Dealing with rejection is something all writers have to do at one time or another in their careers. It can be depressing, frustrating and can make you want to give the whole “writing thing” up. The key to dealing with rejection is to look at it from a different angle. Learn from the experience and see what you can do to make your work better, stronger and more likely to be accepted.
A Personal Story
When I started out submitting work, one of my stories came back with a rejection letter. I was so upset that I only read the first paragraph which said they were not taking the work “at this time” –a phrase I should have paid attention to. Disappointed, I did not read the whole letter. I shoved it back in the envelope and didn’t even look at the manuscript that had been returned with the letter. I put it into the bottom of my desk drawer and tried to forget about it.
A couple of years later, with a few successful submissions and some positive publishing experiences under my belt, I found the envelope and this time I read the whole letter. And I’ve been kicking myself ever since for a lost publication opportunity.
Although the first paragraph said the work was not being accepted “at that time,” the editor, in the second and third paragraphs, told me she liked the story concept, but felt it needed some more work. She had done some editing on the manuscript, made some suggestions and said she would be willing to consider it if I reworked the story and resubmitted it. I missed a chance to get my work into her magazine because I didn’t read the whole letter.
These are the most important points about dealing with rejection letters.
- If you actually get a letter back, take the time to read it all and see if any comments or suggestions have been offered.
- Sometimes an editor or publisher likes what you’ve written, but sees the need for adjustments. Make the suggested changes then send it back, noting that you took their advice.
- In other cases, an editor likes your work, but it is not suitable for their publication. If he or she was impressed, however, they may take the time to send a rejection letter that also includes a suggestion about other markets for your work. Take the hint and give it a try.
If you just get a form letter, there’s not much information you can glean from that because they are usually very short. However, I once got a rejection from letter from an agent which contained so many spelling mistakes – for example, it talked about “wirters” instead of “writers” – that I was kind of glad she was not handling my story.
Most common reasons for rejection
- Unprepared manuscript: Perhaps your manuscript was not at its best yet, you rushed the submission and it needs some work to make it better. Perhaps the work is not up to par – sloppy writing, errors of grammar, syntax or spelling, etc.
- Inappropriate material: If you send a romantic suspense novel to an agent or editor who handles horror and science fiction, you will get a rejection letter, probably a form letter, telling you the work is inappropriate for their needs. This is a wakeup call. Take time to do your research and target your submissions better.
- Bad timing: Your timing is off – what you submitted is not what is “hot” and desirable in the publishing market you chose to target. In this age of the Internet there is no excuse for not going online to check out what is being published in your chosen genre.
Strategies for Dealing with Rejection
- Revise your work before sending it out. Make sure it is your best and that all the kinks are worked out. Do not send a “work in progress” but rather a copy that is as close to final as you can get. Make sure it is formatted properly.
- Read the rejection letter and learn from what it can tell you: wrong submission for that agent or publisher, what makes it an inappropriate submission and whether the letter includes suggestions for changes and an invitation to resubmit.
- Do your research. You can’t write in a vacuum. In this Internet age, we are all connected and you need to be aware of what is hot in the market and what is not. Submitting work that fits the current market trends also means knowing how to show that your work is not like others in the field but has its own particular plot twists or unusual characters or settings.
- Read what your competitors have published. Read the latest bestsellers in your genre. Check out the award winners. Read reviews. Read publication websites to see what they are looking for
- If, despite all your efforts, you continually receive rejections on one piece of work, it is time to step back and ask for third-party help. Get a professional opinion from a freelance editor as to why it does not work. An editor is like a mechanic – she or he can suggest what steps you need to take to give your story a tune-up – then do the work and resubmit.
Remember to tell yourself that a rejection letter is not a personal failure. You can learn something from the process and apply it to improving your work and your submission practices. We’ve all heard about authors who were rejected many times before being accepted for publication. No one has to know how many rejections you get. Success is not rated by how many rejection letters you received, but by the one letter of acceptance you do get. Don’t give up and, meanwhile, keep on writing.
What’s your approach to dealing with rejection?
