Freelance Content Writer, SEO Blogger, Ghostwriter – squareONE

I would have been a better writer if I knew these three things.

Photo by Mikhail Mamaev on Unsplash

Do you know the one thing I wish I had known when I started this freelance writing journey? Not everyone will love what I write.

Before I started writing and getting paid, I had a zillion rejections. The editor sometimes did not offer constructive feedback on why they did not want to publish my work. And sometimes, it had nothing to do with my writing style but what I was writing about. But for me, the rejection was personal.

Many people do not realize how many times they get rejected as new writers in the beginning because when you first start, you have a certain degree of confidence that is suddenly crushed when you get rejected for the third time.

You quickly realize, wait, something isn’t right here.

But actually, it is. If I had to pick three golden rules that I would tell every new writer I met, I would say to them this:

1. Rejection is part of the process, making you a better writer and, quite frankly, more humble. I would not have developed into a better writer if my work had not been rejected. See, when someone takes the time to read your work and offer editorial advice, that is the best kind of rejection. Now you know why the article didn’t make it through the first time, and you can learn how to improve it. Changing your perspective on getting editorial feedback is one of the first steps to becoming a better writer. Now, you are open to criticism and the steps you must take to improve it next time.
   
   
2. Writing freely without thinking of grammar and syntax can actually help you create better content. Getting it all out and then cutting back repetition or parts that just don’t make sense is always easier after it’s written out without getting hung up on perfecting it the first time. No one gets it perfect the first time anyway; that’s part of the writing process. Having a question to answer can help you focus and get the structure of an article that you can then build upon, making it easier to start writing.
   
   
3. Writing from the heart and what you find value in is not always what everyone wants to read. This is a hard truth that we must accept as writers. We can put our heart and soul into it and lay it all down, but sometimes, it just does not hit the way we want, and that’s okay. See, not every reader is like every music listener. Not everything sounds the same to everyone. But that does not mean you should not write from the heart. There are certain times that topics will resonate with readers now, and maybe other times they may pique their interest at a later time.

You are no different from any other established writer. Sometimes, rejection hurts, especially when you believe in something and work hard on it. Do not despair. Get feedback, incorporate it, and take solace in the fact that even the best writers sometimes get it wrong.

Chin up, laptop open, and get back to writing!

Originally published for New Writers Welcome on Medium on November 23, 2024