How to Interpret Rejection Letters

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The Letter Rejection II. The third kind of rejection letter is the best kind. The story has flaws, but the editor likes it and makes specific suggestions for changes. She may say she is willing to consider it again once you make those changes, or she may not. Yet detailing specific changes always is an implicit invitation to resubmit the same story after you have made the changes. Just don’t take a year to revise. Fashions in genre stories change swiftly, and editors change jobs a lot. A professional writer would be expected to do revisions in a matter of weeks, not months, so act like a pro and revise quickly. Be thorough. And don’t assume that your manuscript will automatically be accepted once it’s revised. A manuscript with flaws significant enough to generate a rejection letter may require a level of rewriting of which you are not yet capable. And there’s something else to consider: the editor’s suggested changes might not agree with your concept of the story. You might prefer to submit your unrevised manuscript to another publisher instead.

The ideal response from a publisher is an offer to buy your manuscript. But all writers get rejected at one time or another. If you have submitted repeatedly and only received form rejections, it’s time to do a stern comparison between your manuscript and romances that do get published. You can also submit it to a writing contest that promises a critique, such as MyRomanceStory.com, or join a writers’ critique group and get reactions from other developing writers. But please do not burden your family and friends with requests to read your rejected romance. Their kind-hearted opinions will not help you develop your ability to be self-critical. And if you ask people unfamiliar with the romance genre you’ve chosen to review your material, they may make suggestions that are not appropriate for the genre.

Most of all, writers who want to get published need to develop a thick skin. Rejection letters are just part of the writing life, and some, maybe many, will come your way. Sometimes your only option, if you must see your story in book form, is to self-publish.       

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