Announcing: The 100 Rejections Challenge

I, being of sound mind and body, with the tiniest hint of insanity to keep things ~spicy~ propose to you, the Reader, this: Let’s do a rejection challenge together.

What it is:

We will seek out 100 Rejections each by the end of 2023.

What the fuck, why:

Because the most challenging part of getting out there is the fear of rejection, right? Whether you’re applying for jobs, submitting your artwork, pitching stories, or finding your soulmate, people hold back because they’re afraid of getting rejected.

So we’re going to flip the script. In 2023, rejection is no longer something we are afraid of, it is something we want. We’re going to collect 100 of them.

When:

February 13, 2023 - December 31, 2023

How it works:

You’ll put yourself out there at least 100 times. You’ll keep track of your rejections as they come in. You’ll probably get some acceptances too! At the end of the year, we’ll celebrate. In between, we’ll support each other with virtual Submission Sessions, threads in the chat, and more.

Comment below or in the Chat to commit to the rejection challenge. Include one detail in your comment: What kind of rejection you’re focusing on—are you going on 100 dates, submitting fiction to 100 lit mags, pitching 100 stories to editors? Tell us what you’re committing to! The only requirement is that it has to be a person/place you submit to; no saying “I rejected my own idea.” The deadline to sign up is 11:59 pm Pacific on Sunday, February 12.

On February 13, I’ll send out an email welcoming everyone who signs up for the challenge. We’ll have a special section of this ‘stack dedicated just to this.

Is there a prize?

Paying subscribers who join the challenge will get a rejection tracker from me. A poster! Gold star stickers! An encouraging note! Maybe a little notebook! Who can say?

The first paying subscriber to finish the challenge will also get a small prize from me. It’s a mystery! It’ll be fun! Honestly, I just haven’t decided yet what it is! Maybe we’ll all decide together what the winner should get!

Free subscribers who join won’t get a rejection tracker, but I will come up with a prize for free subscribers who finish as well!

Do I have to be a paying subscriber to join?

Nope! Paying subscribers will get a rejection tracker and a prize, but if you can’t be a paying subscriber right now, no worries!

Seriously, why are you doing this? Why should I?

Listen, rejection is scary and it’s only made scarier by not doing it. The more we build up rejection as this devastating event, the more likely we are to not even try.

I want to make rejection less scary for all of us. If we can, I want to make it not scary at all. The best way to do that is to rip off the bandaid: Get rejected. A lot.

When it becomes commonplace, when rejections are a thing that rolls into your inbox as often as junk mail, it takes the sting off. When it stops being scary and painful, you can focus on what really matters: Trying.

You’ll also probably get some acceptances! Maybe even ones you didn’t expect! When that happens, it’s going to feel amazing.

So, are you in?