Comments on: What We Give Power To, What We Remember: Rejections Versus Achievements

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 06 May 2015 15:44:09 +0000

I don’t keep rejections, although I do keep track of rejections. I keep a rejection jar and I put a dollar in the jar for each rejection that I get. At the end of the year, I buy something nice for myself! (No, I don’t pay bills with it!) I like the wall of praise idea — right now I keep all my accomplishments in a box which doesn’t help me in any way!

By: Erica Goss

Erica Goss — Wed, 06 May 2015 03:07:45 +0000

I love scrapbooks and visual-collage journals. I keep three big fat binders full of my good news, and quietly dump the bad news after I note the rejection in a file. I do keep emails of acceptances or rejections, but I would never print them and hang them on the walls around me. I don’t need that kind of stimulation to keep going! I like the “wall of praise” idea from Lesley.

By: Jeannine Gailey

Jeannine Gailey — Tue, 05 May 2015 19:58:32 +0000

Thanks guys! I can’t believe I haven’t really done this before now. Seems like a logical thing. There are some book launches I barely have any photos or anything from – I think I was very sick during one of them, and not paying close enough attention to document anything, which seems like a shame.

By: Lesley Wheeler

Lesley Wheeler — Tue, 05 May 2015 19:41:02 +0000

I keep a “wall of praise” to the right of my computer screen on which I tape up nice notes and particularly lovely letters. Same principle. And rejections: into the recycling bin!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 05 May 2015 19:33:14 +0000

Great suggestion for writers! I’ve done the same thing- In my case it was also helpful to collect, sort and store the copies of kind praise, as well as the columns and essays, that appeared in print pre-internet, since paper holds its own history. I suppose I should get around to scanning those paper copies someday…