This week I ran across a blog post where the author suggested one could set up a skill ranking system for handling rejection, where you get experience points for handling rejection well, and lose them for … well, not. I don’t categorize my rejections as finely as the author of the post does, but my math shows me at roughly level 8 or “wood” level resistance.
I have long thought of trying to come up with a “rejection poker” system where you use the rejections (and acceptances) you got in the month to make a hand. The suits would be:
- Acceptance
- Rewrite Request
- Personal Rejection
- Form Rejection
The numbers would be the day of the month. I have been surprised by the number of times I have gotten multiple rejection letters on the same day. It’s as if editors, like writers, meet in cafes to do all their reading and rejecting together while enjoying some nice tea and company.
If you get more than five responses, you get to pick the ones you use for your hand.
The standard rules of poker would apply (although statistics may show a re-ranking of hands would better reflect their probabilities). Maybe the 31rst would be wild.
So far this month, my hand would be:
- 5 FR
- 8 FR
- 10 FR
On my way to a flush!
In either system, the only way to level up is to submit more!
How do you handle rejection?
Space&Aliens 
I don’t know whether or not to hope you get your flush. As for how I handle rejection, the answer is: poorly. Sigh.
Well, the first step to a flush is re-submitting the stories … and I’ve decided to re-write one of them. So this may be my hand for the month.
I try to have a plan for the next step to help me handle rejections. They’re definitely a downer! Which is why I’m trying to find a way to make light of them.
Resubmitting immediately is supposed to help. If I get a bad review, it can have the same effect as a rejection.
I receive many rejections. Each makes me sad for a moment, but then I remember what gets published varies greatly from editor to editor. This is made clear to me whenever I read what does get published. I often don’t like a particular story, but someone must of liked it. I therefore think perhaps I’ll find someone who likes my story if I keep plugging away.