#honestly i don't like telling people 'oh yeah x got rejected' cuz i always get 'aww sorry' and I'm like. i mean yeah but like oh well? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

essektheylyss · 2 years

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not to be an unhinged Capricorn of a writer, but I really love getting rejections. I'm taking up space as a writer! I'm getting feedback! often I get to know if I got to a second round or not, and if they actually want to see more of my work. sometimes they even suggest other markets to send the piece to that it might fit better!

I've never gotten a mean rejection—even when they're form responses, they are usually quite nice, and stress how many submissions the market or agency receives. and I understand that, but a lot of folks don't. just because you were rejected doesn't mean the reader didn't like the piece—because of how many submissions virtually every market and agency gets, there are dozens of reasons why they have to say no to things, even things they love.

and every personalized rejection I've gotten has actually made my day, because it is genuinely lovely to know that someone read my work and gave it enough thought and consideration to say something specific about it. because I get excited when anyone reads and thinks about something I've written! even if it's just one person!

like do I want the things to get accepted, yeah! cuz I like the pieces and I want other people to read them! but the disappointment of not having the thing published isn't personal, it's professional, and meanwhile I'm gaining a lot of insight into my writing just on statistics for getting a lot of rejections. I don't think that any given rejection is a reflection of me personally.

#i admit i am on the extreme end of the 'don't equate your writing to yourself' but i genuinely think that is SO important #specifically if you want to write professionally cuz like. you're gonna get rejected.#but i don't think you have to be HARDENED to that? like... i can tell based on responses which pieces are stronger than others #and which need more editing #but like. i do think you can be very emotionally invested in your writing and what you're saying and what stories you're telling #and also not take it personally when you get rejected #especially because each piece is different and individual and SMALL notably. even a whole book is NOT equivalent to You #so it isn't a full reflection on you #anyway just thinking cuz i got a rejection that genuinely made my day #like i would legit not have any way to gauge writing progress really if i was not submitting stuff #honestly i don't like telling people 'oh yeah x got rejected' cuz i always get 'aww sorry' and I'm like. i mean yeah but like oh well?#like it's not NOT disappointing to not get accepted but. cuz i would like to get stuff published not cuz i think it reflects on my worth #even like. as a writer lol.#tbh i think this is also like. a struggle with not considering how much of a thing other people see #you can write the most intensely personal story about your deepest trauma and a reader will never know. they're just reading a story.#it can be deeply affecting and still be. yanno. a story.#but also if im writing about my own shit im always abstracting it far enough that it is just like. an element of the thing.#and usually it's not even like. recognizable to me as what it originally was. it's like a transmutation.#or! it is recognizable but it's something that i didn't even recognize it as when i was writing it.#like I'm using writing as alchemy and it works so fucking great honestly #anyway I'll stop and go back to work but i had to make this post cuz i am laughing at myself for being so !!! over rejections #now. grad school rejections on the other hand. those hurt like a motherfucker lmfao #but mostly cuz 'ugh wdym i have to try again in a YEAR couldnt you just take me this time?'#whereas writing is like. cool im submitting this one piece to another three magazines as we speak.

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