For a writer rejection is the dark matter that lives beneath the dark matter in the lowest level of hell. The sting of it burns into the soul and the nastier the rejection, the worse the burn.

If you’re a writer, it’s not a matter of if you get rejected, but when.

Three Things to do When Rejected:

EAT CHOCOLATE

I have a tin with a big red cross on the front of it and the words Chocolate Emergency Kit stamped across the top of it. It was once full of Dove chocolates because you know…Dove. You can eat one piece it and feel better.

I am not just making this up because I am addicted to– like chocolate. Not only does eating chocolate make you feel better after a rejection, it gives you a brain boost.

It’s true and backed by scientific proof. Just google it.

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE

Writing is not the same as publication and publication is not the same as writing. One is a creative endeavor from the heart. The other is a business endeavor. As a business, it’s subjective. If it wasn’t, every reader in the world would love every book ever published.

It could be that your perspective is wrong.

Editor’s perspective: I love the voice, but we just published a similar book.

We hear: Oh my God, I suck.

Editor’s perspective: The market isn’t strong right now for this type of story.

We hear: Oh my God, I suck.

Editor’s perspective: We don’t publish these types of stories.

We hear: Oh my God, I suck.

DON’T DOUBT YOUR WRITING

When we constantly hash and rehash why we were rejected, why they didn’t love those brilliant words dragged from the depths of our hearts and souls and give us that big fat advance and movie deal and legions of adoring fans…we become like the indecisive squirrel trying to cross the road. We end up flattening ourselves.

The why doesn’t hold any answers.

On the very day that you get a rejection, do this:

After a rejection, once you’ve eaten some chocolate and told all your writing friends how wrong the editor is, it’s time to get up, take the next step, and move on. Send your manuscript out again. The day you get rejected. Why? Because one person’s rejection can be another person’s yes.

Get back to writing. In the end, that’s all that you can control.