A rejection is a rejection, but how nice when it comes with a polite note and a reason is given

I sent out my short story, 'The Gaudi Factor' and I just got it back from 'The People's Friend' magazine, with a note from the editor:

Many thanks for sending us the encloded material.
After careful consideration, we felt the characters
were not well enough drawn to be readily identifiable.
Sorry we're unable to use it.


I am quite happy with this - it took them less than a week to respond, and they have said why they don't want it.

I have only just started sending stuff out, but the first rejection of this story, from 'The Lady' took six months to come back, and had just a signature on the sheet with an aplogy for the late return, with no reason. I did revise it then, but now I feel there is some indication of where I'm going wrong, at least, and I feel confident that if I submit more stuff they will read it.


Sheila

That is a good one, Sheila.

Rapid, polite and, most useful – it tells you exactly why they can’t use it. That’s enough for you to improve the story and send it out somewhere else.

Good luck.

Dee

When I stand over a rejection letter sighing and saying, "Ah, what nice people, they sent a lovely letter...and so quickly!" my partner opens the freezer, takes out a frozen fish, and hits me over the head with it. Keeps me on my toes.
Ian :->

This puts me in mind of the Roald Dahl story about the leg of lamb. I suspect that in whole-fish-in-the-freezer land a stack of polite notes won't make up for the continued lack of ker-ching,and one of these days she might have to eat the evidence. Treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen - my current squeeze is happy if there's a fish finger left in the box, never mind about hitting me with it. That's if I'd told him in the first place, which I didn't. I'd advise you make me your model, my son, otherwise the high-maintenance lifestyle could get a bit lonely. There's only so many disappointments a woman can take.

Sheila

I got a rejection letter where he had scribbled along the side that he thought I had strong characters but didn't like my name and suggested a pseudonym! It was a rejection but made me smile!

Your name seems fine to me- a good strong one. As 'kirk' is a Scottish church, maybe you should use a pseudonym if you ever take up writing in the erotic line. You could call yourself Jakki Scarlett. There's a Jacqueline who writes Hollywood blockbusters, or used to, so that's a lucky name, I would have thought.

Sheila

I agree with Cornelia. The name's fine. These people want to take away your name, as well as your artistic control. Okay, the name Ian Duncan Smith isn't going to jump off the bookshelves, but you get my drift. No agent has ever suggested I change it though. Maybe that's because they can't stop laughing. I did have one agent who sent back my mss, but kept my mockup front cover without explanation. I imaged them pinning it up and throwing darts at it.
Ian

<Added>

PS Cornelia. Eating rejection slips is not recommended as the ink..well..believe me, you don't want to go there.

I take satisfaction in shredding rejection slips. Something about hearing the beast scrunching that disappointment away...

I had a quick count up last night. I know I thrown a lot away over the years, but still, I've got a folder with 69 of the buggers. Twelve are from the same agency! They must be bloody sick of me.

Sheila,

I've submitted stuff to 'The People's Friend' and had a similar rejection slip back too. I have also submitted to 'Take a Break', and had a rejection slip saying they had read my story with interest and although that particular one wasn't suitable at that time, to send them some more. I thought that was nice of them. Usually I just get a slip saying thanks, but the story isn't suitable or something similar.

I don't throw mine away or shred them, I'm going to keep them all, and paper the walls in our house with them or something, I'm sure I'll have enough eventually!

Dont give up, keep sending stuff, law of averages means someone will accept a story one day.

Kat

Somewhere not long ago, I started a thread with a link to an Alex Keegan article about one way to deal with rejection. It was characteristic, but made some useful points.

If I find it, I'll post the link here. Meanwhile, a search might turn it up.

Emma

I’ve kept all mine. Well I’ve only got about half a dozen from nearly two years ago when I first tried sending stuff off. Since then I’ve sought professional help and am well on with a rewrite.

I’m girdling my loins for a fresh assault on the literary world in the new year. I’m hoping to get more than just the usual pre-printed reply slip.

That reminds me, does anyone think there is any particular time of year that’s better suited to approaching agents? Do they all take Christmas off and let the slush pile build up only to shred the whole thing in the New Year? Do most of them work in offices without air conditioning and so spend the summer months sleeping at their desks automatically ignoring anything that’s not an Ice Tea? Or is there a time of year that writers are more likely to approach agents?

Just thinking aloud

Grinder

The only things I know of is that nobody's there in August, and they're too busy to take much notice of you for at least a month before Frankfurt (around mid-Oct), and two months afterwards.

Emma