I received my first rejection letter for my novel the other day. I never understood why some writers wallpaper their writing space with the curt, nay-saying notes—it seems so discouraging. As if getting one isn’t enough to send one in a bit of a funk, let alone staring it at it every day. So what’s the best way to deal with rejection? Drink a bottle of wine while feeling like Julia Roberts when the Rodeo Drive salesgirls won’t let her shop, dance out your demons to a Michael Jackson song on repeat until you pass out, and then wake up the next morning and view your manuscript with a more critical eye? Perhaps.
Having been on the acquisitions side of things though, it is frustrating when an author is too close to his/her work and takes criticism/rejection far too personally. A writer can become stubborn and refuse to allow his/her novel to grow. But when does altering the work to the satisfaction of the market become “selling out”? Does such a thing even both or matter to anyone? When I was younger it did. But maybe I was only scoffing when an artist I loved put out work I hated but everyone else adored. Hmm. But let’s face it: it’s an amazing feeling to make money off of something you put out in the world. And we all gotta start somewhere. I say that as long as you have fun doing what you’re doing, cater to the world’s needs—why not? (Then later you can make enough money to do whatever wacky, innovative thing you’d like.)
I’ve certainly digressed from my point—or have I? Maybe the key to approaching rejection is to be proud of your work but not too proud that you lose your sense of humor about it. We’re doing what we love, and every rejection is going to send us back to our manuscript for one more revision and make it better than before—what’s to hate about that?
-LZ.
