The Stages of Rejection

I'm talking about rejection today, not because I'm in a bad mood, but because I'm ecstatic I received a rejection in the mail today!

That sounds weird, I know, but until now I've only hit level 1 and level 4 on the rejection scale (see below). It's either emailed or mailed form rejection, or acceptance. However, today, I received my first level 3 rejection. Upon opening the envelope, I saw the form rejection and my heart sank - like it always does when you see, "Dear Writer, Thank you for submitting but we regret to inform you..." - but then I took the form out and noticed there was another paper behind it. A familiar one. My manuscript. (And here's the exciting part:) With corrections, editor's note and signature! It was like getting asked to prom by the football quarterback.

I've never been an advocate for saving your rejection letters. I've heard stories and even know of other writers who save every rejection, pasting them to the walls like wallpaper. They know the exact number, "This is 673, it's going on the headboard!", and use the rejections as motivation to do better. I understand this, but saving my rejection letters is not how I get motivated. In fact, I try to purge my life of anything considered clutter or negative (not that rejections are negative, just part of the writing life). So, instead, I save the important ones - like today's (and my first full manuscript request from an agent) - in a binder and store it in a drawer where I won't look at it constantly. That way, it's there when I need someone from the industry telling me I'm on the right path, just not there yet, but I won't obsess and freeze up when the writing needs to happen.


I know this is the part you've been waiting for:

THE REJECTION SCALE

Level 1: The form rejection. They sit in stacks in publishing houses, agent desks, and literary magazine editors' drawers waiting to be stuffed into your SASE. You've probably accumulated a few (hundred?).

Level 2: The motivational rejection. This is the form rejection containing a personal message from the editor or agent you sent the manuscript to. It's often short - one sentence or two - and may or may not come with signature.

Level 3: The personal rejection. May or may not be accompanied by a form rejection - always accompanied by the story being returned to you with edits and critiques (may not be line by line, but will speak specifically about the story you submitted). Usually signed or initialed.

Level 4: Acceptance. The holy grail of writers. You're going to be published. Break out the celebration drinks and party supplies.


Rejections got you feeling down? Take a look at these famous authors' rejection totals:

Stephen King: 30 rejections on his first book Carrie, and 60 rejections on the same short story
J.K. Rowling: 12 - a whole dozen - publishers rejected the first Harry Potter book
Jack Canfeld and Mark Victor Hansen - 140 rejections for the first Chicken Soup for the Soul
James Joyce - 22 rejections on his short story collection Dubliners
Margaret Mitchell - 38 rejections for Gone with the Wind
Madeliene L'Engle - 26 rejections for A Wrinkle in Time
Dr. Seuss - 15 rejections before his first book was published

Whether you burn your rejections letters in a giant pyre to the writing gods, pin them to your walls, or drag the rejection email to your trash box, take heart that even the best have been right where you are now.