Wednesday, August 24

How to Kick the Rejection Blues

Welcome to Stephanie Faris's Piper Morgan Blog Tour. Her subject today is something that I must deal with on a regular basis: Rejection. 

Congratulations, Stephanie, on the release of two new *Piper Morgan books!




by Stephanie Faris
Rejection. Nobody enjoys it. In fact, for most of us, being told “no” can be either a) depressing or b) frustrating, depending on where we are in our careers. Writing rejection can be more difficult than any other type of rejection since our stories are so closely tied to who we are.
No matter how much success you have as a writer, you’ll still face rejection. Your publisher or agent will say “no” to the latest manuscript you sent in. Or a reader will leave a scathing review on Amazon or Goodreads. Every time you think you might have some small amount of talent, someone’s always there to knock you back to reality again, bringing those doubts right back to the surface.
Does it get easier over time? I think so. Eventually, you get a yes that makes all the no’s so much easier to take. The next 50 rejections are tough, but you get some good news and soon you don’t mind the rejections as much. Why? Because people have told you yes, which lets you know you have the talent it takes to get your work published. You’ll always have doubts, but with time those voices get a little quieter.
Some writers play a game that seems to work. They collect rejections. The goal is to get as many no’s as they can each year, counting each one and bragging about them. Those no’s are huge accomplishments because they represent the fact that you’re trying. If you send out five queries to agents or editors, you’re highly unlikely to get a yes unless you’re really lucky. If you send out 100 or 200? Your odds increase significantly.

My prescription for the rejection blues? Get back up, dust yourself off, and try again. And set a goal to wallpaper your bathroom with all of the rejection emails you’re going to get. Wear those rejections with pride. They represent the courage you have that so many other writers don’t. 


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*In Piper Morgan Joins the Circus, Piper learns her mom’s new job will be with the Big Top Circus. She can’t wait to learn all about life under the big top, see all the cool animals, and meet the Little Explorers, the other kids who travel with the show. She’s even more excited to learn that she gets to be a part of the Little Explorers and help them end each show with a routine to get the audience on their feet and dancing along!

*In Piper Morgan in Charge, Piper’s mom takes a job in the local elementary school principal’s office. Piper is excited for a new school and new friends—and is thrilled when she is made an “office helper.” But there is one girl who seems determined to prove she is a better helper—and she just so happens to be the principal’s daughter. Can Piper figure out how to handle being the new girl in town once more?

BIO:  Stephanie Faris knew she wanted to be an author from a very young age. In fact, her mother often told her to stop reading so much and go outside and play with the other kids. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism, she somehow found herself working in information technology. But she never stopped writing.

Stephanie is the Simon & Schuster author of 30 Days of No Gossip and 25 Roses. When she isn’t crafting fiction, she writes for a variety of online websites on the topics of business, technology, and her favorite subject of all—fashion. She lives in Nashville with her husband, a sales executive.
You can find Stephanie online at:


34 comments:

  1. I think I deleted all of my rejections.
    You just have to keep trying. Eventually, there will be a yes.

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    1. I think I lost all of mine! I have a folder with a few of them from back in the 90s--back when everything was done through postal mail.

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  2. Congratulations on your two new book releases, Stephanie!

    Thank you for the guest blog today. This is a subject with which I have had more experience than any in other aspect of my writing career. Great advice!

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    1. I think we all do! Thank you so much for hosting me today!

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  3. I now feel somewhat prepared for all this, should I start sending in my story. I'm not sure how soon, though, I may try to do so, since I'm still editing and waiting for reactions of others I sent it to to read. Only one so far has finished reading and has said anything.

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    1. It's tough--I think I sent my first manuscript out way too soon. But I've seen people revise and revise out of fear. There is a point where you have to just put it out there and hope that if you do get a rejection, there will be feedback. But a critique group really can help! I think that was the best thing I ever did early in my career. Not just for the feedback--but you need a "tribe" of writers who is going through what you're going through and can cheer you on.

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  4. It can be so hard with how subjective the field is! The exact same story that gets a "no" one place may be lauded as the best thing since sliced bread at the next. I totally agree though. It's when we hear that big yes, or enough of them that we begin to accept that not everyone will love our writing, and that's okay.

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    1. It is all SO subjective. We assume editors know everything, but they have personal tastes, as well.

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  5. Very inspiring post, Stephanie. I love your take on dealing with a rejection. It's so true that those rejections show you're trying and that's what it takes. I also try to remember that every author, no matter how famous they are now, has received a few rejection notes along the way. Wishing you much success.

    Hi, Valerie. Great post.

    Thoughts in Progress
    and MC Book Tours

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    1. Thanks, Mason! I agree with you. We sometimes forget that even the famous are or were rejected. I try to think of Stephen King with I get one. I think I read once that a nail he had driven into the wall wouldn't hold all of his rejections. That was encouraging!

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    2. And J.K. Rowling--Harry Potter got a TON of rejections, right?

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  6. I save all of my rejections. They make me happy because they mean I tried.

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    1. That is so true--the only failure is not to even try at all.

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  7. I used to take every rejection to heart, but soon learned to persevere. I would figure that person was just having a bad day and couldn't see my brilliance (and I'd also re-look, edit, and improve on my "genius"). Some rejections do hurt more than others - when they say "I really liked this but...we don't have space" that hurts. It's a tough business. But you are on a roll - so congrats. As is your hostess today - congrats on her books too

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    1. That does hurt. Or when you get SO close to getting something published, but they end up rejecting you. That's really painful because you get your hopes up!

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  8. Those that succeed are the ones that get back up, dust themselves off, and move forward. Excellent advice.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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    1. I agree. The only way to fail as a writer is to give up.

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  9. I just realized Piper Morgan's mom is probably the coolest person in the books, isn't she? Now I really have to read this...

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  10. Rejection means that you tried something. So, kudos to everyone who has ever gotten rejected for whatever reason. You are a number of steps ahead of all those who never try anything for fear of rejection.

    You are stronger because of it!

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    1. Absolutely, true! Anyone who has never been rejected likely hasn't gone after something they weren't sure they could get.

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  11. You can't be rejected if you don't submit. So, rejections are kind of a badge of honor in trying. I think if you realize that many nos are "not right for me" rather than "you suck", it doesn't sting so bad.

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    1. It helps if the rejection actually says that! Not too many rejections say "you suck," fortunately!

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  12. Good way to look at rejection, Stephanie. It brings to mind a quote "A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit" by Richard Bach. Besides, these battle scars a food for great fodder around the writer's table :-)
    Terrific post, ladies!

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  13. I am fairly certain I could wallpaper my entire house with the rejections I've racked up. Those few 'yes's definitely go a long way though :)

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    1. I think I could, too--I still get rejected (or completely ignored) when I pitch to publications.

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  14. Wallpaper the bathroom?????? I was going for the great room. grin.

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  15. Of course, you're right about your suggestions for dealing with rejection, but I'm beyond the ability to handle it. If Willy Dunne Wooters doesn't come over on a Sunday afternoon, I think I'll never see him again. Getting divorced after almost thirty-two years of marriage pushed me over the rejection edge. But I've never stopped writing.

    Love,
    Janie

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  16. You'll get your groove back, Janie. Don't stop writing--just keep your work and submit it when you recover from this rough spot in your life. I used to write romance, but after my divorce in the 1990's I kept killing off the handsome hero--and that's a big NO-NO in romance novels. (LOL)

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  17. Great post. I have a wall of my writing room covered with rejection letters. This was before the Internet. They are reminders that I need to keep on writing and try, try again.
    So keep on. Never give up.

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  18. Rejections can be so discouraging, and as others have said it's so subjective. One person can love your work while another doesn't like it at all. I love the attitude of "wearing" the rejections with pride because it means you're trying and you're putting your work out there. The bottom line is to keep on writing and never give up!

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  19. I used to keep my rejections in a folder in my snail mail days, but it got so massive that I threw it out. There is one yes for the many no's.

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