The Iniquitous Slip

All the famous writers I heard of could paper the walls of their offices with rejection notices.

Rejection slips are the bane of all writers, yet they are inevitable. The most successful of writers had their share of them, and even get them now that they are prosperous. Although rejections are inescapable, they should not be considered maleficent; they should be considered helpful. Though when first received, they can be disheartening, they should be contemplated as a valuable learning experience. Even if they come as form letters, they can serve as valuable lesson in determination.

Look at it this way: One more "no" is that much closer to a "yes". Each time a manuscript comes back, the quicker it should be sent to the next market prospect, and the writer should get on with the job of writing. Hesitating will only prolong the period of time before the piece is accepted for publication.

If the rejection notice has a personal message attached with a critique from the editor it should be studied carefully and heeded. If that happens, the writer knows that the composition had merit, and with a little more work can be placed.

Once the "work of art" is further improved, it is time to send it on its way again. When the writer is confident that it is the best that can be produced, then it is ready to return to the eyes of editors, whether it is an anecdote or a mammoth saga. It must be out there to be considered.

Perseverance is the writer's best virtue. If at first you do not succeed, try and try again.

As Anaïs Nin says in her autobiography "Beware of allowing a tactless word, a rebuttal, a rejection to obliterate the whole sky" that should be a writer's philosophy about rejection slips.

Charles O. Goulet has a BA in English literature. He published several novels that are available from Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and many other online bookstores.

His website is: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/go1c

---

Documenting Everything: Your Journal is Your Logbook

Sailors had it for years. Great explorers had it as... Read More

Recommendation Letters Demystified

There is a lot of confusion about recommendation letters.Recommendation letters... Read More

Plotting Problems - Episodic Writing

The rejection letter says: "Your story, on the surface, appears... Read More

The Power of Punctuation

Punctuation, when used creatively, is powerful. Note, however, that when... Read More

What Is The Single Worst Writing Mistake?

The following answer sounds simplistic?but think about it. The single... Read More

How to Have an Effective Reading Group

Writing leads to reading. Therefore, it's only fair to supply... Read More

How To Co-Publish For Profits!

The Benefits of Co-Publishing There are a number of publishers,... Read More

Is Someone Plagiarizing Your Work?

About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately... Read More

Amazing Ways Writing Articles Can Improve Your Business

How to get a lot of traffic to your website... Read More

An Introduction to Self Publishing Material

Any article, report or book which is bought or sold... Read More

Common Writing Mistakes - Are These Holding You Back From Writing Success?

During the years that I've been teaching writing and participating... Read More

Top Seven Essential Hot-Selling Points To Implement Before Writing Chapter One

Every part of your book can be a sales tool.... Read More

A Writers Inner Battle

There is a psychological nuisance so powerful that can deflate... Read More

Taking the Free Out of Freelance Writing

When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors... Read More

Characters In A Romance Novel

Before you even begin writing your novel, you need to... Read More

A Beginners Guide to Writing a Novel

No one is born a novel writer. But do you... Read More

Think Market!

Griselda spent hours polishing up her resume. No detail was... Read More

8 Quick Tips on Creating Vivid, Memorable Characters

These 8 tips on using characters in your stories will... Read More

Three 30 Day Journaling Ideas

Here are 3 journaling or diary ideas that can contribute... Read More

You Dont Need Inspiration!

Or do you?Writers write. You shouldn't wait around for inspiration... Read More

Is Horror Dead?

I've noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently,... Read More

Writing New Ideas

Someone once commented that there were no new ideas to... Read More

Power Writing 101: Tips and Tricks to Get You Taken Seriously!

In my ten years as an advertiser, I've encountered plenty... Read More

Interview with Suspense Author Peter Abrahams

Peter Abrahams is the author of thirteen novels, including "The... Read More

Get Your Writing Reviewed by Major Publications for Free

All Writers need the press, especially new writers. As a... Read More

Whats Missing in your Nearly Finished Book?

Bookcoaching clients come to me at different stages of writing... Read More

Publish It Now! No Matter What It Is

Do you want to publish something? An article, a non-fiction... Read More

Personal Journaling - Strategies To Make It Easy

Recently I was watching the Oprah show and it was... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio... Read More

Do You Know What A Plot Is?

Creative Writing Tips ?What a plot is and what a... Read More

Writing Helpful Help ? A Minimalism Checklist

User documentation is all too often written by programmers for... Read More

7 Book Publicity Tips for Authors and Small Publishers

The biggest mistake authors make when trying to get free... Read More

How to Write a Holiday Tale that Isn?t a Turkey

When we write stories, with the purpose of sharing them... Read More