Coping with failure

Last week, I had one of my best writing days in ages, and successfully finished three articles, and a story I'd been working on. I was on a writing high, which sadly didn't last, as I also received two rejections of stories I'd submitted.

Thomas Edison apparently said that he didn't 'fail. I found 2000 ways not to make a light bulb. I only needed one way to make it work.' It's one of the inspirational quotes that hangs up in my study, to remind me that just because one story was rejected, it may find success elsewhere.

For once, both editors provided some feedback in their rejection letters, so I've looked at the stories again, tweaked them, and sent them back out. The difference between success and failure is that you have to keep getting back up until you find success. Stories can be rejected for so many reasons, which all have to do with the editor and magazine, and don't mean the story was a failure. It's about using each experience to build on, to learn, and to move forward.

As always, I remind myself of all the great authors whose work was rejected (in some instances multiple times!!) and reassure myself that if I don't give up, keep on writing and reviewing, I will have more work published.

It's easier said than done. If you're struggling with rejection, and want to build some resilience, then try out The Stoneslide Corrective's rejection generator: https://stoneslidecorrective.com/select-your-rejection/

Don't give up on your dreams!