Learning from Rejection
There is a reason writing and selling your first book is compared to giving birth. They both seem to take way too long and they each involve some pain. However, in the end, when a mother holds her new baby, she will likely tell you that the end result was worth the labor pains. Writers holding their first book in their hands say the same about the pain of rejection they encountered in their struggle to get published.
One of the best pieces of advice on learning from rejection is to put the rejection away, wait until the emotional blow is over, and reread it with a clear head. Try to find the constructive criticism in the letter and then ask yourself if perhaps some changes are in order.
Being able to deal with rejection is essential to all writers. However, smart writers not only continue writing in spite of the rejection, they use it to help further their career. In other words, they learn from rejection.
While it's been pointed out in this chapter that not all rejections are a good indication of the quality of your work, if you get one or more rejections that point out the same weak areas in your story, or your writing, then it is wise to listen.
For example, if you get a couple of responses from editors saying your characters aren't sympathetic, then do a refresher course on characterization and what makes characters likeable. If pacing is mentioned in your rejections, set out to study how you can improve your pacing.
Perhaps you've only gotten one rejection, but the editor mentioned some issues that your critique partners have brought up as possibly being problematic. Or, perhaps a contest judge mentioned those same issues in her critique. Or maybe, deep down, you knew you needed to work on that area. However you may have reached the conclusion, you've come to the realization that it's time to put your pride aside and admit you need to polish your manuscript and hone your craft.
A proper reaction to feedback and criticism of your writing — be it from an editor, agent, or critique partner — is important if you are going to learn from rejection. It's human nature and not altogether a bad thing to defend yourself. That said, because writing is such a subjective business, you may want to monitor and be aware of how you react to criticism.
If you are unwilling to even consider the possibility of making changes, the problem might not only be with your manuscript, it might be with your willingness to learn as well. You may be repeating the same mistakes and may be unwilling to see the error of your ways.
Equally unproductive is the writer who, after getting feedback, immediately makes revisions without really considering them or believing in them. What happens then is that the writer no longer understands her own story and either loses enthusiasm for the work or there is a lack of continuity to the work.
While it may never be wise to refuse to comply with an editor's revisions, especially in the beginning of the working relationship, most editors understand that for revisions to work, the writer must be able to understand and believe in the suggested changes.
The best response to negative feedback is to listen and consider it before forming an opinion. You may need to put the rejection or the critique away and come back to it later. However, if the revision recommendation came from an editor, don't wait too long. You don't want that editor to lose enthusiasm over your work — or even worse, to have left the publishing house.
