the craft. the rejection thing.
As a writer, you will have to get a lot more comfortable with the idea of rejection. It is what it is. There will be that retreat, that pitch, or that book that all you want is for someone to see the potential and you will get a no. And most often, it won’t come with any constructive feedback. Or maybe it won’t even come with a reply. I know I’m painting a bleak picture here, but the reality is that a no doesn’t mean that you won’t eventually get a yes somewhere else.
Storytime. Three years ago, I really wanted to get into the Jack Jones Literary Arts Retreat. It honestly seemed like the best thing I’d heard of that was in support of Black writers and writers of color. I wrote a twenty-page writing sample, submitted my application, and got a no.
The next year, I was apprehensive about re-submitting, so I skipped it. But the year after that I got over myself and tried again. This time, I’d revised my sample a lot and resubmitted it. This time around, I made it as a semi-finalist. I actually got an interview and still, got a no.
The twenty-page sample that I started three years ago to get into the retreat is now my debut novel that I sold this year to 37Ink Books which is an imprint on Simon & Schuster. And that journey came with a lot of NOs.
Here are a couple of things to take away from that story.
Sometimes you have to keep trying. A no one time doesn’t mean that you’ll get a no later. It’s hard to get out of our feelings and not to take things personally, but most times, it’s not personal! My third time around, I got farther than I did the first time.
A no one place doesn’t mean that things can’t go right for you somewhere else. At the time, getting into the retreat felt like the most important thing. But I still sold my book! lol. So, I can’t say I was a fellow, but I’ll soon be able to say I’m a debut novelist.
So, what are some practical ways that we can fortify ourselves in this process? Because listen, the reality is, it sucks to be rejected. But it’s okay because feelings aren’t facts and there are so many factors that play into why you may get a no from somewhere. It’s not indicative (always) on your ability as a writer.
Try to get used to it. The only way to do it is to apply, pitch, query. Funny enough the more you hear no, the more it starts to roll off you. But the only way to get to a yes is to try. Stop telling yourself no before anyone else even has the chance to.
Delete the “no’s” from your inbox. I made the mistake of leaving them there and momentarily depressing myself when seeing them over and over. Get rid of them!
Save the really nice notes you receive. I have a folder in my inbox that’s all feel-good stories. And the key is actually taking a moment to read them from time to time. Yes, occasionally you need to gas yourself up and that is totally okay.
Get better. You can’t let the “No’s” define you. But it doesn’t mean that sometimes no could mean that you have a little more work to do and that’s okay! As writers, we should constantly be getting better. So in those moments, don’t be afraid to take an extra creative intensive or read a lot of other writers that you admire. When you get back to it, you’ll have a lot more experience under your belt.
Last but not least, just cry it out if you need to. But make sure once the tears dry up, that you’re ready to take on the next thing. Writing is about the long game. Although we live in a world of instant gratification, that has not changed in this area. When I took my mind off the appeal of wanting to make announcements and focused on the long haul of building a career, that’s when things really started to fall into place. Take your time with things, try, fail, try again, but just keep writing.
Perseverance is the major key and no one has said it for me more eloquently than Ta-Nehisi Coates in this clip from The Atlantic.
Writing/Job Opportunities
HBO Max is hiring a Copy Editor.
The Hearst Journalism Fellowship is accepting applications.
Freelance opportunity to work on newsletters and social media through Dec. 31st.
ESP/Teen Vogue Senior fellow. One year of reporting on the effects of COVID-19.
Editorial Director of Games at the New York Times.
The Leap is hiring a Communications Director.
Karen Civil and Live Civil are looking for two writers.
Freelance eCommerce Partnerships Writer
Sarah Panlibuton Barnes is a Senior Editor at Repeller and looking for pitches.
Leah Feiger is the Senior Features Editor at Vice. Send pitches or tips to leah.feiger@vice.com. International features, and investigations on gender, development, colonialism, religion, and more.
To Be Read
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