posted
I just received a rejection notice in the mail today. After the standard, "We regret...", the editor listed - in his own handwriting - what he liked about the piece and why it was ultimately rejected.
This is the first rejection letter I've received (I'm somewhat new to writing fiction), and I was wondering what this means. Do editors usually do this?
I remember reading somewhere that you know you're making progress when editors start jotting notes on the rejection slips. Is this true?
posted
Editors do not usually do this--they are way too busy to do stuff like this unless they want to encourage a writer.
So, yes, you are ahead of the field if this is your first rejection letter.
Since the editor did not say "if you fix this, I'd like to see it again" don't send it back to the editor after a rewrite. Fix the things that you feel will improve your story (after all, it's still just one editor's opinion) and ignore the rest, and send the story to a different editor.
Then, send a new story to the editor you just received the rejection from (and make sure it doesn't have any of the problems the editor pointed out in your first story).
posted
Well I'm insanely jealous. Albeit I've only submitted about four pieces now (still waiting on rejection slips) I know that mine wont have personal comments!
posted
Some editors seem more prone to this than others. The magazines run by DNA Publications -- such as ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDE -- seem to use a checklist-rejection, and will often make a comment or two at the bottom.
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