Car Crashes and Rejection Letters

Recently, I crashed my car—not hard, but still. Fortunately, I was driving in a parking lot, and although I did jam my thumb, no one was hurt. Needless to say, it was not my best day.

After I had driven home, I crumpled onto the couch and wondered why this had happened. Despite it being April, there was snow and ice. The other driver had admitted that he was driving too fast for a parking lot. It was early in the morning. My list continued to grow, wondering what lessons I needed to learn from the experience.

As I pondered a few answers, I noticed that my feelings and emotions were similar to those I’ve had after a rejection pops up in my inbox. My immediate reaction is shock, then anger, and finally, self-doubt. There are always questions. In the end, I move on.

Rejection for a writer is part of the process. I’ve written about it before. It’s important to hide under a blanket for a while, feel the pain and answer the questions. There are things to learn. Bad things happen. But we can move on. Rejection is simply a chance to do something differently and find the right answers. What an opportunity to sink onto the couch and discover something new for my manuscript.

And this round, there will be no car-crashing days.