by Rebecca Yauger, @RebeccaYauger

I recently was made aware of a Gatorade commercial–Secret to Victory–where world-class athletes, the best in their sports, talked about their failures as athletes, before they had success. The tagline for the commercial is “Make Defeat Your Fuel.” Those words had an impact on me.

Not all writers are world-class athletes, but we definitely have our own struggles. We can feel defeat when the words don’t come, when we receive a tough critique, low contest scores, or a rejection from an editor or agent. So, let’s re-write that tagline to say “Make rejection your fuel.” Take those tough critiques and low scores, and use them to fuel your writing, to make it better, and to keep improving and learning.

Now, I know that’s not always easy. But let’s take inspiration from those athletes. They had to train and practice again and again to get better, then succeed with their remarkable careers.

We can carry this thesis to the arts as well. Actors go to class, learn their lines, then rehearse and rehearse to get it right, to be successful and to be the best they can be. They have their fair share of critics, too. It’s similar for painter, photographers, dancers and more.

So, look closely at that rejection letter. Read that critique or comments from the contest judge. Focus on what they’re trying to show you with ways you can improve your writing. Remember, it’s not an attack on you as a person (yes, I need to remember this, too). It’s about shaping and honing your writing so your book will be the best it can be.

Yes, defeat hurts, rejection stings, but don’t let that beat you down. Can you imagine the championships not won, the movies not made, and the books not written, due to rejection?

Take time to pray, listen, learn and grow. Let rejection be your fuel. Let that be the secret to the victory of God’s plan for your writing.

Rebecca Yauger worked for 15 years in radio and television broadcasting, before starting on her writing career. She’s been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul and Guideposts Magazine and continues to scribble away on various projects. She also blogs at www.TalkingAmongFriends.com. Becky was past Vice-President and Membership Director for American Christian Fiction Writers (www.acfw.com), and currently serves as ACFW’s Web Manager. Becky and her husband live near Dallas and have two grown children and one beautiful grandchild.