In the wake of two rejections—one from Susquehanna's fiction and poetry magazine RiverCraft, and the other from Ohio State University's undergraduate journal Asterism—I offer up advice on how to handle rejection from a literary journal, and how to keep discouragement at bay.
1. Let yourself feel
Rejection always hurts. No matter what the letter says, all that’s going to stand out is the line that says “your work was not accepted”, and your eyes will instinctively narrow in on “not accepted”.
Rejection can be heartbreaking, but know that it’s okay to cry. Let yourself feel the hurricane of emotions—sadness or frustration, disappointment or downright anger—because it’s normal to feel this way.
Mitchell Roshannon, a junior Creative Writing Major at SU, recommends clearing your schedule and eating a pint of your favorite ice cream after receiving a disappointing rejection letter.
None of your negative feelings are invalid, so let them flow through you. Processing everything properly will leave you feeling much better.
2. Read the rejection letter carefully
Once you have worked past and come to terms with your initial feelings, take a closer look at the rejection letter. Pay particular attention to the wording and the specifics of the language.
Is there a line that indicates your writing is at odds with what the journal is seeking? Maybe their mission does not align well with your personal style.
Do the editors invite you to submit again? Make a note of their next open submission period, and plan to resubmit or submit new work.
I recently received a rejection letter that includes the phrase, “Our editors could not reach a consensus”; analyzing this language, I could arrive at a myriad of reasons for why I was rejected.
However, I took it to mean that my work needs further revision and tighter language to be a real contender. Interpreting the language of a rejection letter is also an important step if you wish to continue revising the piece(s) you submitted.
3. Use it as motivation
Rejection can actually be a blessing in terms of revision. Yes, I invoke that equally revered and hated word for rewriting and rewriting and rewriting.
Once a piece of work is published, the regret of unsaid words and potential unmade revisions tends to weigh heavy on the author. A rejection from a journal is almost like a second chance to go back over that work and find new ways to improve it.
Find motivation in rejection. How can you make your piece(s) even better? What areas seem weak upon a second look? If applicable, use the specifics in the rejection letter to guide your revision process.
If there is a particular journal you really want to be accepted into, reread the mission statement on their website. What kind of writing are they looking for?
How can you revise your own writing to better fit the journal’s mission, and hopefully increase your chances at acceptance?
4. Don’t give up!
Melissa Goodrich, SU alum and fiction writer, uses an interesting tactic to get her work out there. This year, she set a goal of receiving 100 rejection letters by the end of the year.
This forces her to continue submitting to different journals and consequently puts her work out there. By turning the process of submitting on its head, Goodrich found that she was oddly disappointed by the acceptances she received— how was she going to reach her 100-rejection goal at this rate?
Goodrich’s attitude puts a positive light on rejection and normalizes the idea that there are a hundred reactions for every acceptance.
In essence, don’t let one letter, or even a hundred letters, of rejection discourage you! If you keep working hard and putting your work out there, the right journal will eventually realize your potential, and your work will find the perfect home.
Stay passionate about your writing, and never give up!
