Authors, Writers, Publishers, and Book Readers

Ever received a rejection letter?

I'm interested in how people feel about them. Even if you never have, please share what you think your reaction would be.

I've had a few in my time and I was disappointed. Not crushed, just disappointed. It's hard not to be. None of them were nasty so I didn't have to handle that unlike some do. I think it's really important not to let them get you down. I believe there's a place for everyone's writing in the world. It's just a matter of finding it. :)

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by scribbler on September 18, 2009 at 6:31am

I've had one and the note contained some helpful pointers that I incorporated into the piece. I'd be a liar if I said I did that immediately. It took me a day or two after shoving it in a drawer to go back and reread the note when I was in a better frame of mind.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on December 4, 2009 at 7:32pm

You're only human. :) I know people that burned theirs in a huff, which I think is silly, especially if it has constructive comments on it. One man's meat is another man's poison and you can't please everybody. It's finding the one publisher that you can that's the challenge. But you only need that yes once! :)

scribbler said:

I've had one and the note contained some helpful pointers that I incorporated into the piece. I'd be a liar if I said I did that immediately. It took me a day or two after shoving it in a drawer to go back and reread the note when I was in a better frame of mind.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jasmine Andrade on December 7, 2009 at 12:27am

Well, I think that if I had gotten one, I guess I'd be upset, irritated, stressed. I would most usually go and play some of my favorite music to calm me down, since that always works.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on December 7, 2009 at 4:10am

That's a natural reaction to any kind of disappointment. Why would you be irritated about it? If you can count it as a learning experience, it's all good I feel. :)

Jasmine Andrade said:

Well, I think that if I had gotten one, I guess I'd be upset, irritated, stressed. I would most usually go and play some of my favorite music to calm me down, since that always works.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Danielle on December 7, 2009 at 5:14am

I've had one and I was a bit sad. But I much prefer getting a rejection letter than nothing at all. I get quite bitter if they don't take the time to acknowledge my efforts at all.
I didn't keep it, although, sometimes I wonder if I should have, just for motivation or something. lol

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on December 9, 2009 at 2:58am

Hearing nothing at all is the worst because you're left hanging, not knowing whether it got lost in the mail, if they have a backlog or if you can go ahead and submit it somewhere else. I think it's very rude. I absolutely agree Danielle. The best advice I have is to enclose an SASE even if they don't ask for one. You may get a quick note back that way. Don't expect what you submitted too though. In fairness there is often a very, very large pile of submissions they have to get through at any one time. Waiting six to nine months isn't unusual. Once in a while no news is good news. :)

Danielle said:

I've had one and I was a bit sad. But I much prefer getting a rejection letter than nothing at all. I get quite bitter if they don't take the time to acknowledge my efforts at all.
I didn't keep it, although, sometimes I wonder if I should have, just for motivation or something. lol

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Robert L. Allen on November 23, 2010 at 12:29am

I have received many good and bad rejection letters. I used to write poetry and still do but no longer try to get published with poetry. What I hate is when the publishers don't even read the work. Why say 'we are looking for new writers' if they are not going to read the MS. Right now I'm trying to get a book published. Robert