"We're sorry, but the piece you submit was rejected for publication."
This straightforward sentence can be a nightmare for any writer. I've received it plenty of times, in hopes of having one of my many short stories or essays published, only to be met with another rejection slip. Your first impulse is to crumble that note up and toss it or delete that e-mail, right?
Don't.
Chances are, if you continue reading said rejection letter, most will point out your weaknesses and strengths alike. The very first short story I submit for publication was rejected because it was, quote, "Hard to read." Naturally, I scoffed. MY writing? Hard to read? No way! Annoyed, I asked a friend to read the piece in question. To my surprise, he was brutally honest in telling me that it was indeed difficult to understand.
Well maybe there's something wrong with them, I thought. I stubbornly asked two more friends, both of which echoed the sentiments of my other friend and the publisher itself.
From that day forward, I decided my writing style needed a major overhaul. I studied the short story I had written for hours, sentence by sentence and word for word. Suddenly, it dawned on me. I could pinpoint the one thing I did that turned most readers off. With a new sense of confidence, I re-wrote the short story sans the mistakes and re-submit it for publication.
Rejected again.
Every rejection letter I'd get, I would circle the notes and tips that most were kind enough to give. It took weeks, almost a whole month to figure out what I was doing wrong. But, in addition to the commentary of friends, the rejection slip served as a guide of sorts. Despite my wounded ego, I was able to greatly improve my writing skills by paying attention to the rejection letter's suggestions.
The truth is, we all want to be great starting out. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could bypass everyone telling you what you're doing wrong or need to improve and just skip to all the praise and recognition you'd like to receive for your effort? Unfortunately, most of us, if any, have that happen.
The average writer WILL get rejected more than once. At that point, it's up to you to decide whether or not to take your writing skill to the next level. Perhaps that one rejection letter holds the sole reason why your piece wasn't accepted. Practice makes perfect and a writer eager to publish quality writing will practice constantly.
So go ahead. Dig through your deleted mail folder or trash bin and take a look at that letter just one more time.