Ever since I published Let's Write a Short Story a few years ago, I've been talking to a lot of writers about writing, publishing, and rejection.
One writer emailed told me after submitting something to a writing contest:
I’ve never submitted anything. And after I hit submit, I wanted to hide under my blankets. I still do.
Does that feeling sound familiar?
All Writers Deal With Rejected
Every writer faces the possibility, nay the probability, of rejection. So what can you do about it?
How can you avoid having your stories rejected by a publisher, a literary magazine, or writing contest?
Here are four tips to avoid having your story rejected.
1. Write the Best Story You Can
At a writing conference a few years ago, I asked the editor of a literary magazine what would improve a writer's chances of being accepted.
“Write the best story you can,” he told me.
This is the most annoyingly worthless kind of advice. “Oh really? I was thinking about writing a mediocre story. Or even the worst story I could.”
What is a good story? How do you define a good story? How does your definition differ from mine?
Perhaps a way to get at this answer another way is the question people most often ask me, “How do I know if my short story is good enough? or even finished?”
If you want to know whether your story is finished, the best thing I can recommend is to get feedback. Write and rewrite your story until it's just about as good as you can make it, and then show it to a group of readers. Show it to as many people as are willing to read it.
If your reading group likes your story, submit it. If they mostly like it but have a few issues (especially if the issue is with the ending), consider tweaking it. If they unanimously hate it, go cry in the bathroom. And then write another story.
2. Find the Right Fit
It's common to think if you're story is good enough, any publisher, literary magazine, or writing contest will want to publish it.
However, editors and publishers often say they read hundreds of interesting, well-written stories which they have to reject because it wasn't the right fit for their publication.
If you want to avoid rejection, do your research. Read (or skim) ten books and stories by the publisher you're considering submitting to. For literary magazines, read two editions of twenty literary magazines and take notes.
It's a lot of work, but you'll save yourself the pain of a lot of rejection.
Here's a list of forty-six literary magazines to start with.
3. Follow Standard Formatting
Most publishers like to have things formatted a certain way.
Literary magazine editors, for example, work long hours and are severely underpaid. Standard formatting makes their life easier by ensuring that everything at least looks the same. You don't want to turn an editor off before they even start reading because you used Comic Sans.
We go into depth on how to format your story according to standard manuscript formatting in Let's Write a Short Story (you can get a free short story formatting checklist here), but another option is to pick up a copy of Scrivener, which will do all the hard work for you.
4. Embrace Rejection
Some of us quit writing when we were young because an adult criticized us. Over the years, I've heard a lot of horror stories.
I've been there, too. When I was a junior in high school, a writing teacher scolded me in public over an article I wrote. It took me about a decade to get over it. The experience turned me off of journalism, and writing for other people, for years.
My greatest fear as a teacher is that I'll be the star of one of those horror stories, that someone would give up on writing because of something I said.
However, if you've given up writing because of something a teacher said, it's time to take ownership of your writing and embrace your fear. If you want to be a writer, you will be rejected. There's just no avoiding it. Sorry. The question is not how to avoid rejection, but can you embrace yourself if you've been rejected?
Rejection will not change your identity. It doesn't make you a bad writer. It doesn't mean you won't be published someday. But it might mean you have to work harder.
It's up to you. Are you willing to do the work?
Have you ever had a story that was rejected? I'd love to hear your story. Let me know in the comments.
PRACTICE
Get rejected. Today.
Submit something to a literary magazine or writing contest that you've shelved away. Send something that you're not sure about to a group of writing friends and ask them to give you honest feedback.
Take a risk and embrace your fear. It's the only way you can improve.
That's all. Happy Monday.
This is excellent advice. First, Scrivener is great. One feature that is important to me is the ability to save a photo with my character profile. I actually cast my characters using pictures from the web. This feature makes sure my characters don’t change hair color in the middle of the story or other continuity errors.
I’ve been holding a short story for a couple of weeks. I’ll send it today. Thanks for the motivation.
YES! I’m so glad you’re going to do it, Brian. Let us know how it goes, okay?
That’s a really good idea, Brian. I did exactly that in this WIP, changed eye colour a few times. Eeks!
I keep a list of characters and locations in a word doc. I’ve pasted pictures of houses alongside the description for that same reason. I like your idea of casting your characters. Scrivener sounds like a pretty impressive tool!
It is probably time to take some of my short stories out of cold storage and start revising them. It won’t do to send them out as they are. I do have one story that is as complete as I can make it, but I’m pretty sure that it doesn’t qualify as literary. But I should probably start making an effort to find it a home.
I’ve also had a bout of fear about submitting again. Doing it a few times has not made the thought of doing it again any easier.
I’m really looking forward to your book, Joe.
You’re so talented, Casey, that it would be a shame if you let you’re writing go unread. There are certainly literary magazines that don’t publish “literary” writing. If you want, send me your story and I’ll see if I can’t think of someplace. (Or I’ll just ask Mariane. She knows so much more about magazines than I do.)
hello joe bunting you”re so talented ,casey,that ,it would be if you let you’re writing go unread …..
I know what you mean, Casey. I’m the same, I keep writing, and adding to the pile, and forgetting to get them out into circulation. 🙂
Embrace rejection… hmm… still have to work on that one I’m afraid. 🙂
Think of it as the literary translation of Proverbs 27:17.
You are the best, Jason.
“At AWP last year, the editor of a literary magazine told me to,
“Write the best story you can,” after I asked what would improve my
chances of being accepted. This is the most annoyingly worthless kind
of advice.”
I actually think this is brilliant advice. So often, we think there’s a trick or a formula to getting our work read, but there isn’t – we just have to write well. Sure, good is different for everyone, but if we do the best, the absolutely best writing we can do, then if we are rejected – and we will all be rejected if we send work out – we can move forward knowing we have done our best.
You would know more than me, Andi. However, I do think it was a bit unnecessary. I wasn’t planning on writing a bad story.
good stuff! Finished the book this weekend, loved it. Thank you again!
Scrivener is fantastic, worth every penny! I started using it on a free trial and now I’ve organized all my notes from two novels using it’s notecard outlines. The structured approach is helping me to figure out whether I shouldn’t just turn the notes into a series of short stories like Cory Doctorow’s Overclocked rather than traditional novels.
Scrivener sounds like a pretty impressive tool. I can use all the organizational help I can get, I’ll have to check it out!
Ha great idea, Sara. 🙂
Practical and inspiring tips, Joe. Rejection really is part of the game, and it can strengthen us if we allow it. Every time I got a “pass” reply to a query letter, I knew it was one ‘no’ closer to a ‘yes.’ And it only takes one ‘yes’ to launch us from one level to the next. If we receive the same feedback from multiple publications, it’s worth considering—and any feedback shows that the publication, editor, etc., sees potential and strength.
The only “failure” for writers I believe in stems from giving up or giving in.Thanks for this post! I’ll share the link with my freelance writing tribe over at WANA. Cheers. 🙂
Thanks, August. So good hearing from you.
Thanks Joe,
I tend to hoard my stories but I’m taking your advice, and I agree Scrivener is a great tool.
Do it, Sheila!
It looks like they haven’t made a version of Scrivener for iPad…too bad it sound great.
Dear Joe, yet another quote for the Great Quotes file, thank you! Nice job. I can’t imagine how a story you’ve written would ever be rejected, you’re just so good, however, there you go. This is it. Rejection touches all of us, no matter how great we are. And I thought your words, it’s not whether we’ll be rejected but how we embrace ourselves when we are, that were sheer poetry. Such a sweet way of putting it too. I like that. We all need help in the acceptance dept! I read about an Australian author some years ago, who said that even with numerous books published, he still would have books rejected. In the end, he grew so tired of the submission/rejection process that he took the plunge and started his own publishing company (still going strong too, I hear). The rest of us, who don’t want to start our own companies, or in some other way self-publish, must still walk the long & winding road.
Thanks Yvette! Trust me though, if you saw some of the stories I’ve written, you’d reject them too 🙂
Good wisdom, Yvette. “Rejection touches all of us.” Well said.
Well, I did it. Sent off my first piece to a competition. The chicken version of embracing rejection — if they don’t like it, I won’t win but they also won’t tell me what they hated! Been reading your posts for a while now and have used some of the exercises. All good, all appreciated.
I’m so glad you did, Ms. V! Exciting! Let us know how it goes, okay?
Great post Joe! I could relate, ahem, *cough* to the example about the teacher referring to the writing as “Too conversational.” ; )
In hindsight, it seems such a silly thing, but it affected my view of myself and my writing for years. Of course, it wasn’t the only incident contributing to my writer’s malaise, but for some reason, it’s always stuck with me.
I love your idea to “embrace rejection”! As one who spent years (and I do mean YEARS) not putting myself “out there” for fear of being rejected, there’s a strange satisfaction in the idea of not avoiding rejection, but accepting and growing from it. I really love that!
Keep up the great work inspiring others and I look forward to learning more from you and your community of writers!
You’re an inspiration, Joel. We’re all wounded. Heros get up and keep going.
I’ve just sent my novel off for her first round of editing. Now I have time to start practicing the art of the short story! Actually I’ve already started one that I’m really excited about, we’ll see where it goes. I was thinking about publishing it in installments on my blog. Is that a problem if I then decide to submit it for publication?
No way! Congratulations, Beck. I had no idea!
Good question about the installments. It depends on the literary magazine, really. Some don’t mind as long as it hasn’t been published to more than 5,000. Others want to have it first, no matter what. However, for all of them, the rights eventually revert back to you, so you can always post it afterward, if someone accepts it. My suggestion is to send it to close readers rather than post it on your blog. Then, after it’s published, post it on your blog with the added authority boost that it was validated by a lit mag.
Thanks Joe! I’m excited about this stage in the book process. I hope to start looking for an agent when I get back from Serbia this fall.
Thanks for the advice. I’ll see where the short story path takes me!
I get over my fear of rejection by occasionally sending a contribution to a student magazine that suffers from a lack of submissions. It concerns me that editors seem to like my poems but hate my short stories. Targeting appropriate publications is made more challenging in Australia by the way so many of our magazines say they will select a theme once the submissions come in… right. They even do this when it’s their first edition. So who knows what they’re looking for?
One of my short stories just went out to a critique group of complete strangers, but it’s part of a course I’m doing, and the critique session will be facilitated, so no matter how harsh they are, I trust that they will be fair. And I will keep in mind Joe’s advise to ‘go cry in the bathroom’ if they unanimously hate it, which is very possible (as it has already been rejected).
Good post and advice! I recently submitted a short story in a writing contest for a magazine. The winners (1, 2, 3) will be announced in Sept. Ahhh, the mixed feeeling of excitement and the urge to vomit the second I hit the submit button. I found myself thinking a lot about the “verdict”, having dreams about my writing (which is good) that turned into subconscious expectations (which is not good!). So I decided to let go. I have written a good story (according to my trusted group of critics) and I have done my best. But it’s out of my control now. I see it as even if I don’t “win” and get published, I still consider myself a winner. I wrote, I submitted, I crossed the finish line. So I have started to write a novel. When I get stuck…I get back to write short pieces. Who knows, maybe one of them will be good enough for submission. So I agree, embrace rejection, because it’s all part of the equation. 🙂
However, I will say I was rejected recently. I submitted something for a contest at a writer’s conference. Of course, I didn’t win. I sat there as they called the winners, and I was sincerely happy for them. I felt a twinge of sadness, but then I said to myself, “hey you, this is the first time you ever submitted anything in your life, so get over it will ya.” And I mysteriously felt better. 🙂
Hi I’m Michelle, a writer and nanny new to blogging. I’m looking for great blogs to follow. This one seems right up my street. Any similar recommendations? Thanks, Michelle
Hi Michelle!
Welcome to the wide world of blogging! Good for you for getting started.
Yes, there’s tons:
goinswriter.com
copyblogger.com
wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com
Those might be enough for a good start. 🙂
I actually don’t have much of a problem with rejection because my mom always said that even if I become the greatest writer I can be, there will ALWAYS be someone better than me. So, I assume that I was rejected because the winner of the contest or the guy getting published was better.
However, my problem is that I’m too much of a perfectionist. When I’m just writing for fun in my top secret Word Documents which nobody dares touch unless they have a death wish, I usually don’t mind the imperfections. (Emphasis on “usually.”)
But if I’m showing my work to somebody else, it’s a different story. One moment, I think it’s my greatest masterpiece and can’t wait to show it to my friends. The next, I spot every single error and think it’s a bunch of garbage.
Well, that’s an attitude that came from not showing my stories to anyone but my brother for five years. Trying to get rid of it though 🙂
This is a great post! I’m a strong believer in the fact that you can’t escape rejection – in life, and definitely in writing. Coping with rejection builds writerly resilience…but I do agree that doing your research makes acceptance far more likely. If you don’t try, then you won’t get rejected, but you won’t get anywhere either!
I have enough internal rejection coming at me to make anything impossible. I’m trying to work through that by participating here. It’s a safe way to get feedback, good and bad, and try unusual writing excersizes.
That’s funny. We usually say “anything possible.” I like how you’ve reversed it.
I’m glad you’re here, pushing through the discomfort, Li. 🙂
Wonderful advice Joe. I’ll have to keep this in mind for the future 🙂
Thanks Giulia.
The quote you shared from Stephen King “The nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and kept on writing.” says it best. In fact my psych prof just informed me that a journal rejected his research article and I shared this with he and the entire class. A rejection is proof of the effort you have made; it is proof that you are a writer because no published writer is without the prerequisite documentation of a rejection letter. I internalized this further with rejection I have received from graduate programs. I ended up being accepted, but only after finding myself beaming over a small stack of rejection letters. 🙂
Thanks Salmon. I got a stack of those recently, too. There’s always something to push through on.
Great article Mr. Bunting. I will write the best story I can.
3Elements Review is accepting fiction and poetry submissions! http://3elementsreview.com/submission-guidelines.html
Hi
It is really helpful i was thinking about translating this to persian ,my first language !
Sahba1hosseini@gmail.com
Regardless if it is a magazine or a short story, this is expected for the literary world. There are many reasons a person’s work isn’t accepted, and they could be very good writers. It’s best for this to be a learning experience and how to improve. We all get rejected and it is disappointing. You pick yourself up, and not give up. Just approach another magazine, keep trying until you end up getting accepted.
Hi Mr Joy Bunting. I’m a student of English language literature in a place where really there is not that much of English readers to tell me about my writings. I writer poems and have written a very short story. And writing another one main while. So can I send u my story so you can give me feedback please. It’s shirt it won’t take that much of your time. If you do agree to do thus for me. Please send me an e-mail on Ronni.n.yousif@gmail.com. thank you in advance.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned this. “It’s common to think if you’re story is good enough, any literary magazine will accept it.” “Your story” not “you’re story.”
I get rejected all the time and the worst part is when they tell me I’m a good writer, so I’m just not good enough to be in their publications.
I sent a short story to a literary magazine. The editor took time in responding with a rejection letter, which I gathered is a good sign? She said the following:
Dear Jake,
“Thanks for allowing us to consider this piece but I’m going to pass.” She went on saying that it’s not a good fit for their magazine because of my overdramatized writing style and highlighted some of the descriptions to show me she’s read it, and she also gave examples of how I could’ve done it better. One or two examples.
This includes three bulleted points of reasons why she is passing on my piece.
She ended with stating that this is just her opinion, and that all feedback is intended to be helpful. She said “all the best in placing this one elsewhere and good luck with your writing.”
I sent her back a thank you for the time and the feedback. I’m not sure if she wants me to submit to them again, but I’m going to anyway, but I’ll wait a month or so. Please tell me if I’m correct at this being a good rejection letter. This is encouraging right? Since this was the first time I’ve ever submitted my writing to anyone?
Let me know what you think, especially you Joe, I’d like to hear what you have to say about this!!! Thanks
I’ve been rejected by a couple of online magazines and did not receive any feedback from them besides the fact that my story wasn’t a good fit for their site. The lack of feedback is disheartening, more than anything, because it doesn’t tell you what to fix.
I believe “finding the right fit” is a pretty difficult step. Perhaps you can provide more tips on that?
http://hubpages.com/education/noah-and-flood-the-real-story
I have submitted two stories for publication and was rejected. However the email that was sent to me was the kindest rejection I have ever received. What is so valuable in your article Joe, is that rejection does not change the person. Rejection does not define us and I am hoping it does not define our writing, but I haven’t experienced enough submissions yet. Nevertheless, I am still the same person with the same passions. My husband always tells me – “some will, some won’t, next.” I try to keep that under my hat for reinforcement. I do love this community and The Write Practice.
My post on this site was just rejected. Now I really need a drink !
Shouldn’t it be All Writers Deal With Rejection instead of Rejected?
Yes, it should. Glaring grammatical error in headline sized type on a page giving Writing advice left me kinda scratching my head…
Good advice, glad I read beyond the typo…
I had a story that was rejected when I was in high school and another one when I was in middle school. I was happy that someone took the time to read it even though they rejected me. Was I happy I got rejected? No. Was I excited to get a response yes. It just made me realize that getting published is hard work and I need to do better. I am still writing to this day and at least I learned from my mistakes.
How can you know you are receiving honest critiques? I have heard “don’t ask your family members or close friends to read your work because they’ll always say it’s great – they won’t be able to be honest if they find they don’t like what you have written”. I have also been told, “don’t ask other writers to read your work because if they like it a lot, they’ll tell you it’s ‘okay’ and if they don’t like it, they’ll tell you it’s great”. I want honesty, even if it hurts. I’m just not sure where I can find it.
5. Be a famous celebrity, politician, or blogger.
Many famous people are able to land book deals with a multi-million dollar advance. They have a large audience who follows them and book publishers knows they’ll get a lot of sales. You should start up a blog or a video series on youtube and build up an audience.
What I have trouble grasping is a story will be rejected by a magazine but a publisher who wants your manuscript loves it and wants to see more for a book launching. How does that work??
I love to write, I wrote my first short story in elementary school, I believe the 4th grade. Teacher wanted to publish it. I was such a shy student, did not want to draw attention to myself. I said no, please do not. Now, as an adult, I finally submitted a short story to a magazine. I also, like many others, felt sick to my stomach when I clicked “submit”. I was nervous, scared, what if they said it was crappy writing?? I did finally get an email back 3 weeks later(seemed like eternity), my story was not suitable for that particular magazine. Plus side, the editor liked my story, I finally was brave enough to submit one, and yes I will continue to write!!!!