Anthony Stevens' Weblog

I just found the 2006 Rejection Pledge on the Absolute Write Water Cooler forum and love the idea. Here’s the gist of it:

Rejections can sometimes suck the wind right out of our sails. However, I propose we turn the process of gathering rejection slips into something positive. I am proposing a Rejection Pledge.

Here is how it works: This year, choose a rejection goal for yourself. Maybe you are just starting out and are hesitant about submitting. You could set a goal to collect 2 rejection slips this year. Those who have been at this a little longer, can set their sights higher. (My goal this year is 100).

If you decide to take the pledge, edit your signature to look like mine. The fraction=number of rejections received/number pledged. Don’t forget to update it when you receive new rejections.

Encourage others!

Barb

I’m proposing a couple of slight modifications to this proposal.

Since we’re already in the last third of this calendar year, how about making it a year ending Thanksgiving of 2008. That way, you’ll have a little over a year from now and something to celebrate, even if it is just the tremendous effort it takes to collect a pile of rejection slips.

This might be even more fun if it were a contest with a prize at the end. So, how about a Prize Pool. Each of us that posts their pledge has to post a small prize they are willing to provide to the person who gets the MOST rejection slips on the SAME WORK before a contract is signed. You must have a signed contract to win the prize pool and the work must have been rejected more than any of the other entrants.

If you want to join this little contest, post a comment below with:

• Name and a link where you can be contacted.
• The Name of the work you’re going to try and get published.
• The number of rejections you already have on that work.
• The prize you’re willing to add to the Prize Pool.

For example, here’s my entry:

• Anthony Stevens – email me at masteranthonystevens@yahoo.com
• “New Ickford Manor” Could you survive being torn from the veil of time?
• It hasn’t been submitted yet. I expect first draft will be ready this month.
• My donation to the Prize Pool will be the winner’s choice of a custom graphics banner, a custom header graphic for their webpage or a custom locking leather collar of my own design.

Be sure to stop back and update us on your rejections.

Comments and Suggestions welcomed!