Photo by William Phipps on Unsplash
Have you considered that saying writers bandy about, “You’ve gotta have rhino skin in this business!”? Just how thick is rhino skin? “Only” two inches. In the big scheme, two inches isn’t impressive, but for an animal the size of a rhino to have skin that thick? What a great protection!
Why do we writers need Rhino Skin? Anyone who’s entered a contest or submitted to publishing professionals knows. When we receive scathing comments that leave us questioning why we started putting words into blank documents, we know.
Rejection hurts.
This writing journey is tough, which is why we must learn how to not only endure, but thrive, amidst criticisms we receive. Rhino skin requires time to develop, but the right mindsets help thicken our tender skin.
Understand our identity is based on who Jesus says we are. He doesn’t love us more or less based on our books being published, or not. He loves us completely, passionately, and perfectly simply because we’re His kids.
Who—or what—is being evaluated? We cultivate thick skin when we maintain the perspective that others aren’t critiquing us; they’re evaluating our work. We shouldn’t seek our identity through our writing.
Pray when we submit to a critique group, contest, or publishing professional. Pray our work will be liked. But more importantly, pray God prepares our hearts for whatever assessment we receive.
Accept that not everyone will like our writing. And that’s okay. If certain people heap a lot of criticism on our work, it’s possible they’re not our reader.
When we receive dismaying results, it’s natural to feel the sting of disappointment. But, we can’t stay there. We must train our thoughts to remember we as individuals aren’t being rejected. When we set aside the pain and find a way forward, we’ll better navigate disappointments.
Remember we’re in charge of our emotions. We choose our reaction to what others say and do.
Reframe how we view feedback. When we receive writerly feedback, choose to not only see the criticisms but to concentrate on the positives people mention. Often, when others share comments, their aim is to help us improve our craft. Take the offered suggestions and apply those that help us strengthen our writing.
This circles back to believing our identity is found in Jesus. We all have triggers—those things that are said or that happen—and spiral us in negative thought patterns. Most of my triggers revolve around perceived rejection. I’ve worked hard at retraining my thoughts to remember I am loved by the only One who matters.
The main thing is we’re all His kids. When we face situations that try to pierce our skin, let’s focus on the reality that God holds us in every moment. He protects us in ways we don’t see.
When we face disappointment on this journey, we should process the emotion. Then, with our Father’s help, let’s stand up and move forward with the confidence He’s holding our hand every step of the way.
Comments 1
Great tips! Thanks for sharing!