, and he’ll tell you the story of each small one. From the big ones you get novels. A little talent is a nice thing to have if you want to be a writer, but the only real requirement is the ability to remember the story of every scar.” ― Stephen King

J.K. Rowling:

It’s common knowledge that J.K. Rowling tried a dozen times before she got Harry Potter published. It might not be such common knowledge that she owed her success to an 8-year-old girl — the daughter of the chairman at the publishing house and the sole audience to the first chapter. After reading it, she demanded the whole book — and the rest, as they say, is history.

What’s more interesting, is that even though J.K Rowling had proven herself a successful writer, she got rejected. In 2016, she publicly announced the rejection of her book, “The Cuckoo’s Calling.” She openly did this for the sole purpose of inspiration and not revenge.

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all — in which case, you fail by default — J.K. Rowling

Anne Frank:

Anne Frank’s diary received 15 rejections. It remained in the rejected submissions until, it came upon one, Judith Jones. She worked as an office assistant for a publishing company in Paris.

When she was filing the rejected pile, an image of Frank’s face on the cover captured her attention and she ended up reading it all day. She convinced the New York office of Doubleday to take it on, which ultimately led to the publication, Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl.

Jones won five Pulitzer Prizes, five National Book Awards and three National Book Critics Circle Awards.

William Golding:

William Golding’s, Lord of the Flies got rejected 20 times before becoming published. This book was part of classroom learning when I was in high school. Lord of the Flies was also rescued from the rejection pile by a young editor, Charles Monteith. He had to convince Faber to consider it for publication.

If William Golding had called it quits after collecting a stack of rejection letters, Lord of the Flies would never have made it to bookshelves. Golding also went on to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

William Golding in 1983:

Words may, through the devotion, the skill, the passion and the luck of writers, prove to be the most powerful thing in the world.

Dr Seuss:

Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, got rejected 27 times. One day, he was planning on burning his manuscript when he happened to be in the right place at the right time. He ran into an old school acquaintance, an editor of children’s books, who insisted on seeing it. The book was published and had rave reviews. Dr. Seuss went on to write over 60 children’s books.

He mentioned later on about meeting his friend on the street:

‘If I’d been going down the other side of Madison Avenue, I’d be in the dry-cleaning business today.”

How to break the rejection loop

If you are going to let the rejection repeat in your mind, and obsess over it, you won’t be able to break out of the loop. Like anxiety plays on your mind, so will the rejection.

Here are seven actions I take after my writing gets brushed off:

1. Say thank you and be grateful It’s like applying for a job when you don’t hack it. Out of courtesy, you would respond by thanking them for their consideration. Keeping the possibility of future opportunities open. In the same manner, thank them and be grateful they considered your work and will continue to do so.

Every time I thought I was being rejected from something good. I was actually being re-directed to something better — Steve Maraboli

2. Hope something from there stuck with them Every article, essay, or story has a lesson from the author. A good editor can find those gems, either from words, phrases, or even quotes. There is always something to take away. So don’t feel deflated, I’m sure they walked away from that piece with something. Isn’t that the ultimate goal?

If the truth is there, bad writing won’t hurt it — Alfred Adler

3. Take their feedback as positive criticism Editors who take the time to explain why they rejected your article, are the ones you should heed. If I only wanted praise for my writing, I’d leave no room for improvement. The way I see it, I’ve received countless rejections throughout my life, we all have. From school, university/college, in the workplace, and relationships. We should be able to handle it by now. Feel the rejection, accept it, learn from it, and move on.

The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than be saved by criticism — Norman Vincent Peale

4. Try another publication If I am happy as it stands, I send it off elsewhere where they will appreciate my perspective. Sometimes I want to be more personable than be an authority on a subject. I aim to keep it light and get people thinking, not always throwing research and how-to’s their way.

Rejection doesn’t mean you aren’t good enough; it means the other person failed to notice what you have to offer — Mark Amend

5. Edit If I want to make it less personal, I edit. Reading it after, I realize it sounds completely different. Imagine if you could do a makeover on all your so-so articles, they’d turn out to be masterpieces. While we can’t do that, what we can do is edit as best as possible. Sometimes it’s not always about what the audience wants to hear but what you want to say. In that case, publish to your profile. We have all seen the Grammarly quote:

To Err is Human; to Edit, Divine.

6. I move on to my next article I’ve got my feathers wet too many times to count. Now it’s water off a duck’s back. (Sorry I could be talking about life here and not only my writing). Don’t let the rejections stop you in your tracks. Move on to your next piece of work because you have more to say.

Opportunities are like buses; there’s always another one coming — Richard Branson

7. Check submission guidelines An important, and often overlooked reason for rejection. I submit to a few publications. I’m guilty of not giving the guidelines a quick once-over to make sure my article is in line with what they are looking for, as they might have changed or updated them. The submission guidelines can also give you a good idea of who their audience is.

Know how to win by following the rules — Arnold Palmer

Final thoughts

I never took rejection so disparagingly, in the beginning, thinking I was a newbie, I expected it. But if you are a seasoned writer, and facing rejection, acceptance is the key. A clear rejection is better than a fake promise. Look at the positives. Look from the editors’ perspective.

And yes, all writers indeed look for validation, myself included. I have had a few articles chosen for further distribution, and it gives me the motivation to keep sailing. I hope, when you face rejection, it gives you the fortitude to continue writing and never stop.

If you live for peoples acceptance, you will die from their rejection — Lecrae