Let Them Tell You No

By Mark Brady

One thing most people don’t like is “rejection”, but writers hate it.  What do you mean you are rejecting my submission?  It’s perfect.”  Being honest, I consider rejection letters a trophy, but why is another blog post.  “Fear of the “R” word can cripple one’s fingers, and keep someone from writing at all, or hinder them from submitting a completed project, or query letter.

In the last year, I have learned, and have lived by the simple phrase, “Let them tell you no.”  It works!  It takes the pressure off.  It can help in all areas of life too, and not just with writing.  It worked with my wife.  Okay, I didn’t use it there, but one could.  I have used it in restaurants, stores, the airlines, to name a few places.  It never hurts to ask. If it’s a problem, if they can’t, or if they don’t like it, they will tell you, “No”, but you won’t know unless you ask, or try.  This phrase is tied to hope, and I heard the other day, “hope” is the one thing greater than fear.  You hope your submission will be accepted, or you hope you will receive what you are asking for.

For example; last February, my fiancé, at the time, asked me what I was working on.  “I’m writing a devotional, about God’s love, which if selected, will be published in a devotional book, and marketed toward woman.”  She looked at me funny, and not knowing all her looks yet, and what they mean, She said, “Don’t you think they only want women to submit?”  “Why?” I asked. “They didn’t say they only wanted women to submit, and besides, let them tell me no.”  Four and a half months later, they said, “Yes” to my submission.

When you learn to “let them tell you no”, you find yourself living and writing with an attitude of freedom.  Since writing is an art form, it is subject to one individual’s own taste.  Who reads your submission is out of your control.  So, when you’re writing, do your absolute best, which is in your control, and then send it out.

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Mark Brady has been writing for five years.  He has had one devotion published at Christiansdevotions.com, Sep. 2018, and had an article published in Cadet Quest Magazine, Nov. 2018.  He has been posting a short, inspirational blog every week for five years at bradymarka.com.  He has also written three books, and one of them, a Christian novel, Kill the Preacher Man is currently being considered for publication.  Mark has two adult children, and two granddaughters.  He has just gotten re-married to a wonderful, God loving woman and is currently living with her in the Philippines.