My writer’s group just came back from a conference in Dallas. It was a great time to get away – WARMTH, SUNSHINE, BLUE SKIES – and talk writing with other writers. Not all writer’s conferences are the same and this one was definitely different from those I’ve attended before. Some awesome sessions but the networking opportunities were more limited than we like. I’m glad I went because we all came back energized.
Of course, we needed it because most of us returned to rejections in our in boxes. Sigh. What do we do with rejections? Some people stuff pillows with them. Some line their pets cages with them. Some frame them or have binders for them. I’m far too right-brained for those organizational forms. I have no idea where most of mine are. A file here or there. I’ve kept track of them on a query tracker but the rejections themselves, not so much. I’ve even lost the nice ones. Shame that.
Problem is, if we place too much emphasis on the rejections they can overwhelm and cause despair. At our group we congratulate each other on them. It’s one rejection closer to that acceptance, right? It can be hard to keep going. However, I read all the time about people who collect hundreds of them before they get that acceptance. The important point is they did get an acceptance. So, the rejection arrives, and I wallow in self-pity for a bit. Then, I send it out again.
What do you do with your rejections? Feed them to the neighbor’s dog? Recycle?
Dawn Allen 
Can’t wait until I’m ready to go to a conference with you girls! On that note…I also can’t wait to get a rejection, because that means I GOT SOMETHING DONE!!
Oh, yes. Do celebrate them.
I just received my first one via e-mail on Sunday and haven’t decided what to do with it yet. I’m liking the binder idea, just so when I DO get published I can send all the people who rejected it a copy of my best seller (and I totally stole that idea from Denise). :o)
I’m saving all mine so when I get stinking famous sitting on the New York Times Best Seller list for months at a time, I’ll send them each a copy back and write “How do you like me now?”
I’d probably just save them to a folder in email…and maybe repost them somewhere. Or maybe I’d print them out but hardly ever look at them 😀
Look at the good ones, forget about the bad ones. 🙂
I remember being excited about rejections…not so much anymore. 🙂
I’m about to start the querying process, so I’m sure I’ll have some rejections coming my way. I think I’m going to keep them in a folder or binder, because I know that EVENTUALLY I’ll find someone, and so being rejected is just helping me get on the way to finding the right agent for me. And, when I do find that agent, then I an look back and see how far I came. (And THEN, perhaps, I’ll have a ceremonial bonfire. 🙂 )
A ceremonial bonfire sounds good!
I have a folder for them, but only as a dumping ground. I don’t reread them. Heavens! The thought makes me shiver. ; )
I know. Masochistic, isn’t it?