Overcoming Rejection for Writers (Video)

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FEATURING:
Jami Attenberg
Deesha Philyaw
Tommy Pico
Moderated by Denne Michele Norris
Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, all writers face rejection—but how we cope with that rejection plays a huge role in shaping our literary future. Rebounding can be tough, but rather than allowing rejection to stop us in our tracks, we can reframe it into a motivational and instructional tool. Some rejections actually make us stronger—as writers, editors, applicants, and people—while others just need to be ignored. Poet and TV writer Tommy Pico (JUNK, Reservation Dogs), memoirist Jami Attenberg (I Came All This Way to Meet You), and award-winning short story writer Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies) will share stories from their own paths to publication, and talk about how they cope with hearing “no.” Moderated by Denne Michele Norris, editor-in-chief of Electric Literature. This event took place live on April 4, 2022, as part of Electric Lit's Spring Virtual Salon Series, sponsored by Muse and the Marketplace, and was followed by an audience Q&A. Runtime is approximately 59 mins.