Conquering Rejection

By Connie S. Hall

Writers enjoy challenges, and we don’t give up easily. Failure along the way is expected and accepted.

Two things I hate to hear from anyone is – good things come to those who wait, and–rejection builds character and helps you appreciate success even more. These statements may be true, but they don’t help me feel better.

God doesn’t intend for us to struggle with feelings of low self-esteem or rejection. He wants us to understand we have value and worth. No one can shield us from rejection because we can’t control the way editors feel about our stories. Some may like what we wrote, and others will reject it for no apparent reason. When we fail to accept ourselves, rejection can open a door to our emotions, but we have control over our attitude and actions.

Most writers count their rejection letters. We all know we are not alone because everyone gets them. No, I don’t like getting one, but it goes with the territory. The important thing is to spring back after the blow. Coping with rejection and failure is not easy. It certainly doesn’t mean we are not good enough. No one likes criticism, but most writers know that is what makes our work better.

Writers are different from most people. I admit I’m unusual, but I don’t care because it means I’m unique. I just want to be me, and writing is part of me.