The word ‘Rejection’ used to sound and feel so severe to me. It was a lurking beast, waiting for its chance to devour me. Now it’s more like a COVID vaccine, minus the aches, chills, and fever you may get the day after. Just a little pressure, a little sting. Move on more fortified.

My goal for this year is 100, or at least close to that number.

There’s some article out there detailing why it’s important to “pursue” rejection in industries where it’s inevitable, as there is one arguing against that approach, but the truth is that higher rejection rates are simply a corollary of higher submission rates (more writing!).

More rejection equals higher chances of acceptance.

I’m at 27 rejections this year, so I’m more or less on track. There are too many established and aspiring writers out there to follow, but I do follow quite a few. Based on my experience, most writers don’t openly talk about their rejections.

Sure, they say “it happens,” and “it’s hard,” but there’s always an air of distance between them and the “beast,” as if their experience of rejection were a past trait they outgrew, or an ailment they got over.

Do many writers post their rejection numbers? I don’t know, but they should.

Rejection is not like close-call, explosive diarrhea, or pretending you’re Jason Statham in front of the mirror when no one is around; it’s nothing to hide.

Why not make yourself and other creatives feel better about rejection by talking about it more?

With that said, IT CALLS FROM THE SEA from Eerie River Publishing is releasing in a couple weeks and will feature one of my stories.

Super stoked about this one. The cover evokes adventure, romance, discovery––and terror––beautifully. And I’m sure the stories do too.

Anyway, let’s keep writing and working and doing our thing the best we can. It’ll pay off, if only by making us feel more here, more alive.