By Darren Gilbert

Yes, it can hurt. It can be mean at times and knock your confidence. However, at the same time, rejection can help you to figure out what not to do. It can help you to become a stronger writer. Having said that, here are three steps to help you deal with rejection.

Rejection is always not about you

A different way of saying this is to turn to the old adage: Don’t take rejection personally. It’s most certainly one of the hardest things to do. Afterall, here you are writing an article that you hope people with like and you receive a rejection slip for it. However, it’s important not to take it the wrong way.

As Grace Bello a journalist and copywriter writes on The Freelance Strategist, freelance writers receive more rejections than writing assignments. However, that doesn’t mean that they work is bad or that they should just give up. “[W]hen addressed constructively, [it] can lead to a wealth of new opportunities.”

“In any given freelancing field, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of practicing freelancers. This can make it difficult for any client to make a choice,” points out freelance writer, Laura Spencer in her piece on Freelance Folder. “And, of course, most clients want the best value for their money. That’s just good business sense.”

Pitch your idea elsewhere

“[You] must remember, media is a business,” writes Bello. “And some ideas, while compelling, don’t fit the brand of every magazine.” But that doesn’t mean that the idea that you had can’t be used elsewhere.

As she rightly points out, what works for one publication will not work for another. Bello continues: “Journalists should get to know the media landscape … Writers should venture beyond the more obvious pubs and dig for a mag whose audience truly fits the story.”

As Spencer writes in another piece for Freelance Folder, moving on is one of the most important things to do after facing rejection. “Get involved in new projects. Orient yourself towards future goals and forget about past failures.”

Revise your idea

On the other hand, there does come a time when you have need to rethink you story idea. Quoted by Bello in her piece, The Atavist’s editor, Evan Ratliff makes a good point: “Very early on, I found an editor who actually took the time to tell me why my ideas were bad: they were bad because they were topics, not stories – which is the classic way that pitches are bad.”

Take a look at your pitch. Is it a story or an idea? If it’s the latter, you need to go back and rethink it. Freelance web developer, Jeffrey Way agrees in his piece on Freelance Folder: “Is it possible that with a few more revisions, your idea could be revamped? Or, be honest with yourself. Is it possible that you’re idea just isn’t that original and intriguing?”

There are, of course, other tips on how to deal with rejection. Do you know of any? If so, tell us below.