I’ve sold many articles through the value of sheer persistence. Asking, pitching, and adapting is key to being a career writer. Editors who say no might have a different answer to another pitch in the future. Yes, rejections can be a future opportunity. Here’s how to turn negatives into positives as you turn rejections into successful article sales.

Keep a Record of Your Rejections

I send hundreds of messages every week, and keeping track of who comes back with no-responses can prove cumbersome. Create a folder or a spreadsheet, and you’ll have a list of editors who answered your query, and they become your starting points of who to pitch again.

Changing Budgets

Editors sometimes decline ideas because of their freelancing budget, which you may not be aware of. Pitch editors again later, say six months to a year later, and their answer could be quite different

One year, I sent Writers Write an article about cybersecurity, expecting little for it. A few years later, when their budget allowed for it, I was writing for them once a week. Maintain connections with magazines and their editors and ask even if you’ve asked before. Them remembering you is half the battle.

The Right Time

When I applied to write for The South African News, my application was unsuccessful. I noticed a job opening three years later and applied again — and I was hired to write for two years.

An editor’s “no” can just mean it’s not the right time. Always return to responsive editors to check again. If someone answers, remember it, and come back to them in the future.

Can you imagine if I had stopped asking?

Rejected Ideas Are Opportunities Too

Sometimes a singular idea can sell with the right amount of persistence. You may just have to change either the angle or its publishing editor.

I’ll use this article on Beer and Celebrities as an example. Originally, the article was commissioned by a magazine; however they declined to publish the final draft.

The bad news was that they’d said no, but the good news was that I now had a completed article that had taken a lot of work. I was determined to sell it, and eventually it appeared in The South African.

Take rejected ideas somewhere else or spin them differently. They may readily sell to a different market.

No, No… Yes

When pitching, I always include three solid ideas to new clients or editors. If those three are rejected, I follow up with three more after I’ve taken some time to study why they might’ve said no.

It took 18 emails to sell a feature about Ouija Boards. I kept refining ideas until it was something the editor was willing to agree with.

An editor who takes the time to respond or negotiate is worth their time in gold. Value it, work off of it in an attempt to give them what they want, and keep a list of the connections for future prospects.

Maintain Connections

I’ve known about Crystal Lake Publishing since their founding in 2012. However, I’ve only worked with them in recent years. Maintain connections with those in the publishing and book industries, even if they aren’t hiring right now.

When something suitable comes along, people who already remember your name as an author, writer, and/or editor are more inclined to give you a better chance. Personally keeping in touch is a valuable habit to develop. Whether email or social media, maintain a connection.

Editorial Changes

When you see publications hiring or selling, pitch them again or introduce yourself to the new team.

Bridge Base Online merged with 52 Entertainment, and I created and pitched the BBO Prime cardplaying blog with them, which was maintained for several years. When the magazine Caribbean Compass changed ownership, I asked the new editorial team if I could write for them (and they were happy to accept pitches).

Why Persistence Pays Off

Persistence works, because it’s not the same as annoyance. Pitches are more successful when people remember you’re a writer at the right time. Remember that persistence pays off.

About the Author: Alex J. Coyne is a journalist, author, and proofreader. He has written for a variety of publications and websites, with a radar calibrated for gothic, gonzo, and the weird. Sometimes, he co-writes with others.