A year of one hundred rejections

BY FINNIAN BURNETT

Afew years ago, I read an article about setting rejection goals. The premise, the author said, was to desensitize yourself to rejection by immersing yourself in it. While I could see the logic in learning to accept rejection, my heart wasn’t ready to submit myself to that much potential pain. But when I came across the concept again about a year ago, I was ready. The idea was still scary, but I could see the benefits of immersing myself in rejection.

I started with a goal of one hundred rejections in 2022, because if I failed, I wanted to fail big. One hundred seemed like an impressive number, bound to lead to impressive results. I came out strong in January with nineteen submissions, though seven were not rejected. (I count shortlisting as a non-rejection for the sake of this challenge because being a finalist is still a win.) I noticed something interesting even in the first month. Rejection became almost a game. If your story is accepted, you celebrate. If it’s rejected, you get to put it back out and make another tick on the list, bringing you closer to your goal.

The other benefit that came from my year of rejection is that I wrote more than ever: I answered themed calls, submitted to local contests, and went to a weekly prompt-based writing group. Ultimately, this led to publishing two flash fiction collections, something that might not have happened if I hadn’t created this challenge for myself.

Changing your relationship with “no”

A rejection goal is a fantastic way to change your relationship with the word “no.” The more you submit, the more you understand how subjective acceptances are. I’ve read some contest winners that stunned me with their brilliance and others that I couldn’t finish reading. Sometimes stories that I felt were my best work went nowhere, and stories that I didn’t love got accepted. You never know what someone will enjoy, and a big rejection goal helps drive this lesson home over and over.

When you’re courting rejection, “no” becomes a source of growth. You can take each rejection as another chance. Either send your story back out immediately or put it aside for a few days and come back with fresh eyes. Instead of looking at “no” as a negative, think of it as your second chance. Maybe the story needs more work or maybe it’s destined for a better place to land.

Planning your rejection goal

If you’re ready to change your relationship with rejection this year, here are some tips to get you started:

Build a tracking system. When you’re submitting a lot, you need to keep track of everything. Some people use Submittable, Duotrope, or Submission Grinder. Investigate you’re courting what each of these platforms rejection, “no” offers before deciding. Personally, I use an Excel spreadsheet to list becomes a source due dates, names of journals/ of growth. contests, word counts, costs, dates submitted, story titles, additional notes, and URLs. I keep a separate tab for remembering stories that still need submission. If I write anything without sending it out, I put it on the spreadsheet, so I have a ready-made list for when a new call comes out.

Create a budget. A lot of contests charge a fee to enter. Some journals charge a reading fee. Plan a budget based on what you can reasonably afford to spend on submissions. Though contests are fun, it is feasible to submit to one hundred journals in a year without spending a dime. A budget also helps you keep track of earnings so you can calculate which calls were most lucrative.

Find journals and contests. Submittable is a great resource, as is the Poets and Writers website. The Crow Collective keeps a spreadsheet on their website with a list of journals offering free submissions. A few writing organizations and conferences in BC have contests for Canadian writers. Social media is a good place to find journals or contests. Also, check out people whose writing you admire. Look at their websites or social media pages for lists of publications.

Read the stories in the journals you’re submitting to. Contests often publish their winners; many online journals have free access to stories they’ve published. You’ll get a feel for the kinds of works their readers enjoy. A big rejection goal isn’t an invitation to throw your work at any journal you find. Be intentional. Don’t send a science fiction story to a romance call or a 2,200-word story to a micro-fiction contest.

Read the guidelines. Be aware of deadlines and word count requirements. Some journals will accept reprints while some only want unpublished stories; note that some places consider publication on social media or personal blogs as previously published. If you are sending a simultaneous submission—that is, sending the same story to more than one journal at once—make sure the journal is okay with that. If a piece is accepted, withdraw it from any other places you’ve submitted to. (This is where your spreadsheet comes in handy!)

Be prepared to write—a lot. This goal can be a great way to spark your creativity. Use contest prompts to write a new story or hone an old one. Read stories to inspire new ideas. Maybe the contest deadline or a journal’s submission window will be a motivator. Writing to themes, self-editing, and tailoring your stories for specific word counts will only sharpen your skills.

Connect with others who are pursuing rejection or submission goals. Celebrate each other’s rejections as much as you would an acceptance. After all, every time a writer gets a rejection, it means they submitted something—and that’s more than a lot of people can say.

Taking stock and looking forward to 2023

By the end of my personal challenge, I had submitted 150 times. I had some acceptances, several short listings, and a few long listings. All told, I ended up with ninety-five rejections for the year. Always remember that once you’ve submitted, the rest is out of your hands. You can’t control the response, but you can control how you deal with it.

As for me, my new relationship with the word “no” has benefited the rest of my life, too. I have more confidence in my writing and in general. I’m more likely to take chances in applying for jobs, submitting academic papers, and taking on exercise challenges. The benefits of the year of one hundred rejections are big enough that I’ll be doing it again in 2023. Would you join me?

Finnian Burnett teaches English and creative writing. Finn’s novella-in-flash, The Clothes Make the Man, is available through Ad Hoc Fiction. In their spare time, they watch Star Trek and take their cat for walks in a stroller. Finn lives in BC with their wife and Lord Gordo, the cat.