Rejections...I've had a few...

The last episode of Newsjack went out last week but you can listen to it again at www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7 and I’m very pleased to say I had a sketch on. In fact I am extremely pleased as for that episode I had two sketches and some one liners make it through to the recording. So that’s three recordings I had material through for and two show credits, which has gee’d me up no end. That last BBC workshop in May is a big part of it I think.

Now, after the joy of getting things through let’s talk rejection! The best lesson I have learnt in recent years is rejection isn’t actually that bad. It wasn’t always the case.

When I was younger and more sensitive (in other words, not the hardened crone of today), the slightest, merest hint of rejection would floor me. Years ago when I first toyed with writing I wrote this big article and sent it unsolicited to a women’s glossy magazine. A few week’s later I had a letter saying sorry, they actually had an article on the same theme in their pipeline, yadda, yadda, yadda and ending with we would like to see any future articles you come up with.

Back then all I saw was a rejection, completing ignoring the end sentence. I was quite sure the end sentence was just added in for the shake of politeness. Editors, producers and what not don’t do that. This isn’t how they make friends, they don’t say ‘send in more stuff’ in the hope you’ll go round for tea and be bosom buddies, it’s about work. They see a glimmer of something, it’s their job to keep an eye on it. I never sent another thing in to them, taking one near miss as meaning I it was all hopeless.

Now, down the line, I have taken all those sayings such as ‘horses for courses’, ‘one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure’ on board. The rejection may be because tastes differs, the person at the other end has no taste, I’ve missed the theme, there’s better or more relevant stuff in the mix, or bluntly, I’ve presented something which is shite (it happens to quote a bumper sticker). So what?

Rejection is a hurdle not a brick wall. If you’re lucky it’s a hurdle you can step over and get on with the journey, on other occasions you may need to take a running jump at it. Hell if needs be, limbo under it.

Read Dan Tetsell’s wise words (comedy writer & script editor for Newsjack) on the BBC Comedy blog about writing for Newsjack.

Of course all this talk of rejection only applies to writing and creative endeavours. Rejection in your love life is a different kettle of fish and I advocate revenge….usually involving a kettle of fish.

Comments

[Around My Kitchen Table]

I have done a lot of writing in my time and could paper my wall with rejection slips. It used to really depress me until I realised that there was a lot to learn from rejections and that rejected piece had lots of options. I could rewrite and resubmit. I could send it somewhere else. I could hang on to it until it suited the "zeitgeist". Or I could use it as toilet paper! I rarely have a piece that it is impossible to sell in some form or another.