Say It Isn't So

As every writer knows rejection is a necessary part of the creative process, and one-line rejection letters from literary agents and editors can be discouraging and impersonal.  More often than not you’ll get something like this:

Thank you for your query or submission to x Company, Inc.  Please forgive this form response.  The number of queries and submissions currently being received prevents us from personally responding to each.

Creative writers should know how to interpret the information they receive (if at all) and then use this knowledge to improve their submissions.

Keep in mind, writing is a business, and writers must remember that agents and editors have nothing against them personally.

Agents’ jobs depend on the choices they make, and if they don’t feel the work will sell—or they simply don’t feel any enthusiasm or passion for the piece—they don’t have time to argue or explain why.

Here are some standard phrases used in their form letters:

Doesn’t meet our needs
Doesn’t fit our plans
Have to pass on this
Isn’t resonating with me
Isn’t something we’d like to pursue
No room for more clients
Not a right fit
Not suitable for us
We are not enthusiastic about this work
We are not certain we could be effective in placing your work
We do not have a place for this
and the list goes on!

You may feel deflated and wonder why you are being rejected, if the writing or concept was so great.

Take the time to analyze any comments you’ve received. Is there a common thread? If one editor says- you should have written this in third person, you may want to wait to hear if another editor has the same comment before making a drastic revision.

When choosing to make revisions based on feedback, think carefully and evaluate the advice that is thrown your way. As you consider the comments thoughtfully, follow your heart—avoid hasty reactions.

Keep in mind that what one agent dislikes, another agent might enjoy! That said, if you are fortunate enough to receive multiple comments that critique the same elements, it’s time to revise.

Above all else, trust your own instincts.