Are You Letting Rejection Hold You Back?
To grow as an artist, you have to experience rejection.
Pitch rejection letters used to break me. One tear would stream down my face like Denzel Washington in Glory. The language of their rejection letter templates would follow me throughout the rest of my day:
- “We regret to inform you…”
- “We’ve chosen to go in a different direction…”
- “We will not be moving forward with you at this time…”
For a few gloomy hours, I would swear off my career as a writer. I thought, “If one publication rejects me, they all will. Might as well quit while I’m ahead.” Cell phone in one hand and a bag of Hot Cheetos in another, I’d sit on the couch and watch Degrassi: The Next Generation while wallowing in self-pity.
When rejection knocks me off my game, I remind myself that every success story has experienced failure. Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first job as a news anchor. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson got cut from a Canadian Football League team two days after his first pro game. Taraji P. Henson got rejected from a performing arts high school.
After my latest rejection rut, I came across another prominent example that gave me a super-charged boost of inspiration.
What I Learned From Insecure’s Executive Producer
My journey to learn more about screenwriting led me to a video on the Issa Rae Presents YouTube channel entitled “5 Tips on How To Become A Screenwriter w/ Emmy-nominated Screenwriter Amy Aniobi.” Amy Aniobi seemed experienced, smart AF, and super dope — I had to know more about her.
After Googling Aniobi, I came across her website. I clicked on a segment entitled “Timeline” and found a list of all the programs, workshops, festivals, and competitions she’s applied to during her 10+ year career as a screenwriter. The timeline leads to her 2020 Emmy nomination for Insecure. For each line item, she states whether she was accepted, rejected, admitted, etc.
It was eye-opening to see the amount of rejection she went through to get to her current job. She never let rejection keep her from going for the next opportunity.
Witnessing her tenacity gave me a new sense of perspective on rejection — and I hope it gives the same to you.
Takeaways
Don’t let rejection kill your spirit. Keep creating. Keep putting yourself out there. Keep reaching out. Each rejection is a rung on your ladder towards success. If you keep climbing, you’ll get there. It’s not a matter of if, but when.
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Nia Simone McLeod is a writer, content creator, and pop culture enthusiast from Richmond, Virginia. Follow her on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram for more dope digital content.
