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.

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