6 Ways to Waste Your Time as a Writer (Hint: Don’t Do Them!)

A Guest Post by Cori Padgett of Big Girl Branding

‘Freelance writer’ is a pretty hard hat to wear at times.

Not only are you the sole – well everything - when it comes to your business, you are also easily susceptible to distractions. Much more easily susceptible than say Writer Jonah that lives up the street and works for that big swanky office.

See, Writer Jonah has a schedule and an office he has to commute to at certain times each day. Heís got responsibilities that he has to leave at home to focus on the job at hand. Not to mention things like strictly enforced deadlines and such. Writer Jonah has a J.O.B.

That means his day and your day as a freelancer likely looks vastly different.

And let’s face it, we like that it looks different. As freelancers, that’s why we set up shop for ourselves to begin with. The allure of freedom, the promise of lazy days, a steady influx of cash, and ahh… “The Writer’s Life”.

Only the “Freelance Writer’s Life” is in all reality a landmine of potential distractions, derailed plans, and a constant niggling feeling that there was something you were supposed to do today and itís still not done, whatever it was.

Sound familiar?

That said there are 6 ways to royally distract yourself and waste some time if you’re so inclined. Although I suggest that if you have deadlines to meet, clients clamoring for your attention, and potential money to be made…

Perhaps skip these 6 time wasters and jump right into the being productive part. You’ll thank me later! And I bet as a bonus, your clients will thank you.

  1. Sleep late. Like – every day or something.Seriously, I know it feels great to sleep past 10am on a lazy Sunday morning but letís be real. Everyday isn’t Sunday, and you shouldn’t treat it as such. While you’re happily ensconced in your bed snoring like a freight train, the rest of the working world is up with the birds, and banging out results like there’s no tomorrow.If I start my day at 7am and you get up at 11am… I’ve now got 4 hours of work on you. And unfortunately the later the day runs, the less productive we tend to get. So do yourself a favor and make like the birds. Rise early and start your day off right.Or not, but don’t complain and wonder where all your time went when suddenly itís 8pm and you’re exhausted…and still not done.
  2. Keep irregular hours. Break for movies … and brunch … and a haircut while you’re at it.Yes, I know that one of the biggest draws of being a freelancer is setting your own hours, and having the ability to catch a mid-day movie if you feel like it. However thatís not conducive to a productive day, and there is a reason businesses have ‘office hours’.Put simply, having set hours works. It keeps you on track, it keeps your business thriving, and it keeps your cash flow in the black. So keep crazy hours if you want, maybe just to prove you can. But if you’re serious about your success, set yourself a schedule and stick to it.Does that mean you can’t be flexible sometimes?Of course not.You are your own boss after all. Just don’t make it habit if you’re in it to win it with this whole freelancing gig.
  3. Forget to hang your ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign when you begin working.OK, so really – if you allow yourself to be sidetracked then what are you accomplishing for the day? When you’re working, make it clear to all that youíre working. That means close your door and hang a sign or take off to the library if you must to get some blessed peace and quiet.Peace and quiet means you can think straight which means you can write. If you leave your door wide open, it’s like inviting your kids or your spouse to come inside and interrupt you. And guess what? They’ve got no clue if youíre on a roll and more often than not what happens next?That interruption totally ruined your writing mojo and itís going to take time for you to get back into the ‘flow’. Interruptions = Time wasters.So do yourself a favor and discourage distractions, don’t invite them.
  4. On the topic of distractions – go ahead and let technology have its merry way with you.We live in an age of technological wonder. Everything is there, right at our fingertips. Unfortunately for you as a freelancer this means you’re vulnerable to massive amounts of time wasted on a daily basis.And the sad thing is that the time is often gone before you even realize it’s gone!Things like email, web surfing, Twitter and Facebook are all great tools for inspiration. As a writer you need things that can trigger a bit of inspiration sometimes. But beware that these tools don’t end up eating you for breakfast and leaving you wondering where the heck your day went.Not to mention other technology like phone chats, instant messenger, television, video games and the like – all massive time wasters when you allow them to get between you and your goals. So have fun and enjoy technology, but I highly recommend you don’t allow it to rule your life.
  5. Think about writing, talk about writing, dream about writing – do everything but…Actually write. Thinking, dreaming, and talking about writing doesnít get it done. Anything youíre doing along those lines, while it may ‘feel’ good, or make you ‘feel’ like a writer – doesnít make you one. It’s a time waster.The only thing that makes you a writer is writing already. And then writing some more.And some more after that.Until literally your poor little brain is so drained not another word can be eeked from within its murky depths. Then you might be a writer. But by all means, if you’ve got time to spare go right ahead and think, talk, and dream of writing. Just don’t expect to get very far, please your clients, or meet your goals. Just sayin’.
  6. And finally? Scoff at being organized.Really do you know how much time is wasted each day when you’re less than organized, and less than efficient?OK, so I haven’t exactly timed it, but I know it’s a lot!I know this because I am notoriously disorganized. But Iíve forced myself to become a semi-organized freelancer simply because…stuff gets done.If you can’t even implement a simple system to keep track of your projects, your client projects, your notes and ideas, and your commitments- you can bet that a huge chunk of your time is out the window.It’s gone while you hunt around for that quote you gave that client that time – or you dig furiously looking for that little scrap of paper you wrote that book idea on – or you sit and ponder about that appointment you ‘think’ you made for tomorrow (but in reality it was for yesterday).In that last particular situation, not only have you wasted your time youíve also wasted your potential client’s time who booked the appointment in the first place.Great way to impress folks with your freelancing prowess I might add! (That was sarcasm in its nicest possible form by the way.)

Moral of this little story?

Do all of the above if your goals are to waste time and not actually write. However if you really want to be a writer -

  • Rise early.
  • Set a schedule.
  • Discourage distractions.
  • Ban technology.
  • Get organized.
  • And write already!

Now.

How about you?

Got any tricks to keep your time wasting to a minimum? I’d love to hear them.

Cori is a wildly hire-able freelance ‘ghost’ as well as the creative brains and dubious brawn behind her blog Big Girl Branding. You can also stalk her on Twitter if you really want to.

Categories: Art of Writing, Habits, Productivity

The Number One Grammar Trap and How to Avoid Falling in


By Barb Sawyers

I love how the conversational style of blogs helps us connect, almost like we’re sitting around, drinking coffee, having a friendly chat.

But suppose one of your buddies talked about taking his ‘dig’ for a walk. Silence would briefly descend as your coffee mates figured out what he means. They would quickly realize he’s referring to his dog. But damage would have been done.

The brief pause would throw off the rhythm of the conversation. The topic would shift to cats.

The woman he’s trying to impress would suddenly remember an urgent meeting. The rest of the gang would be left wondering why he was confused. Is he stupid? Is the coffee drugged? Is he having a stroke?

I feel much the same every time someone makes the baddest, most common grammar mistake:

confusing it’s (it is) with its (belonging to it).

People make this mistake because they remember the rule about using an apostrophe with a possessive. Trouble is they forget this hulking exception.

Some people go further, writing (cringe) its’, to indicate a possessive. Its’ is not a word. Sadly, even spell-check seems to be unaware of this.

You’re probably thinking I’m one of those grammar Nazis out to spoil your writing fun. Actually, I’m a recovered grammar Nazi.

I no longer fight for grammatical purity. Now I lay down my weapons when I think a purpose is no longer served by a rule, such as the prohibition of dangling prepositions or the insistence on serial commas. But I stand tall in defending the distinctions that help us understand each other.

In addition to the incompletely remembered apostrophes-and-possessives rule, which also affects its twin cousins you’re and your and they’re and their, people make this mistake because the words sound the same.

Don’t get me started about the long list of sound-alike words otherwise smart people routinely abuse. Spell-check won’t catch them; it can only lull you into a false sense of complacency.

It may be human nature to go back to what sounds right when you’re uncertain. But in cases like these, this usually reliable technique can lead you horribly astray.

The worst example I can remember was the executive I was editing who wrote about ‘dissimulating’ information, the opposite of his intended purpose, to ‘disseminate’ information. I am not making this up.

Although everyone from TV news crawl writers to school teachers makes this all-too-common mistake, bloggers are among the most frequent offenders. I attribute this to the conversational style of blogs, the disdain for time-sucking revisions and the automatic default to what sounds correct.

Let me stress that this fat exception to the rule matters. Ignore it and some people you’d like to get to know better will abandon you or question your intelligence. The flow may be disrupted while readers consider what you mean. What’s more, this mistake is the kind of detail that can prevent you from standing out in our competitive world.

The fix does not require a return to boring high school grammar classes. All it takes is a commitment to learning one rule: it’s means it is; its means belong to it. That’s all you have to remember.

Most of you remember the exception i before e except after c because it rhymes. So try this:

It’s, apostrophe, means it is
Its is possessive, just like his

Recite that enough times and you will never fall into this trap again.

One small rule: one giant leap for everyone who writes. Pass the soy milk, please.

Barb Sawyers writes about writing and communication. She will soon publish an interactive e-book called Write like you talk – only better, 3 steps to turn good talkers into great writers.

Categories: Art of Writing

Pass The Toilet Paper Please: A True Story of A Writing Journey

A guest post by Lauren Sierra Thomas

How Did Your Writing Career Begin?

Have you ever experienced a moment or event in your life that felt like it was meant to be?

As if you were being “guided” in some way, being given a message on how to proceed with your life? Almost as if a light bulb went on that teased “come this way?”

My writing journey began in just this manner. It is a story I call Pass The Toilet Paper Please and is about my encounter with a delightful creature that occurred in a bathroom!   It felt like a magical moment, as if I was somehow being taken by the hand and led down a path. It beckoned, I followed!

I’ll tell my story of how my writing career began and would like to hear how YOUR writing journey started.

The Messenger

While visiting a local bookstore, I needed to use the restroom. Alas, when the fateful moment arrived, I reached for the toilet paper and much to my dismay, empty roll. What’s a girl to do?

I heard someone shuffling next to me and meekly called out “Could you please pass me some toilet paper?” I recall hearing a mumbling of sorts and assumed – silly me – the paper was on its way over.

Moments passed and the shuffling continued. No toilet paper! Someone entered the stall between myself and THE woman. I could have asked the newbie person for some toilet paper, or god forbid I could have dripped dry!

But, no, for some reason, I sat there and decided to persist with THE woman. I remember at the time being puzzled by my tenacity. Why oh why on earth am I being this stubborn?

Upon making the second request, and her realization that the other lady hadn’t passed me any, the toilet paper came my way. Happy, and dry as the midday sun, I trotted out of my stall to encounter a radiant elder African-American woman.

There was Ruth in all her glory! She greeted me with a huge smile and said “Do you write”? I swear they were the first words out of her mouth!

I found this a rather odd introduction, but loved it! After all, it was ever so more interesting than a “How are you today?” greeting. Besides, her presence itself said it all. She was magnificent.

Are You A Writer?

How do you respond when someone asks if you are a writer? What kinds of feelings does it evoke?

While I had written a dissertation, I didn’t consider myself a writer. I informed her that I wasn’t a writer. She immediately responded: “You need to write. You have something unique to offer”.

Unique? My chest swelled slightly. Truth be told, it nearly burst my buttons. I admit it. I like to feel special.

Next, this remarkable being shared parts of her life story with me that revealed tremendous wisdom and insight. We stood in the bathroom talking for at least 30 minutes. She was like a lovely angel and a breath of fresh springtime air rolled into one!

Is It Your Fate To Write?

Her parting words to me were: “You know it’s not an accident we met, don’t you? It’s fate”.

As you might imagine, that got my attention, and I immediately made a decision that indeed I would write. In my mind, I could no more imagine ignoring this encounter than I would consider selling my firstborn – if I had one, that is!

The thing is, I wondered, what can I write about? I didn’t have to wait long for the answer. Within a couple weeks, I experienced another serendipitous encounter that laid in my lap the topic for my first book. And the rest, as they say, is history.

If You Can Put Pen To Paper You Are A Writer

My perspective of writing is different, yet it has spared me a great deal of anxiety. It may decrease your anxiety to consider this approach.

I answer the question of whether I am a writer in the same way I respond to whether I am a dancer. Yes, of course I am a dancer. Silly question. I can move my body. That makes me a dancer, doesn’t it?

Am I a writer? Yes, I put pen to paper. Well, usually fingers to keyboard but you get the drift. The point is, I don’t worry about defining it. I do it!

Who gets to decide if you are a writer? I write because I love what I write about and believe I can contribute to the well-being of my readers.

I don’t waste time comparing myself to others. If you can stop the comparison monster from taking over and focus on the unique contribution you make, life becomes more fun in writer land!

Passion Is Everything

Passion brings your writing to life! It makes the words dance off the page. Write about things that matter to you, preferably as a result of personal life experiences. Share things that help others learn about something or live a more joy-filled life. Remain curious and open. Write your passion!

Your passion is what will unite you with your readers. Passion is where the juice is. Write straight from the heart and those on a similar wave length will find you as if by magic.

How Did Your Journey Begin?

  • How about you? Was there a moment that defined your beginnings as a writer?
  • Do you recall how your writing journey began?
  • Were you inspired by anyone in particular?
  • Do you have a passion for what you are writing about? What is it?
  • Have you had magical or serendipitous moments in your life? If so, how did it change the direction of your life?
  • What unique gift might you have to offer through your writing?

I look forward to hearing about your experiences.

Be well. And may your writing enable you to experience the best relationships ever!

Read more irresistible posts by Lauren Sierra Thomas, a psychologist, author, and blogger at Best Relationships Ever where she engages in helping people with their relationship to their bodies, their selves, and others.

Categories: Art of Writing, Blogging, Fiction, Habits

How to Land a Guest Post Every Time: 21 Secret Tips

By Mary Jaksch

Do you want to grow your blog? Then writing guest posts is a great option. But it’s not so easy to get it right.

As the Chief Editor of Write to Done, I get a lot of pitches. Some I immediately reply to, others just get a courtesy email — and their offering straight into the trash folder.

Read on to learn 21 secret tips that will enable you to become a successful guest poster.

Most bloggers focus on one main thing when they pitch: on their wish to land a guest post. Wrong! That attitude won’t get you far. Your focus needs to be on something quite different.

Tip #1: Focus on what the blogger needs.
Yes, your total focus needs to be on the blogger and his or her needs.

Compare these two pitches I got recently:

  1. John: I’ve written an awesome post that your readers at Write to Done will love.
  2. Ryan: Do you still have a need for a guest post at Goodlife ZEN? I know you’re busy these days with the A-List Blogging Bootcamp launch – figured might be a good time to make contact again. I could do something about the value of dreams.

Which one got the nod?

I’m sure you guessed it. Ryan got the gig. In fact, you can see his post here. (By the way, I’m happy to report that Ryan has now joined our A-List Blogger Club)

All John (not his real name) got, was a brush-off email from me.

I’ll come back to the number John a little later on. But first, let me say more about why I had an immediate warm reaction to Ryan.

His email told me a couple of things about Ryan:

  • He is regular reader of Goodlife ZEN.
  • He is considerate.
  • He knows how to follow up elegantly.
  • He offers an interesting topic.

If someone ticks those particular boxes, I’ll definitely take a look at whether the blogger can write. And if they can, there’s a good chance I’ll accept their guest post – either now or in the future.

Tip #2: Make the email with which you offer a guest post a bridge to another human being
Make sure that you come across as the friendly and helpful human being that I hope you are. Personally, I dislike cold, business-like pitches. I’ll show you an example. (This one is from a blogger whose blog has only 30 subscribers.)

“I would like to have a guest post on Write to Done. I suggest coming to a mutually beneficial arrangement. Maybe we could exchange guest posts.”

Well, actually — no thank-you!

I don’t mind if a blog is small. After all, every blog starts out small. Actually, I get a real kick out of helping ‘young’ bloggers get traffic to their blogs. A few months ago I offered Janice Hunter a guest post. She hadn’t even launched her blog yet! I suggested timing a guest post with her launch day to give her bloglet a bit of a boost. It worked and her blog has taken off! You can see her guest post here.

Originally, Janice wrote an interesting comment on Write to Done, and I approached her about writing a guest post. Here is her answer:

Yes, I would like you to write a guest post for Write to Done. In particular I would love to write an article about being a ‘quote hunter’. Just as well this is an email and not Skype with sound and vision – I squealed and scared one of my kids!

That made me smile! It’s so nice to get a sense of the real person behind the email.

Tip #3: Check your stance – are you submissive or superior? Or can you be natural?
Think about the tone and the stance you are taking up in your pitch email. (I’ve done 18 years of karate training, so I tend to take an interest in stances…) Personally, I dislike a submissive, as well as a superior stance. Going back to John, his tone is on the superior side. He praises his post and assumes that everyone will love it. That turned me against him straight away.

Tip #4: Remember that you are an equal human being
Please remember that when you email a celebrity blogger. Even the blogging stars started small and with no experience. It’s good to acknowledge that they are more experienced and more successful than you at this moment, but they were once where you are in the past.

Tip #5: Check your tone – do you sound confident and respectful, or arrogant?
Think of yourself as a future A-list blogger. Your tone should be confident, straightforward, and respectful. Avoid toadying. For example, don’t say things like, “I’d be humbled if you would grant me…” or similar phrases. Instead, say things like, “It would give me much pleasure to write for my favorite blog”, or, “I’d be delighted to hear from you.” At the same time, don’t sound arrogant: “I’d be giving your blog a huge boost with my amazing writing.”

Tip #6: A bit of humor goes a long way.
If you can make the blogger you’re writing to laugh or smile, that’s great! I recently got an email from blogger Vlad Dolezal. He attached his guest post and responded to my warning that his post may not appear for a few weeks like this:

“Sure, Mary, publish it whenever fits your evil masterplan blogging schedule.”

That made me laugh!

Tip #7: Get inside knowledge – it’s priceless.
It’s important to research the blogger you want to contact. Study the ‘About’ page and read his or her blog articles. What are they interested in? What topic might be of interest to them? What is their passion at the moment? What else are they involved in at the moment? Maybe you can read their Twitter stream or Facebook page  to find out. Mention something they’re working on. I recently found an email I sent Leo Babauta long before he gave me half of Write to Done. You can see how I mentioned what he was engaged in:

Hi Leo, I’m wondering whether you are on overload with your Ebook? I notice that “Write to Done” hasn’t had a new post for a while. Would you like me to write a guest post or two for you?

Tip #8: Know the blog your want to write for
What kind of blogposts does it have? What’s the style? Which topics are missing? What kind of comments do readers leave? Make sure that you are part of the blog’s community and write some interesting comments before pitching to the blogger. I really like it when regular readers pitch to me. I know they appreciate the culture of the blog and have a feel for what the readers enjoy.

Tip #9: Compliment the blogger – but don’t compromise your integrity.
When you contact a blogger, say what drew you to them in the first place. Be specific and name an article that made a difference to your life. Be honest. Don’t say you like something, just to please. After all, you want to create a connection.

Tip #10: Introduce yourself, but don’t make a meal of it
The blogger wants to know who you are. Tell him or her, but don’t make a meal of it. A pitch is no place for a CV! Here’s how I do it: I tend to put my personal details in brackets like this: (I’m a Zen master, psychotherapist, and published author.)

Tip #11: Show off your writing
When someone pitches to me and I like their email, I want to know if they can actually write. Make it easy: offer the blogger links to the best posts you’ve written. You can say something like, “Here are three posts of mine you might enjoy.”

Tip #12: Name-drop

You want to make sure that your recipient knows that he or she is in good company. Have you had a guest post published in a well-known blogs? The way you do that is important. Make it personal. Instead of saying, “My guest post (link) was recently published at SevenSands.com” you could say, “John MacDonald recently asked me to write a guest post (link) at SevenSands.com and it was well received by his readers.” It’s a good idea to name-drop. One of our students in the A-List Blogger Club recently pitched a big blogger and wrote, “I’m in a mentoring program with Leo Babauta and Mary Jaksch.” He got the gig.

Tip #13: Ask yourself, “What can I do to help?”
That’s the main question you need to ask! Is the blogger going on holiday and might need guest posts? Are they expanding their business and might need new staff members? Would their blog benefit from your proposed theme? Have they written a book that you could promote?

On March 26, 2008, I emailed Leo Babauta with an offer of help:

Hi Leo, I’m wondering if there is anything I can do to help you finish your book? (I’m a published author and know how hard it is to get that last bit done.) I’d be happy to do some editing for you if you like. Or I could put some ideas together for you for chapters that are still bare.
(Any help from me would be free)

Leo replied:

Wow, thanks Mary! I appreciate the generous offer

Tip no# 14:  Sell your proposed post with sizzle.

Let the blogger know exactly what you’re offering. You might want to say, for example, “I’d like to offer you an in-depth guest post, called ‘10 Secrets of Innovative Writers ’. It would cover the following points…”

Then list the main points of the proposed article in bullet form.

Tip no# 15: Specify what’s in it for the readers.

If the blogger accepts your guest post, what’s the benefit for their readers? Will the readers will be inspired? Or learn something new? Or acquire a new skill? Make it clear to the blogger what the benefits are.

Sometimes it can be difficult to come up with something. When I wanted to interview Steve Pavlina for Goodlife Zen, I couldn’t think of anything. So I wrote, “What’s in it for you? Well, maybe just the sheer thrill of it!” It worked!

Tip #16: Be audacious.

You can’t lose by asking for what you want. I always say to myself, “If you don’t ask, you’ll get an automatic no.”

Tip #17: Expect success.

A positive frame of mind will give you a strong voice. If you believe in yourself, the other person will believe in you too. After all, confidence is infectious.

Tip #18: Make it easy for the blogger.

Imagine that you are a busy blogger. You need a guest post to fill a hole. But which one are you going to choose: the post that needs a lot of editing and formatting, or the one that slips into your blog without any work? No question – you would use the easy one first.

Tip #19: Write your guest post in html

The trick is to write your guest post in html. To do this, all you need is to write and format the post on your own blog and then copy the html version and save it as a text file. This means that the guest post is ready formatted and can be immediately placed into a blog. It’s a great mistake to offer a guest post in Word or just in the body of an email. It should always be attached in a .txt or .rtf file.

Tip #20: Choose a fitting image

Offer a couple of images. Research your target blog. What kind of images does the blogger prefer? What is the size and format of images on the blog? Check out whether the images he or she uses are in landscape (wider than high) or in portrait format (higher than wide). A good source for images is Flickr. Just make sure you choose images with a Creative Commons Licence and ad the reference to your covering email. It’s a good idea to choose three or four images to the blogger.

Tip #21: Failure is a step closer to success
There is no failure. Each ‘failure’ is a learning opportunity. You may find that not all pitches get accepted. Move on and focus on your next opportunity. The more pitches you write, the higher your chances are of landing your dream gig.

Your best chance of landing guest post is to be a kind, considerate and helpful human being. And a good writer.

Why not check out the Write to Done guest post guidelines and send me a pitch – I’m always happy to help you get it right.

Mary Jaksch is Chief Editor of Write to Done and runs the A-List Blogging Club together with Leo Babauta. You can read more by Mary on Goodlife ZEN

Categories: Blogging

Why Rejection Letters are Great

A Guest post by Daryl Sedore

Rejection letters are great because that means you sent your material out. It means you’re ready (hopefully) to take your work to the next level. You see, here’s the thing; what if someone told you that the 37th agent you query would get you a book deal? You would be so excited every time another rejection letter arrived because you’re one closer to that deal. That’s why they’re awesome. Keep querying. Just change the way you think about it.

Years ago I worked as a door to door salesperson doing cold calls. We’d go knocking on doors all over the neighbourhood and eventually get in. Sometimes it took ten minutes, sometimes an hour. Once in a while it took all day. I learned quickly that it was just a matter of knocking on doors before I got in. What I mean is, the more doors I covered, the faster I got in a house to do a presentation and possibly make a sale. So I ran. That’s right, I ran from door to door. It kept me energized and fired up so when I finally got in, I was ready to present and sell. I outsold my team month after month. The rest of the salespeople got depressed when a door slammed in their face. Not me, I loved it, because I was one closer to the door that would welcome me in.

A man was quite interested in a beautiful house a few blocks from the Chicago airport. Prior to moving in he ascertained the runways weren’t directed over his house so he bought it. A number of years go by. The airport’s getting busier. Planes are getting larger. They need to build more runways. After a number of months, planes now take off and land directly above his house. Housing values plummet in the area. The man can’t sell. He goes to see a psychiatrist. Doctor tells him to change the way he looks at it. So he goes home and paints, “Welcome to Los Angeles”, on the roof of his house. Almost every time he hears a plane overhead the man laughs.

Change the way you look at it. If your writing is sound, then your only task is to get it out there.

No one can hurt you without your consent – Eleanor Roosevelt

Remember that you are going to query agents that may like the story idea, but don’t love it. You need to keep going until you find one that loves it. Each rejection letter is one step closer to the right match.

People with book deals have no excuses and people with excuses have no book deals. Query, query, query.

Zig Ziglar said that failure is an event, not a person. You may have failed with that rejection letter but you are not a failure. You wrote a novel. The more failure you saw when growing up makes success harder to believe in. But yet you miss out on 100% of all literary agents that you don’t query. So rejection letters are your confirmation that you’re out there, you’re querying, you’re moving forward. That’s right, moving forward, even when you’re getting a rejection letter.

Things come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustled -Abraham Lincoln

Besides, what’s the worse that can happen? You’re at the same spot as you are now when someone sends you a rejection letter. Send out multiple submissions. Make sure you send queries to the right people at the right agencies. Just make sure you do it.

Two men were hiking through Northern British Columbia. A bear approached from behind looking ready to attack as it eased ever closer. The one man dropped to the ground and yanked off his backpack. He reached in and retrieved a new pair of running shoes. The other man who was still standing asked,

“What are you doing? Come on let’s go. What do you think, you can outrun a bear?”

“Nope. I just have to outrun you.”

That’s what I’m talking about. Send more queries than the other guy. Don’t focus on the problem. Think prosperous thoughts. Allow prosperity to find you. Get past being stuck. Don’t quit, no matter what. Promise a lot and deliver even more. Be assertive in your actions. Take action. Submit your work. Enjoy rejections because you’re one closer to a book deal.

Enjoy rejections. Change the way you think about them. Read each and every one like it’s an honour badge. Save them all so one day when you’re a famous, published author you can go back and tell people how many you collected until you got the right agent for you. Rejections pile up, and yet, all they are is ammunition for author speeches.

They cannot take away our self-respect if we do not give it to them. - Gandhi

Enjoy rejection. Stand tall. Brush off your shoulders and keep moving forward. Remember that you are one rejection letter closer to a deal.

Even Harry Potter got rejections…

Daryl Sedore has written two novels and sold over 40 short stories. He also placed 6th in the 75th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Story competition with 4 other stories in the top 60. Daryl blogs about writing and other motivational subjects.

Categories: Fiction, Freelancing

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