How to say no without ruining industry relationships (Publishing)

Making connections within the publishing industry is an important tool all writers need when trying to getting your work out there. But what do you do when you want to turn down a job whilst still preserving those relationships. 

You should never feel pressured to take on work if you feel it isn’t right for you or your career. It can become difficult to make those decisions if you're under a lot of stress, maybe your work is drying up or you’re struggling to get any acknowledgment but it can do more harm than good if you accept a job for the wrong reasons. With that being said here are a few ways to lessen the blow when it comes to saying no. 

There are many situations you may find yourself in where you may have to say no. Whether it's a piece you’ve been offered within a magazine or website, an offer to collaborate with another author or even the opportunity to write a book but you’ve been asked to keep within strict guidelines which you may not be comfortable with. Whatever it may be the first thing I would suggest is to always be honest and true to yourself. 

If you’ve been offered an opportunity to write a piece but you feel the topic or theme is not the best fit it doesn’t mean you have to lose out completely. If it's a company that you really want to collaborate with then try suggesting other ways to work together, pitch new ideas and see how it goes. If they are adamant that they do not want to change direction then it just isn’t meant to be. Communicating back and forth is a great way to build on those relationships and showing your interest to work with them will keep you in their books for future opportunities that may suit you better. 

As mentioned before being honest is the most important thing. If the reason behind having to say no is because you’re committed to another project then explain this, they will appreciate your dedication to your work. If they are still interested in collaborating then see if they are willing to reschedule, if not then ask them to keep you in mind if anything does come up in the future. 

Teaming up with other authors is a great way to gain exposure, you are combining your audiences and this can really benefit your career. However what happens when the person asking to team up just isn’t the best match. There could be a number of reasons why you don’t want to collaborate with someone but ultimately you don’t want to come across as obnoxious or rude so it's important to keep that in mind. If its simply down to a difference in style but you still love their work then suggest a way to combine your styles to suit you both.  If it's a case of just wanting to say no then simply show your appreciation, tell them you’ve taken the time to consider their offer and make sure you show your support by wishing them luck or even giving them a bit of publicity online. It's important to be respectful even when saying no, especially if you want to keep those industry relationships strong. 

Credited and sourced from my work with Brighton Journal