d eleven rejections! That was probably a record for me, and I certainly did my share of complaining and feeling sorry for myself. But I tried to remind myself that the reason I received so many rejection letters in one day is that I have a lot of thingMany new writers are deathly afraid of rejection. A rejection letter, they fear, means that they are somehow not talented, or not suited to be a writer, or that they don’t have the “connections” to make it into print.

New writers sometimes fear rejection so much that they hesitate to send their writing out. And if they do screw up their courage enough to send something out, and then receive that dreaded rejection letter, they memorize every word of it, dwell on what they might have done wrong, and decide that, after all, their kind of writing is not suited to the marketplace.

In fact, rejection is something that a published writer courts. We don’t actually enjoy getting rejection letters, but we realize that we can’t get published without sending things out – and that when we send work out, it often is rejected for reasons unrelated to the quality of the writing.

I have been published in many venues, yet I still receive a lot of rejections. In fact, one day recently I received eleven rejections! That was probably a record for me, and I certainly did my share of complaining and feeling sorry for myself. But I tried to remind myself that the reason I received so many rejection letters in one day is that I have a lot of things

ejection so much that they hesitate to send their writing out. And if they do screw up their courage enough to send something out, and then receive that dreaded rejection letter, they memorize every word of it, dwell on what they might have done wrong, and decide that, after all, their kind of writing is not suited to the marketplace.

In fact, rejection is something that a published writer courts. We don’t actually enjoy getting rejection letters, but we realize that we can’t get published without sending things out – and that when we send work out, it often is rejected for reasons unrelated to the quality of the writing.

I have been published in many venues, yet I still receive a lot of rejections. In fact, one day recently I received eleven rejections! That was probably a record for me, and I certainly did my share of complaining and feeling sorry for myself. But I tried to remind myself that the reason I received so many rejection letters in one day is that I have a lot of thing

and decide that, after all, their kind of writing is not suited to the marketplace.

In fact, rejection is something that a published writer courts. We don’t actually enjoy getting rejection letters, but we realize that we can’t get published without sending things out – and that when we send work out, it often is rejected for reasons unrelated to the quality of the writing.

I have been published in many venues, yet I still receive a lot of rejections. In fact, one day recently I received eleven rejections! That was probably a record for me, and I certainly did my share of complaining and feeling sorry for myself. But I tried to remind myself that the reason I received so many rejection letters in one day is that I have a lot of thing

hout sending things out – and that when we send work out, it often is rejected for reasons unrelated to the quality of the writing.

I have been published in many venues, yet I still receive a lot of rejections. In fact, one day recently I received eleven rejections! That was probably a record for me, and I certainly did my share of complaining and feeling sorry for myself. But I tried to remind myself that the reason I received so many rejection letters in one day is that I have a lot of thing

d eleven rejections! That was probably a record for me, and I certainly did my share of complaining and feeling sorry for myself. But I tried to remind myself that the reason I received so many rejection letters in one day is that I have a lot of things circulating out there.

I regularly send short stories to literary magazines. I have three fiction manuscripts which I am trying to place with an agent or publisher. I have a nonfiction book proposal and nonfiction articles circulating. On those days when I seem to be inundated with rejection, I try to remember that, among all the rejections I receive, I do also get positive results.

Here is one somewhat silly thing I do to “soften” the impact of receiving a rejection letter. You may know that, when you send a story to a literary magazine, or a query letter to an agent or publisher, you must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for their reply. Before I send out my mailing, I go to the post office and pick out some pretty or unusual stamps. I use these for my self-addressed, stamped envelopes. That way, when I receive my replies (which are generally rejections, since acceptances often come via phone or e-mail), I can at least look at a nice stamp!

Of course, before send