When Every Submission Feels Like a No: Reclaiming Your Writing Confidence

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Listeners, have you been struggling to pick yourself up after experiencing one—or maybe many—rejections of your work? It’s an experience that can make you feel so alone, but I want to be the first to say that we’ve all experienced the self-doubts and even shame a big rejection can create. In this week’s episode, Lynn Shattuck, Kristin Sancken and I share our personal rejection experiences, how to reframe the “no’s” you’ve received, and how to pick yourself back up when the writing life feels tough.

Episode Highlights:

• 3:12: Writing Rejection Stories
• 12:06: Understanding the Tier of Rejection
• 19:53: Capturing the Joy of Writing
• 22:09: Navigating Our Disappointments
• 36:11 What If The Work That’s Been Rejected Is Still a Yes for You

Resources:

• Ditch Your Inner Critic Now
• The Art of Intimacy: Crafting Connection in Memoir and Essay with Lilly Dancyger 
• Giving Up on Giving Up
• How To Read Between The Lines of Your Rejections
• What Is Polyvagal Theory
• The Emotional Freedom Technique
• The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope, edited by Lynn Shattuck and Alyson Shelton
• “Half-Life” by Lisa Cooper Ellison, published in The Kenyon Review

Kristin’s Bio: Kristin Thomas Sancken was born in Panama, raised in Mexico, and came of age in Minnesota before settling in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she lives with her husband, two children, and an exuberant Golden Retriever. Her writing has earned numerous awards and appeared in publications including The Guardian, HuffPost, and Columbia Journal. 

Lynn’s Bio: Lynn Shattuck writes on topics like grief, parenting and mental health. She was a columnist at Elephant Journal for ten years, where several of her essays on the topic of grief and sibling loss and parenting went viral. Lynn co-founded the website lossofalifetime.com, a hub of resources and community for those who’ve experienced sibling loss. She co-edited the essay collection, The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope, which was released in June of 2025.

Connect with Kristin: http://www.sancken.com/

• Instagram & Threads: @ktsancken_writer

Connect with Lynn: www.lossofalifetime.com, www.lynnlshattuck.com 

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064888772287
• Instagram: @lynn_shattuck

Sign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi

Connect with your host, Lisa:
Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/
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Produced by Espresso Podcast Production