Top Ten Things to do with Rejection Letters
  1. Litter Box/Bird Cage Liners Let your pet share his/her excitement over the letter, too!
  2. Fly Swatter Roll it up and swat away! (Note: Form rejections are a bit less durable for this task, but if you're lucky enough to get one on the heavier bond paper, no insect is safe!)
  3. Lipstick Blotter Simply apply lip color, fold the rejection sheet in half and give it the ol' kiss off! (HINT: the more vibrant the lipstick shade, the better it will make you feel!)
  4. Toothpick Those sharp, paper corners can be extremely handy for dislodging the half package of DoubleStuf OreoŽ cookies you ate after reading the letter!
  5. Fun with Origami A few skillful bends and folds... and VOILA! You've turned that intimidating rejection slip into a cute little wiener dog!
  6. Autograph Practice Sheet This is a fun one! Simply flip the paper over and practice what you'll write inside your book's cover once you DO get published. (So far, I'm torn between a really loopy signature, and one that's semi-legible.)
  7. Wallpaper There's no better validation than plastering those rejections all over your house! (Tip: Use the envelopes the letters arrive in as decorative borders!)
  8. Basketball Practice Put a wastebasket at the far end of your office, wad up the rejection and.... WHOOSH! She shoots - SHE SCORES!! (You may need to practice this one a few times to perfect the whoosh effect.)
  9. Rock, Paper, Scissors Unlike the game you used to play as a kid, this one is a lot easier - without all the weird rules. It goes something like this: After you receive your rejection, get a rock and hurl it at your mailbox. Then grab some scissors and proceed to cut up that letter. (The smaller the pieces, the better!)

    And finally... the TOP thing to do with a rejection letter:

  10. Take away its power Yep. It's just a piece of paper, plain and simple. Don't let it immobilize you. If it's a form letter - there's usually nothing really insightful to be found in it. However, if it's handwritten with numerous reasons as to why your story was rejected, take that information and learn from it.
A rejection letter is your initiation into the wonderful world of writing! So don't give up! Find a good critique group - one that's filled with people who aren't afraid to offer a mix of encouragement and constructive criticism. Keep tweaking that manuscript and make it the best it can be - and before you know it, you'll be laughing at all the fun things you can do with multi-book contracts!

But that's another story...

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Leslie Ann Dennis has been writing for about a hundred and twenty three years (give or take) and often blushes at the compliments on her rejection-decorated walls and advanced origami skills. Currently, she's a finalist in The Suzannah and The Duel on the Delta with her paranormal romantic comedy (if those actually exist), and hopes to use the loopy autograph signature she's perfected very soon!