#0006 Flaunt it because they didn’t want it

aka Sharing Your Rejections

The notion that a writer or artist will instantly receive acclaim and accolades is ridiculous. So many places share so many stories about how this or that famous creative initially got panned. But they pursued and persevered. They built on their rejections until they got the attention they deserved. 

And so should you. Instead of dwelling in the lonely doldrums, share your rejections.

Start small. If you have a creative pal, make a pact to support each other whether the news is good = acceptance or better = rejection. (See how I changed the expectation right there?)

Go social. Let your networks know the latest. Though trolls are mean and often poor spellers, those anonymous nobodies will disappear in the ever-changing streams if you ignore them. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard?

Workshop check-ins. During a workshop you’re likely to share on-the-spot efforts and receive feedback from participants. If you and others at the workshop click, keep checking in with each other after the workshop ends. Goes for conferences, festivals, open mics, etc.

Inlandia’s club. As a member of Inlandia’s 100 Rejections Club, I get to flaunt my rejections on our Rejections Brag Board. Other members can then praise me for my rejections. How coolio is that?!

Comment here. I’ll go first: I submitted art for the Winter 2023 issue of Sequoia Speaks, an international literary print magazine. The form rejection came back. In. Just. Four. Days. Superstar!

FYI: Comment here is this substack’s first call to action. Baby steps. So… have you ever been rejected after submitting your writing or applying for a grant or trying to get an arts residency? I’d be up for the heart-rending story of an elementary-school teacher that smashed your watercolor dreams decades ago. Share your rejection truth in the comments. 

Next time: Taking the sting out of rejection.