By definition perseverance is:
No matter how good a relationship you may think you have with an editor, you are bound to face rejection. All writers do. I haven’t heard of one who hasn’t. At least one who has been published more than once.
Konrad Adenauer, Father of Post WWII German said, "A thick skin is a gift from God". Writers need a thick skin!
Journalist Kathy Seligman once said "You can’t hit a home run unless you step up to the plate. You can’t catch a fish unless you put your line in the water. You can’t reach your goals if you don’t try."
I might ad, you will never achieve success if you don’t keep trying. So, if you receive a rejection think of it as a learning experience. Don’t take it personally.
Most editors aren’t rude. They are only over-worked. So, consider yourself blessed if you have an editor who offers reasons for their rejection. Look at it as an opportunity to grow and get better. If they liked your work, but say it isn’t right for their publication, send them something that is.
If they offer suggestions and say they want to see it again, consider their suggestions. You have a choice to either rewrite it and resubmit it, or if you don’t want to make the changes, sit the manuscript aside for awhile; then if you still don’t agree with their suggestions send it somewhere else.
Let your manuscript and the rejection letter you received age like wine. It could be wonderful, or it could go sour. Look at both again with an objective eye. An objective eye is without bias. There’s no room for a closed mind. Editors aren’t always right, but then, neither are writers.
Whether you rewrite it or decide not to, keep submitting it. After several rejections seriously consider what to do next. It may need a total rewrite or you may need to file it away for future reference.
There’s a verse, I don’t know who wrote it, but it’s been published in so many forms I feel safe sharing it:
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with
talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
More than once I’ve had the same story rejected six times before it was published. If I’d have quit after my first rejection I’d have never been able to say I’m a professional writer. And this year I am celebrating having over 200 stories published by the Dorchester Media Group and their predecessors. I’ve also had hundreds of articles in newspapers and other magazines.
Why?
Because I didn’t quit. And I’ll tell you something. I know writers who are as good or better than me who still aren’t published because they did.
When I started writing I hung rejections on the wall surrounding a sign "God Answers Prayer". My best friend suggested I try being more specific. She was right I not only needed to be more specific in my prayers, I also needed to study my markets and be more specific and target where I sent my stories.
However, I’ll share a secret, though it won’t be a secret long, I have also resubmitted the same story to a publication more than once and only changed the title. The difference was, they had a new editor, but if I hadn’t stayed on top of the market I wouldn’t have known that.
Don’t quit. Stick with it. Introduce yourself and your work to as many editors as you can. Send them your manuscripts when they ask for it. Go to writers conferences and meet as many editors as you can. Listen more than you speak, except when you’re asked to pitch your story. Above all, respect their time. I’ve been at more than one conference where an overzealous, presumptuous writer has met up with an editor and stuck to that editor as though they were Velcroed together. In the end, the only reputation those writers got were bad ones.
Some might ask, when do you know a story is so bad you should throw it away? My reply would be , "Never". You never know when that story might be just right for a new publication.
As technology observer Robert Gelber put it, "Never forget that the greatest idea at the wrong time is a loser. If you look at the ‘firsts’ that were really seconds, they had timing in their favor. As with real estate, it’s location, location, location, with ideas it’s timing, timing, timing."
I keep everything I wrote except a few things that disappeared because of a computer glitch. Though I may not send those stories out ever again, I may reuse a character I particularly liked in another story, or use the research I did for one story in a different story.
You will know when to stop sending the manuscript.
As with patience, they key to perseverance is keeping busy. Always have another story on the back burner that could just be the one that helps you break into a market.
In Summary:
Having the three "P’s" isn’t going to guarantee you’ll get published. Everyone knows it also takes a few words that start with other letters. However, I have seen some very good writers not get published because they lacked one of the "P’s". Unfortunately, they replaced one "P" with another. Instead of practice, they procrastinated; instead of being patient, they pestered the editor; instead of persevering after receiving a rejection they pitied themselves and let fear of receiving another keep them from trying again.
Arthur Rock, Venture Capitalist said: "You can walk up to people on the street and ask them if they want to be rich and 99% will tell you, ‘Sure I want to be rich.’ But are they willing to do what’s necessary to be successful? Not many are.
Are you willing to do what’s necessary to be published? Are you willing to Practice? Have Patience? And to Persevere through the rough stuff like rejection?
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