by Gordon Hamilton

Created on: February 16, 2009   Last Updated: December 11, 2010

There is no disputing the fact that rejection of any type is painful. It can lead to a crisis in an individual’s self-confidence and in their faith in their own abilities. Very often, however, it is how someone copes with rejection which defines their strength of character, their sense of purpose and the likelihood of their succeeding in the longer term.

When a writer receives a rejection slip, or other form of negative response from a publisher, it is only natural that abject disappointment will be the overwhelming initial emotion. It is important, however, to face up to the fact as soon as possible and begin to consider why the piece was rejected and how future acceptance can be attained. This process begins with a detached, critical analysis of any comments the editor or prospective publisher may have made and the piece of writing itself.

More often than not, rejection advice will not give any detailed analysis as to why a piece was rejected. Although this will very often make it difficult for the writer to determine the precise reason for rejection, it is still necessary to try to do so. Consideration should be given to whether the publisher to which the piece was submitted was appropriate. The piece should be read through carefully, paying attention to everything from potential spelling or grammatical errors, to relevance and quality of content. It is important that the writer take the time to peruse their work properly in this fashion, even though this task should have been performed several times before, and make any required changes before resubmission is considered.

There are some few occasions where an editor will like work sufficiently to suggest changes and resubmission. This clearly defines an action plan to follow but the likelihood is that the piece will have to be submitted to a different publisher for consideration. Writers should always bear in mind that editors and publishers are all individuals, with different opinions regarding what is or is not publishable standard material. Even where no changes are deemed necessary to a piece, therefore, it is always worth submitting it to a different but appropriate publisher for consideration.

Writers should always bear in mind that writing is forever a learning process. As writers grow in experience, they learn by their own mistakes as much as by anything else and in this way will become more adept at determining what publishers are looking for in work which they choose to publish. By adopting a mindset which takes in to account this fact and forcing a positive attitude rather than disenchantment, writers can learn to meet the requirements of publishers and improve their acceptance rate on an ongoing basis.

Learn more about this author, Gordon Hamilton.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.