1. Make it about the work you submitted, not yourself. Your work and your worth are two separate things.

2. Don’t treat rejection as a failure. View it as a chance to learn and grow. (I know that sounds like a fluff response, but never underestimate the power of asking: “What do I need to learn from this experience?”)

3. If your rejection came in the form of an email or phone call, try not to keep rereading or replaying it over and over. There might come a point where you can look it over to learn from it (if it includes helpful feedback), but not right now. Not yet.

4. Work on a project for no reason other than it brings you joy. Focus, for now, on what makes you happy.

5. Don’t ask yourself what you did wrong. Instead, look at what you can do better next time.

6. Look at your long-term goals. Is what you’ve been working toward still what you want to achieve?

7. Be open to new interests, opportunities, and possibilities.

8. But don’t turn away from your previous path just because you’re afraid it won’t work out.

9. Take all the time you need to “wallow.” It’s a healthy part of the grieving process.

10. But pay close attention to the thoughts running through your mind. If you’re afraid to try again, it might actually be the perfect time to try again.

11. Remember there is no deadline on success. You’re not racing against a clock. It’s going to take time to achieve your goals, and that’s OK.

12. Don’t give up. Writing is important to you. Keep going, and eventually, you’ll end up exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Meg is the creator of Novelty Revisions, dedicated to helping writers put their ideas into words. She is an editor and writer, and a 12-time NaNoWriMo winner. Follow Meg on Twitter for tweets about writing, food, and Star Wars.

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