Ask any website content writing professional, how many times a freelance writer faced rejection, and you won’t feel so bad about yourself anymore.
Rejections are a big part of the deal you sign up for when you decide to take up writing as a serious profession. There’s no need to take it personally; even the best writers had to deal with it at least a few times over the course of their careers.
We know, it’s a tough situation to handle, especially when you’re a freelance writer who’s just starting on this path. But, there are a few ways you can deal with it and not let it affect you and your work.
Approach Rejection as a Learning Opportunity
One of the most productive ways to approach rejection is to see it as a learning opportunity. Instead of lamenting over yet another “no,†ask yourself what went wrong and what could be the possible reasons for the client’s rejection. Get over that initial stage where you feel sorry for yourself and think about what you could have done better to change the course of events. Don’t rush into moving that email in the trash bin and spend enough time to carefully analyze it.
Was the email you sent not professional or convincing enough? Could your letter of intent have been formulated better? Did you not contact the right person for this job? Was your offer too weak or perhaps not in tune with the company’s brand and identity?
Go through every single detail. If after revising everything, you think there’s nothing more you could have done, then it’s easy – just move on. There will be other opportunities down the road. If, however, you notice little things that could have been improved, remember them and take them into account the next time you send out any queries. Learn from your mistakes, and things will only go up from there.
Remember Why You Do What You Do
Even the smallest rejection can take its toll on you if you’ve put your heart and soul into a particular project. Remember the reason you’ve started writing in the first place so that you don’t allow every rejection to take you down.
What drives you? What is the real motivation for what you are presently doing? Sure, you may be doing it because some projects pay well or because you’re starting to acquire some fame. But these are all reasons that have nothing to do with you as a person and a writer. They are just perks that come with a job that is well done, but you need to figure out what the force that makes you get up and write is.
Write down what you believe your purpose as a writer is, and have this list prepared for the next time you’re faced with rejection. A few negative responses will then wilt in the face of the things that drive you and the goals you’ve set out to achieve in your career. Moreover, you will feel at peace with the entire situation and confident to continue.
Fight with It
The very first rejections you’ll receive are going to feel like the end of your career. It will look and feel like a tragedy, and you’ll probably act accordingly. But just like with anything in life, you’ll get better over time at landing new projects, as long as you work hard and do your best to push through the first rejections.
Of course, you may need some time to sulk over the initial disappointment, but don’t waste too much time and energy on it. It’s ok to acknowledge your feelings, but it’s not healthy to let them take over. Do yourself a favor and set a time limit over how much you can dwell over a rejection. Take a couple of days to get out all the negative emotions in whatever way you can. Once the deadline is over, stop and pick yourself up from the ground. Avoid getting sucked into a whirlwind of emotions and have the courage to restart the process as quickly as possible. You’ll see – it will be better next time.
Try to detach yourself emotionally from these situations. Business is business, and you can’t blame a client for not feeling like you’re the right match for the job, no matter how great your work is. The best thing you can do is learn from every experience and channel these lessons into growing and becoming a better writer.