It arrived.
The email I had waited for since submitting my short story Adventures before Christmas.
The word REJECTION wasn’t in the title of the email. It hadn’t been typed in the body of the email. It wasn’t even included in the attachment, but my story wasn’t being shortlisted for the monthly prize. Whichever way you cut it, my story was rejected.
I could say, at least they responded at all, but I paid a little extra so I could have a one page critique of the story. They had to respond!
There were several positive comments and some helpful suggestions on how to tighten the story and improve it, which is all I can ask for. Overall, worth the extra £5 and I’m sure it’ll help me tweak the story again before I send it somewhere else.
It felt bad, but good. It has spurred me on even more.
Onward and upwards.
Pete Denton 
Is all positive feedback, from what I have seen from your blog etc, this year will be a great one for you.
Just remember the goals you set yourself…
Happy writing
Dave Perlmutter
What’s the saying? Every rejection is one step closer to being published…
Getting rejected means you’re moving up in the writing world! One step closer indeed! Now other people are actually reading your work instead of it sitting on your desk. 🙂
You’re in good company. I’ve gotten two novel rejections just today.
Hey Pete,
I remember my first rejection letter and I know exactly how you feel. You have cleared another (bittersweet) hurdle on your path to becoming a published author. Congrats! A lot of writers frame those and some, (gluttons for punishment,) save them all.
Don’t let it get you down. Remember, you’re writing in the new golden age of self publication and in the long run, their rejection is only an opinion. Learn what you can from the advice they offered in the critique and move on.
Happy writing!
Nick
Keep at it!!
Ack! My stories have been rejected so, so many times, and each and every one leaves a little scar. I’ve not the thickest skin, but like you, I’m always spurred onward. Good job!
Welcome to the club! Like Oliviaboler, many rejections here. The skin gets thicker, it still stings.but each criticism inspires you to be better. Hang in there and believe in yourself!
There are platitudes-a-plenty about rejections, but the simple reality is that they far outnumber the accepts; so much so, in fact, that getting an acceptance letter feels like finding a Golden Ticket to the Wonka factory. The first few sting, but after a while they feel like business as usual. Hang in there.
Thank you all for your words of encouragement. I feel even more determined to keep working at my writing and keep submitting. Your support means a lot. 🙂
Congratulations for putting yourself ot there. Eventually your time will come.
Thanks. It’s all part of the experience. I feel more like a writer now!
Yes! Well done, Pete. Now you’ve broken that seal, there’s no stopping you. And I bestow upon thee the greatest luck xharm one writer can give another:
“May your rejection pile be forever smaller than my own.”
🙂
Craig
Thank you kind sir. I hope never to have to compare piles with anyone!
:O The images, the images! hahaha
Like everyone else said, this is only one step forward. Keep at it!
Thank you for visiting. I will keep at it.
Onwards and upwards indeed. Persistence, perhaps even more than almost any other quality, is what separates published writers from unpublished ones.
Thanks for commenting. I’m certainly persistent!
I like this post, not that you’ve been rejected. Great outlook and attitude especially by paying the extra for the critique.
Hahaha thanks. The critique was worth the little extra.
That is so exciting! I know…weird to say, but it is true. I recently got my first rejection as well. I plan on printing it out. Keep Writing!
I know what you mean it is exciting. Get it printed and keep it. Hopefully you’ll be able to look back at them one day and smile. 🙂
Here in Sweden an author wrote his first book ever. If I translate it with my own words the title was “The 100 year old man who climbed out through the window”. It was his first book ever, He got rejected over and over again, after sending the manuscript to several publishers. After a couple of months (?) a publisher called him up and asked if he got published yet. No, not yet, so they published him. Now, he is a millionaire with a best seller!
So Peter, keep up the good work. It´s worth it!
Maggie
That sounds like a great plan. I need to finish it!
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