While I’m not an expert, I’ve certainly received my fair share of publication rejections. I’m intimately familiar with the difficulties of submitting to literary magazines and its impact on morale. I understand the frustration of having your back-breaking work constantly being rejected. However, instead of focusing on the rejection, I choose to examine the reasons behind it. You need to ask yourselves the question: why is your writing being rejected? Only then you can begin your journey on the road to acceptance.

Keep in mind that sometimes your rejection is not reliant on you, but on the editor. Perhaps they hurried through your submission and didn’t notice the brilliance of your writing. Or maybe they’re just having a rough day. While we all strive for professionalism, remember editors are humans. And aren’t we all sometimes influenced by our emotions?

In this article, let’s not focus on the factors we can’t control. Instead, let’s concentrate on those we can. We’re here to eliminate common submission mistakes and transform our rejections into acceptances.

Reasons Your Writing is Being Rejected

• Excessive spelling and grammar errors

Your submission should be free of excessive grammatical and spelling mistakes. Therefore, avoid submitting work with improper punctuation, misspellings, or typographical errors. Absolutely no first drafts. Your submission should be polished, and as close to publication-ready as possible. Writers like me, who are far from grammatically perfect, can use an editor to eliminate these errors. AI tools such as Grammarly can also provide additional help.

It’s best not to overlook grammar and spelling errors as too many can:

• Distract from the story
• Impact clarity
• Create misunderstandings
• Create a negative first impression

• Undeveloped story elements

A story needs more than just elements; those elements must be well-developed. Your character should be complex and realistic. To achieve this, consider including bad habits, insecurities, and flaws. Remember, no one is perfect. Realistic characters aren’t perfect either.

Another story element, the plot, needs a defined beginning, middle, and end, incorporating conflicts and challenges, both internal and external. Your story also needs a clear theme, a consistent point of view, and so on. And yes, I know this is a lot to incorporate into short works, but skillful execution reveals these elements without explicit mention.

• Lacks uniqueness

While our plot is unique to us, it may be just another revenge-adventure story for editors who read thousands of submissions. Therefore, to increase your chances of selection, your submission must be unique. According to Erin McReynolds, an online fiction editor at American Short Fiction, in a Celadon Books article entitled “6 Mistakes That Will Get Your Short Story Rejected,” you should “use unexpected details, unusual contradictions in a character, or a distinct narrative voice.” Failure to do so may be why your writing is being rejected.

• Does not align with the publication’s audience and genre

Each magazine has a distinct publishing style and brand. Perhaps they cater to a niche audience or focus on a single genre. Specific themes are sometimes requested by magazines for their issues. Therefore, your submission might be rejected if it doesn’t match the magazine’s style. For instance, a magazine focusing on moments in nature will reject the poem “Emotional Outburst.”

This is why, magazines usually recommend reading an issue before submitting your work.

• Not complying with the submission guidelines

Some magazines follow a blind read policy, generally outlined in their submission guidelines. This allows editors to focus on the narrative, not the author, and ensures all writers have an equal and impartial opportunity for acceptance. Therefore, plastering your name all over the submission will most likely get it rejected just like that. Remember, the guidelines exist for a reason; ignoring them will have repercussions. If the magazine request Times New Roman, send it to them in that format regardless of your font preference. If they request 8 pages or fewer, a 15-page story is definitely too long.

I understand your dedication and aspirations, but rejections can be discouraging. Once you have a publishable story, it will eventually find its home. There is no need to collect unnecessary rejections.

Conclusion: Writing Rejections

Sometimes rejection is unavoidable, regardless of your actions. Still, it’s important to make sure you’re not making common mistakes. Proofreading for spelling and grammar errors are simple actions that can improve your chances of being published. Additionally, ensuring each story element is fully developed can retain the editors’ interest. Remember, editors are probably familiar with the fundamental aspects of your plot. So, give your story a unique flair to make it stand out.

It is important that your submission fits the magazine’s audience and genre. It is also important that you follow all submission guidelines. Although these actions do not guarantee acceptance, they will bring you closer to achieving it.

“Sometimes rejection in life is really redirection.” 

Tavis Smiley

References

McReynolds, E,. 6 Mistakes That Will Get Your Short Story Rejected. Celadon Books. https://celadonbooks.com/mistakes-that-get-short-stories-rejected/