To get better is to read someone better than you

Voting for Chinese Writing Contest 2024 has ended. Results are coming out soon. I think it is good chance to say a few words about winning and losing.

There will be the top three winners. And for anyone whose writing is included in the Easy-to-Read Chinese Short Stories series, he or she is a winner. 

Although I really want to say that, in this Contest, there are no losers. But, since not all participants’ submissions will be included in this year’s book, someone may feel that way.

So, let’s talk a little bit about handling rejection. 

The ability to handle rejections, even a trivial one like being rejected in a tiny Chinese Writing Contest, can be a big thing. 

I took a few painting classes a long time ago. I don’t remember much about these lessons. But I do remember the teacher started lessons by showing us some paintings or sketches done by my classmates, whose work were shown as bing exemplary. My work was hardly ever among them. There was always someone who was better. But that did not stop me from drawing pictures. I kept on drawing. So far, I have drawn many pictures that I use in my classes. It is a handy skill to have, even a poor one.

It is the same thing with writing. Some people will be better than you. For instance, their writings are selected in this Contest, but not yours. Although it can be hard to stomach this rejection, I hope you will keep writing, and keep improving. 

Here are some tips on handling rejections.

The first one is to read those who are better than you.

Perhaps your story doesn’t have a clear structure or your poem lacks a spirit. If you take writing seriously, rejections will force you to think hard on areas that you can improve.

I have heard countless stories about how accomplished authors talked about being rejected and how they took these opportunities to improve their works. One said that she rewrote her first book over 100 times. Another one said that rejection forced him to develop his unique style. 

Secondly, please bear in mind that, as long as you keep writing and until you get wonderfully good at it, rejections are inevitable. And whenever it happens, you will feel defeated or dispirited. You’re not alone. ALL writers will perhaps never, ever, become better at handling rejections. 

Therefore, that it is essential for you to know that these struggles you go through are the same as all other writers. Only those writers who are able to keep a sense of humour about being rejected have an advantage. They make themselves, and others, laugh.

I read a humorous take on what to do after being rejected. Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids, shared a tip for how to turn negative feelings into positive ones, “Take another author out for a coffee. You will feel good for being nice, they will feel good because they have saved $2.38”. (I laughed really hard at this one!)

Finally, you can not put a price on creative freedom, especially at the age of ChatGPT when generative AI is poised to replace human writers. When you look at the list of 320 Chinese characters and see meanings that are not there, it’s a win already. 

In the end, remember writing is a satisfying activity. It’s pouring part of your soul into physical reality. It’s one of the rare things that we can do and, in doing so, we truly become a unique individual. 

So. Never. Give. Up. 

Besides, just like my drawings, you’ll never know when your writing skill will become handy.