Still I Rise: A Story of Resilience After Repeated Rejections

Still I Rise: A Story of Resilience After Repeated Rejections

From a young age, Maya Dawson dreamed of becoming an author. As a child growing up in a modest neighborhood in Detroit, she would spend hours curled up with library books, getting lost in stories that took her far beyond her four walls. By age 10, she was writing short stories in spiral notebooks. By 15, she had filled drawers with poetry and half-finished novels. Her dream wasn’t just to write—it was to be read.

But dreams don’t always come easy.

After graduating from college with a degree in English Literature, Maya poured herself into writing her first novel—a heartfelt story inspired by her own struggles with identity, belonging, and mental health. She believed in it deeply. When she finished, she began sending query letters to literary agents, hopeful and excited.

The rejections came swiftly.

"Not the right fit."

"Unfortunately, we're going to pass."

"You have potential, but this story isn’t strong enough."

She received 47 rejections in the first year.

Each one stung a little more than the last. Doubt crept in. Was she really cut out for this? Was she wasting her time?

Still, something in her refused to give up.

By day, Maya worked as a barista and later as an administrative assistant, but every evening she came home and wrote. She revised her novel four times, took online writing workshops, and joined a local writers’ group. She submitted short stories to journals and contests, most of which ended in silence. But every once in a while, a story would get long-listed, or a judge would leave encouraging feedback.

It was just enough to keep her going.

Then came the biggest blow.

After finally landing a small literary agent who showed interest in her revised manuscript, Maya thought her breakthrough was near. The agent pitched her novel to several publishers. But after a year, the agent emailed her with disappointing news: "None of the editors were willing to take it on. I think it’s time to move on."

The agent dropped her.

Maya cried for hours. That night, she considered giving up writing for good. She felt humiliated and exhausted. But as she scrolled through her old documents, she stumbled across the very first story she ever wrote as a child—a handwritten fairy tale about a girl who lived in a tree and protected her forest from storms. It was rough and innocent, but full of hope.

Something clicked.

Maybe she had been chasing the wrong thing. Maybe it wasn’t about being "accepted" by the gatekeepers. Maybe it was about writing for herself, for those who needed her stories, even if it meant taking a different path.

Maya started a blog.

At first, it felt like shouting into the void. She shared stories about her rejections, her mental health journey, her love for words. Slowly, readers found her. People messaged her to say that her words had helped them feel seen. She began posting weekly short stories, each one resonating more than the last.

In a year, her blog grew to thousands of subscribers.

Encouraged, Maya self-published her novel on Amazon. She didn’t expect much, but something surprising happened: her readers showed up. They bought the book, reviewed it, and shared it. Within six months, her novel sold 10,000 copies. She was invited to speak at local schools and book clubs.

The same publishers who once rejected her now reached out, asking if she had a new manuscript.

Maya declined.

She had found her voice outside of the traditional system. She went on to self-publish two more novels, both of which became bestsellers in their categories. More than that, she started mentoring young writers, teaching them not just how to write, but how to persist.

Today, Maya runs a thriving online writing academy. Her blog, once born out of frustration, is now a platform that inspires thousands. She regularly speaks at conferences about resilience, creativity, and the power of rejection.

Maya often tells her students, “Rejection doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. It means the world hasn’t caught up to you yet. Keep going until it does.”

Moral of the Story:

Rejection is not a dead-end—it’s a detour. Sometimes, the path to your dreams isn’t the one you imagined. It may be harder, longer, and lonelier. But if you keep going, adapting, and believing in your voice, you’ll not only get there—you’ll arrive stronger.

Because resilience is not about never falling. It’s about rising, every single time.

Let me know if you want to include quotes, images, or structure it for publication on Vocal Media with formatting tips!

Thank you for reading...

Regards: Fazal Hadi