The Gateway
I got so much chatter from my last post on rejections, I thought I’d share a few more with you. They just keep coming. Sweet and loving, every time.
1. “I enjoyed the read, but I’m afraid the writing didn’t stand out quite enough for me to want to see more.”
2. “Your writing is clean, and the voice is compelling. Going forward, think about what sets this story apart from others in this genre. There is so much in this vein right now, so you need something that is strikingly different and to focus on that.”
3. “This story has an intriguing premise, and I can easily imagine many young readers getting caught up in Anna’s world. However, I’m very sorry to say that based on these sample chapters, I don’t think Birthrite is quite right for us.”
4. “Although this sounds like an interesting project, I’m afraid it isn’t right for me at this time.”
If you have any rejections of your own that you’d like to share, feel free to “comment” with them included. I’ll post them, and we can share in our misery together. Happy writing!
Katie Bartlett, Author 
The most difficult lesson from a rejection letter is not found in the notion that some other person isn’t persuaded by a project but in the notion that someone has suggested a change that may not be right or true to what you’ve written.
You cannot, and should not, adapt or surrender to every piece of feedback.
If a writer agrees that a project was not as strong as it should have been, then it should not have been sent in the first place.
Still, the strong writer finds fortification in any response from someone who’s taken the time to engage with your plot and characters.
It’s encouraging every time your receive a response that’s not a form letter.
Keep writing. Keep sending.
By: Kevin on January 29, 2012
at 2:39 pm