{"id":99945,"date":"2022-08-16T01:36:15","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T01:36:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/?p=99945"},"modified":"2022-08-16T01:41:26","modified_gmt":"2022-08-16T01:41:26","slug":"rejection-can-be-good-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/rejection-can-be-good-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Rejection Can Be Good for You!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rejection and self-doubt go together like ice cream and a hot day \u2013 one seldom goes without the other.\u00a0 All writers experience rejection at some stage of our writing careers. It\u2019s not a great feeling, but it can provide a significant learning curve.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>BY NICK LE ROUX<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rejected! The editor\u2019s reply to my proposed article was a big red stamp on my cover letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The horror and disappointment were like a punch to the gut. Does he know I put in dozens of hours of work, just to be rejected? Does he realize that I studied through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.writerscollegeblog.com\/\">SA Writers College<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But then I turned the knife on my thoughts. What if my writing is not good enough? Or worse, does the whole editorial team think my article belongs in the permanent recycle bin?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does rejection affect people?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even highly qualified scientists experience rejection of their research at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just imagine you made a ground-breaking scientific breakthrough and (cue the drum roll): the scientific community rejects your research! But rejection doesn\u2019t necessarily failure. You just need to rethink the idea. An interesting take on rejection by scientists was published in this <a href=\"https:\/\/axial.acs.org\/2018\/05\/08\/5-stages-of-rejection\/#:~:text=In%20their%20May%207%2C%202018,%2C%E2%80%9D%20developed%20by%20psychiatrist%20Dr.\">article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everyone fails and gets their work rejected at times. Just like the well-known five stages of grief, I experienced the Five Stages of Rejection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Denial: You are wrong, I am right!<\/li><li>Anger: I\u2019m going to write a scathing e-mail to this editor and give him a piece of my mind.<\/li><li>Bargaining: Hey, maybe I need to rethink and apologize to the abovementioned editor.<\/li><li>Depression: Cue the waterworks, chocolates, and red wine!<\/li><li>Acceptance: I need to ignore the voices of self-doubt in my head and review my article.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Coping with Writer\u2019s Rejection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I will be lying if I said I do not feel jealousy when accomplished journalists publish article after article in glossy magazines or online. But let me tell you a secret: even award-winning writers have been rejected. Even seasoned journalists get a &#8216;no&#8217; from time to time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/writing-courses-online-2\/\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"447\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/TWC-General-Ad-minimised-1024x447.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-99947\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/TWC-General-Ad-minimised-1024x447.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/TWC-General-Ad-minimised-300x131.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/TWC-General-Ad-minimised-768x335.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/TWC-General-Ad-minimised.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Minimising Rejection as a Freelance Journalist (It\u2019s almost impossible to avoid)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Below are some tips to avoid rejection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Soft Skills<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jane Schiever\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.writerscollegeblog.com\/skills-needed-for-magazine-journalism-why-the-soft-ones-count\/\">article<\/a> in the <em>Writers College Times<\/em> gives sound advice about soft skills development. These can go a long way in securing future freelance work (and help preserve your sanity).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Developing your soft skills is a necessity for avoiding the editor\u2019s rejection. It shows that you are open to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Rejection Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We all have irritations. But when it comes to an editor, these irritations could mean rejection. Tracy Brooks gives a handy guide to navigating the road to an editor\u2019s heart. Read it<a href=\"https:\/\/www.writerscollegeblog.com\/how-to-keep-your-online-editor-happy-by-tracy-brooks\/\"> here<\/a>. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I once submitted a half-baked article to my tutor at the SA Writers College. Her reply felt like the ultimate rejection. If only I had read the above-mentioned article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In hindsight, it made me rethink and rewrite. The rejection was the best thing that could happen to me. It made me evaluate my article and identify my flaws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Personal Growth from Rejection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your personal growth depends on how you handle rejection. Do you curl up in a ball and think your life is over? Or do you take a deep breath and start from another angle?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t be too hard on yourself when you get rejected. See rejection as a checkpoint to evaluate your abilities and make the necessary changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Nick-le-Roux-Writer-min-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-99951\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nick le Roux is a freelance journalist, blogger, online teacher and renewable energy enthusiast. His other interests are cars, psychology, coffee and nature conservation. He lives in Centurion, Gauteng with his wife and four-legged children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Business-Writing-3-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-99948\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Business-Writing-3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Business-Writing-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Business-Writing-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Business-Writing-3.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rejection and self-doubt go together like ice cream and a hot day \u2013 one seldom goes without the other.\u00a0 All writers experience rejection at some stage of our writing careers. It\u2019s not a great feeling, but it can provide a significant learning curve. BY NICK LE ROUX Rejected! The editor\u2019s reply to my proposed article [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99952,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[565],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-99945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-journalism"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99945"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99945\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sawriterscollege.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}