What happens when your writing is rejected?

You don?t give up for a start. You may feel like it?s all been a waste of time. That obviously the novel that?s taken you years to write simply isn?t good enough. Or you can?t possibly have a gift for words you were so sure you had. But thinking that way doesn?t mean you?re right.

Before you fling your work into the nearest bin and vow never to put pen to paper ever again, stop and put it into perspective.

There?re so many reasons why editors and publishers decide to reject someone?s hard earned efforts. It might be a potentially brilliant book but simply not for them. Thinking of it as temporary setback is the first step to getting you back on that creative path and keep going.

Remember you?re not alone. It might feel like it but most bestselling authors have had their own rejections in the past. The reason they?ve gone on to succeed is because they kept trying.

Once you?ve sent off your work don?t sit about waiting for a reply. Keep writing. The more you do the more experience you?ll have. When you do get it back put the rejection letter to one side and re read what you?ve done. Even a short time away from it can mean you look at it with new eyes.

They might like what you?ve done but already have something similar. That?s down to bad timing not bad writing. Or you might have sent it to the wrong publisher. Do your homework first and find out if they deal with what you?re offering.

Have you tried to jump on an already overcrowded bandwagon? It?s something many aspiring writers do. You know how it is. A book because popular, takes off into the stratosphere and suddenly everyone thinks they can do the same. Or probably better.

No doubt many can. But the thing about such things is they tend to be short lived. Once you?ve submitted your efforts to the publisher, they might be only too aware the market is already moving on to something else.

Remember they?re not rejecting you personally. Of course it?s hard to separate yourself from something you?ve spent all that time and effort on. But it?s not your personality that?s at fault here. To gain anything from rejection you have to learn from it.