It was painful to have an article rejected recently. Having been having articles published in return for payment for over thirty years, it was the first time an article of mine has been dismissed out of hand. The problem is, despite thirty years of success, one rejection was enough to dent my self-confidence. Self-doubt is never comfortable.

Therefore I was even more delighted than might have been expected when another editor, in response to a different article I submitted, replied with the words “Typically excellent.”

I am writing this not to crow — it’s not intended as some sort of disguised humble brag — but to highlight the following:

• Rejection always hurts. I was reading a blog post a few days ago in which the writer states that even after 42 years she finds that rejection still stings.

• You have to just keep on pitching and submitting despite the (inevitable) rejections.

• Delight in the accolades you receive from those who truly appreciate good, incisive writing (and yes, that was a not-very-well-disguised brag!).