Dealing With Rejection

Kristen King

by Susan Johnston

www.inkthinkerblog.com — Let’s face it — even the best writers face their fair share of rejection. It could be because that newspaper just assigned a similar story, or maybe the magazine already filled up that issue, or perhaps the editor is just having an unusually bad day… who knows? Rejection can be disappointing and downright heartbreaking if you agonize over it, but it needn’t keep you from achieving your publishing goals.

First, take heart in the fact that rejection is universal. Every writer has a tale of disappointment and despair, but the successful ones keep at it. Many of Louisa May Alcott’s stories were dismissed by her publisher for being too “sensational,” but Little Women has become a classic. Charles Scriber’s Sons rejected F. Scott Fitzgerald’s first two attempts before finally publishing This Side of Paradise. J.K. Rowling had to submit Harry Potter to more than a dozen publishing houses before her books found a home, and now the books have sold more than 300 million copies. You get the idea. Rejection is not a reflection of you or your writing ability, it’s just a fact of life.

After you’ve processed the initial disappointment, it’s time to evaluate whether your idea and query letter were targeted for the right editor at the right market. If you’re querying a beauty article, did you address your letter to the travel editor by mistake? Did you do your homework or did Magazine X just publish that very same article two months ago? If your response included any kind of feedback (like “not enough research” or “where’s the fresh slant?”), then you should rework your query for next time.

And don’t worry, there can and should be a next time. Have a plan B so you’ll know where to submit your idea next. As you’re brainstorming, make a list of all the publications that might be interested in your story. Obviously you’ll want to offer the idea to your top choice market first, but if Cosmopolitan passes, then you should be ready to send a slightly tweaked query out to Marie Claire or Glamour before you get bogged down by disappointment. If you’re querying by mail, have the envelope addressed and ready to go, because even if your query succeeds on your first attempt, you’ll want to try those other markets with new ideas.

If an editor takes the time to email you personally but says your idea isn’t a fit, don’t take it personally. Many people never get an answer or receive an automated “no thanks” to their query, so getting a personal email is a small (albeit bad-news-bringing) victory. Use this opportunity to thank them for their feedback and offer a few back-up ideas. For example, “I appreciate your getting back to me so quickly, and I wanted to offer you another idea for the magazine.” Or “I know you are very busy, so thank you for your response. Could you tell me what upcoming themes need more content that I could contribute?” At the very least, you now have the name and email address of an actual person, which could be a resource for future queries.

It’s also a good idea to stagger your submissions. If you have pieces in every stage of the submission and writing process, then you won’t come home one day to find a mailbox stuffed full of rejection letters. Plus, you’ll have other projects to focus on and keep you from getting too down on yourself. Keep track of where and when you’re querying in case you need to follow-up or submit to another magazine, but don’t get too hung up on the dates or numbers. Just as a watched pot never boils, it will seem as though you never get good news if you’re constantly refreshing your inbox. Give yourself permission to do other things, like going for a walk, treating yourself to some fro-yo, or curling up with a good book. You may even find an idea for your next query.

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Boston-based writer Susan Johnston is a two time National Scholastic Writing Award-winner. Her writing has appeared in Young Money magazine and Brookline magazine, and at DigsMagazine.com, RentalDecorating.com, and SavvyInsider.com. Read more at www.susan-johnston.com.

Although this article was published by Kristen King, the original author retains all copyright and should be contacted for reprint requests.