Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Repeat After Me

“It is not rejection itself that people fear, it is the possible consequences of rejection. Preparing to accept those consequences and viewing rejection as a learning experience that will bring you closer to success, will not only help you to conquer the fear of rejection, but help you to appreciate rejection itself.”
~ Bo Bennett


Rejection is NOT personal.
It is about our story.
It is about our story as it is at THAT moment in time.
It is about how our story resonates with THAT agent.
It is NOT personal.
It is a learning experience and an opportunity to improve.
It means that agent was not THE ONE.
It is NOT personal.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat!

This is my new mantra.

42 comments:

Unknown said...

Great mantra. Works for editors too!

Melissa said...

Great stuff you have here! It is so true. Rejection isn't personal

Diane said...

Absolutely AMEN!!! :O)

Karen Lange said...

Very good advice. Something to keep in mind always!

Tracy Loewer said...

So true!

Tracy said...

Very true, and the sooner a writer learns to look at rejection that way the better. Rejection will always sting, but having the right mentality about it will always help speed up recovery from the sting.

ali cross said...

What an excellent mantra it is!! And truly great advice. Thanks Shannon!

Katie Ganshert said...

VERY good advice!!

Lenny Lee said...

hi miss shannon! i like what you said. yep! its like getting a skinned knee from playing baseball. just wash it and get back in the game cause you love it. that reject stuff happens not just in writing but in lots of stuff. so thats real good advice for more then just writing. i just learned that mantra word. its a really good word for what you said. :)
...hugs from lenny

Kelly Polark said...

Very true. Sometimes I wonder if my manuscript isn't finished yet because I love it so and am afraid maybe agents won't...

Candyland said...

Hmm...I'll give it a try:/

Heather said...

I love your new mantra. It is wise. And easy to chant! Thank you , I needed this.

Jennifer Hoffine said...

Yes. Wise advice.

It also helps to remember that there are other great agents out there who might be your match, and that there are other great stories left to write.

Lindsay said...

Oh I so needed those words today. Hugs for the mantra. :)

Kristi said...

Love the mantra!!!

Shelley Sly said...

Yes! I love it. Thank you for this positive post. :D

Jemi Fraser said...

If only repeating and believing were the same thing :)

Meredith said...

Such a helpful mantra. I'm committing it to memory right now.

Anonymous said...

Awesome mantra! I'm learning this. Slowly.

Anonymous said...

Great mantra. Thanks for sharing it. So true. Can't take it personally.

Janet Johnson said...

Great mantra! Great reminder. :)

Anonymous said...

Lather, rinse, repeat. I love it! Rejection in all areas of live is hard, but it does teach us how to do it differently next time.

PK HREZO said...

I hear ya, sister! I need to recite that too.. as I just received another one today. :(

*recites rejection mantra*
:)

Patti Lacy said...

Hey, Shannon,
It is SUCH a part of this job...but isn't it kinda a part of life???

Christ sure preaches it. Been reading' about it lately.

SO nice to be outta the cave and at this cool place but gotta burrow back in.

One deadline next Wednesday, then about two weeks to go!!!
Patti

Natasha said...

I think every struggling writer should print it out and pin it right over the computer screen

Heather Sunseri said...

Wise words, but oh, so difficult to live by.

Ishta Mercurio said...

Great mantra! Amen!

Mary Aalgaard said...

Excellent words. I'll tuck them in my memory for the next time I take that risk.

Carolyn V. said...

That...is true. =)

Robyn Campbell said...

WAAAAHAAAAAAAA repeat after me, rejection is a FOUR letter word. Well, it's actually nine letters, but you get me, Right??

Natalie said...

SUCH A HARD LESSON TO LEARN!!! But you are right, rejection isn't personal and what may be a rejection for an agent or editor one week might be a home run at a different time of with a different person. It's all SO SUBJECTIVE.

Vicki Rocho said...

Applicable to many fields/situations. Hard to remember when you've just been rejected, but some rejections are necessary to get you to a time/place where you get the YES.

A little deep for a Friday afternoon.

Heidi Willis said...

Oh how true! What a great quote!

Just remember: it's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when.

Elana Johnson said...

This is the truth! I especially like the one about how that agent wasn't THE ONE. Because you only want THE ONE for you.

I think you need a hug.

H said...

"Rejection is not personal" :) Great mantra.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Shannon...Great post...We all need to remember it...

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Shannon -

I'm learning what not to do. :)

Blessings,
Susan

Susan Fields said...

I'm going to need this in a few months when I start querying, I'm sure!

Jennie Englund said...

"An opportunity to improve"-- you're so right about that, Shannon!

I'm 2/3 through a serious revision, per editor suggestions, and every re-do makes the whole story stronger (even if it's SO much heartbreak and WORK!)

Christie Wright Wild said...

I will have to remember this when I get a bunch, as I'm sure I will. I found your blog through Tara Lazar's blog. I write picture books, too!

Liz @ Cleverly Inked said...

I don't know if I could handle rejection. The thought makes me cringe. You all put so much thought and effort I couldn't imagine.

Alexia561 said...

Hard not to take rejection personally, but you're 100% right!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...