Recently, I read this great post on literary agent Nathan Bransford's blog where he asked his readers how they deal with rejection while trying to find an agent. Needless to say you have to have a pretty thick skin to go into this business. Are we all just a bunch of masochists? Probably.
However, I was fascinated by reading how others cope, and wanted to share my Top 10 Ways To Cope with Rejection:
10) Save your rejections in a drawer so later you can roll around in them laughing gleefully and tossing them into the air like Scrooge McDuck once you are published.
9) Keep writing! Use that sadness to add depth to that scene where the hero's puppy gets lukemia.
8) Kill some Nazis/Pirates/Aliens! Nothing makes you feel better like induging in your favorite First Person Shooter, drinking a six pack of Mt. Dew, and dabbing your tears away with cheeto-stained fingers.
7) Read your feedback. If the agent took time to leave you some, it's a victory, and a tool for later success.
6) Blog about it. Hey, at least you're writing, right?
5) Send out more queries! Nothing beats the Rejection Blues like putting some more irons in the fire. It's a numbers game, so whatever you do, keep going!
4) Work out! Writing all day probably means sitting all day, so use that extra fuel to go for a walk.
3) If number 4 isn't your style, then eat chocolate. Lots of delicious chocolate. Just don't stain all those new queries you're addressing!
2) Two words: Tears. Beers. (Courtesy of David)
1) AAAAAAND, the all time best way to cope??
Remember that every rejection you get means you are one step closer to finding that agent that is meant for you and your work :). I believe in God's plan, and this number one keeps me going.
Link to Nathan's fabulous post:
http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2009/03/you-tell-me-how-do-you-deal-with.html
Have a great weekend, and please feel free to share your favorite ways to cope in the comments!
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