How to Learn From Rejection Letters

"They hate me. They really hate me." After pouring a substantial amount of blood, sweat and tears into a manuscript you were certain would be gobbled up in a heartbeat by an agent or a prestigious publishing house, the last thing you want to read in a letter is the phrase "not suitable for us at this time". Before you resort to angry tirades, sticking pins in voodoo dolls, or swearing that you'll never, ever write again, consider this: maybe those seemingly heartless rejections can actually teach you something.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Perseverance
• A sense of humor
• An open mind
• A thick skin
• A dream

1. Acknowledge and accept that you can't please all of the people all of the time. Unlike right and wrong answers inherent in math and science, any endeavor in the arts is going to be judged subjectively based on one's personal taste and frame of reference. The only way to insulate yourself against criticism and hurt feelings is to be a recluse and never send anything out at all.

2. Assess the degree of engagement that the agent or editor actually had with the content of the correspondence. If, for instance, it's a photocopied letter that opens with "Dear Sir or Madam" or "Dear Author" and doesn't reference your specific project, it's hard to take offense that you have been viciously attacked. More likely, your inquiry was part of a large backlog that she just wanted to get off of her desk. Another possibility is that it was so far off the mark (i.e., a romance novel sent to a non-fiction house) that it didn't merit any comment.

3. Look for evidence that human eyes have indeed read your material. These will take the form of a hand-scribbled note at the bottom of a form letter or a letter that is personally addressed to you and signed by a real person. Even if the letter still counts as a "no", be grateful that someone took a little extra time to acknowledge your effort. Make a note of the name and title of this person for future submissions.

4. Determine whether the rejection is based on the needs of the market, the opinion of the reader, or your own abilities as a writer. The first two conditions are beyond your control. Maybe the publishing house has just come out with a title that is too much like your own proposal or has changed its focus and is no longer seeking new material in certain genres. Maybe the agent is just coming out of a nasty divorce from her ex-husband, Bob, and is going to reject any project written by authors with that first name or who have named their lead character similarly. (Yes, it's silly but it really does happen in this business.) If the agent or editor identifies specific weaknesses in your writing talents, subject matter or presentation, this condition is within your power to change. Read on.

5. Study the reason(s) given for your proposal or manuscript's rejection. If necessary, recruit a trusted friend who has read your submission and solicit her opinion regarding the agent or editor's comments. It's a natural response whenever you first receive bad news to take it too personally and blow the statements way out of proportion. A third party who is detached from the situation will enable you to see whether it's the manuscript concept itself that needs to be repackaged or whether you could benefit from some writing classes to hone your craft.

6. Compare what different editors and agents have to say about the same material. If you get 10 entirely different criticisms from 10 different individuals, it just goes to show what a subjective medium you're competing in. If, however, the majority of them cite similar problems with the core concept or your particular style of expression, it would behoove you to take their advice to heart. These comparisons will also help you to decide whether the existing project is salvageable or whether you should set it aside for a while and work on something new.

7. Seize the opportunity to submit a revision or something brand new. An editor who writes, "This isn't quite what I am looking for but I enjoy your fun, breezy style" isn't really saying "no" to you; she is saying, "What else have you got that I can look at?" Likewise, an agent who tells you that your concept is interesting but that she thinks it would be more marketable if your protagonist was a kangaroo, hop to it and give her the best kangaroo you possibly can. If you go defensive and try to hold out for a sale that will keep every single word and chapter exactly the way you wrote them, it could be a very long time before you ever break in.

8. Learn and grow from your mistakes. No one gets it right the first time, even authors who eventually went on to become famous. What separates those who achieve their literary goals and those who don't is perseverance and the willingness to follow advice from those who are in the best position to make the dreams a reality.

Tips & Warnings

• A rejection of your work isn't a rejection of you as a person. Would the sender of the rejection letter even recognize you if the two of you passed on the street? If you put it in that context, it keeps the negativity in its proper perspective.
• Keep your work in circulation! If you get a rejection letter, decide whether you want to send the material to a different agent or editor or rework it and try a different approach. Don't let the depression of the moment immobilize your spirits.
• No matter how hurt or angry you are that an agent or editor criticized your memoirs as being "too superficial", resist the impulse to fire off a rant or tell him how mind numbingly stupid he is for not recognizing your talents. If you respond in anger to someone who has hurt your feelings, you'll not only never sell anything in the future to that individual but she will probably also pass your name along to her associates as someone with a temper who is much to difficult and defensive to work with.

Resources

• Rejection Collection