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Tips for Handling Rejection as a Freelance Writer

  • November 11 2014
  • Comments Off on Tips for Handling Rejection as a Freelance Writer
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If you’re striving to become a successful freelance writer then you must be ready to deal with rejection. You can be sure that your writing will indeed be rejected at some point. However, keep in mind that getting rejected is a sign that you’re doing something right; you’re putting yourself out there. By dealing with minor setbacks in the proper manner you can ensure that you bounce back quickly. Here are a few tips to deal with rejection as a freelance writer.

 

Accept Your Rejection As Part of the Overall Process

Saul Bellow, J.K. Rowling, John Irving, etc. all have gotten rejected on multiple occasions, but they didn’t let that stop them. The difference between a winner and a loser in the freelance writing game is that winners understand that any rejection that they receive is simply part of the process of getting where they want to go. This can be applied to many fields of writing from technical writing to blogging jobs to poetry. The key is to not let rejection stop you from continuing your career as a freelance writer.

 

Think About the Reasons For Getting Rejected

You could have a fantastic article or book idea that is simply not suitable for an agent or publisher’s needs. Or the editor could absolutely love your idea, however they want to put it aside for a future issue only to forget about it. Perhaps a publisher has an influx of great article ideas, but not enough resources or time to publish them all. The point is to understand that there are thousands of reasons as to why your writing might have been rejected and so blaming your abilities gets you nowhere as it likely has nothing to do with it. Do not think of a rejection as an accurate reflection of your writing ability.

 

Face Your Fears

Think about what it is that bothers you so much about getting rejected by someone you’ve never met who potentially has a different taste in writing, agenda or perspective. Try not to let a rejection make you insecure about your writing, as being too sensitive to rejection can deter your freelance writing career. Once you’ve figured out exactly why rejection makes you so uncomfortable, you can then deal with any setbacks as a writer much better.

 

Keep Opportunities Coming Your Way

In order to set yourself up for success as a freelance writer you must put yourself out there for as many opportunities as possible. Keep in mind that the more opportunities you give yourself, the more chance of success you will have. Not putting all of your eggs in one basket will also allow to be more persuasive, relaxed and engaging when talking to any prospective clients about a single opportunity. Although it can be exhausting, you must keep marketing, networking, listening to current clients and pitching so that you won’t ever be banking on just one opportunity at a time. No single situation should ever feel like a make it or break it type of opportunity.

 

Educate Your Prospective Clients

Keep in mind that part of your job as a freelance writer is to let your prospective clients in on the know how of your particular craft. Know that they don’t have your expertise or skills, and so it’s up to you to aid them in fully understanding the approach you want to take on a certain project. You must also be able to articulate their response into your work. Although this is easier said than done, it’s a fantastic investment into your working relationship with clients.

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Cameron Mackey

Cameron is the Content Manager for the Vorongo Blog. He has spent three years in various content marketing roles. When he is not working with Vorongo he enjoys photography and hiking.

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