Just received my very first rejection

It hurts. There is no denying it. I wish I could think of something to say to make it better. That first skinned knee hurts as bad at six as the one hundredth at sixty. On the other hand think of that grand set of balls you possess! It takes a lot of ingenuity, patience and mental strength just to see something past a draft and, if that isn't enough, it takes fortitude and courage to to stay the course and keep writing despite the rejection. I, for one, am proud to know you! And I think everyone else here would tell you the same--s6

Keep trying buddy, don't give up.

And if you haven't posted the first 1k words or so in SYW might give that a go too.

Welcome to the club. You not only completed a project, but you had the courage to submit it, too. Not everyone does. I know a lot of writers sitting on partials or completed stories and wishing they had the guts to send it out into the world. Every time you send something out after getting rejected it makes you stronger.

Unless you've had an epiphany about how to strengthen the story, send it back out NOW! And keep working on your next one.

T'is the only consolation and aids in the thickening of the skin. Also, when you've accumulated your first hundred rejections, you get to join the secret club!

Good for you! It means you sent your story out. You're one up on the people who have no rejections because they have never tried.

Now, go try again.

Keep writing! You'll get there eventually.

I've had 200-something so far on short stories/poems, so I know what you mean. Some of them have been pretty darn clueless (i.e. they didn't pay much attention) or flat-out insulting in at least one case.

em, congratulations?


may you have many more?


kiddin. it gets easier

(it doesn't, but it's nice to believe it does)

I think the first one is always the hardest in some ways. With my first, even though I logically knew it probably wouldn't happen on the first letter, you can't help but hope. It's kind of like playing the lottery. You know the chances aren't great, but maybe . . .

Good luck. It gets easier. As soon as mine show up in my email, I toss them into another folder so I don't have to see them mocking me in my inbox.

You just gotta go in believing rejection will happen so your thrilled even more when it doesn't. It doesn't sting for me because I expect it. And when it doesn't happen, I explode out of my chair and do some Celtic dancing, even though I only know ballet.

Congratulate yourself! To echo others up-thread: you had the guts to send it out. Good for you!

Kzordcid said:

It was a generic rejection letter, no critique, so I wish I knew what exactly was wrong with it.

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I can tell you exactly what was wrong with it. For only $100, but this week I'm having a special, so you get the information for free:

They didn't want it. That was what was wrong with it. Someone else might want it, so send it to them.

caw

Keep sending it out, and good luck.

I received my first rejection today, as well. I sent it out to someone else five minutes later. I'm a sucker for pain, I guess.

Kzordcid said:

I sent out a short story for the first time in December and just received my first rejection. I was expecting this to happen, but it still stings a bit. It was a generic rejection letter, no critique, so I wish I knew what exactly was wrong with it.

Ah, well. The life of a writer.

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Chances are nothing is wrong with it. Send it back out before the day is through.

I look at form rejections this way. When you go to a restaurant, you don't tell the chef why you didn't choose the other 40 items on the menu. You chose one and that was it. An editor is the same way. Now, if NOBODY orders a particular item in a reasonable amount of time, something's probably wrong with it. Same with your story. I wait until I get about half a dozen rejections before I start going back over it.

Phaeal said:

Unless you've had an epiphany about how to strengthen the story, send it back out NOW! And keep working on your next one.

T'is the only consolation and aids in the thickening of the skin. Also, when you've accumulated your first hundred rejections, you get to join the secret club!

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And you receive the key to the *special* bathroom!

Condolences, first of all. But also, congratulations on taking a very important first step to possible eventual publication. As others have said, you've accomplished something most writers never achieve -- you've gotten a rejection, by dint of submitting. If you keep at it, you'll eventually get a personal rejection, and then you'll eventually get a rejection with a suggestion (or two) included. Best of luck!

sovermonter

I hope you find success! Keep trying!