Roundup: Getting Rejected
In our Roundups segment, we’re looking back at all the great posts since the blog started in 2009. We explore posts from our archives as well as other top literary magazines, centered on a certain theme to help you jump-start your week. This week we have posts on getting rejected.
In baseball, if you get out seven times out of ten, you’re considered a great hitter. You’re considered great at what you do. Like baseball players, writers have to face rejection, and they have to face it most of the time.
From Ploughshares:
- In her recent article, Sarah Banse writes that “Award winning, author, L. Annette Binder‘s ‘Lay My Head,’ which recently won a Pen/O. Henry Prize (forthcoming 2013) was rejected seventy-seven times.”
- In “Many Forms of Rejection,” Thomas Lee writes, “If there is an award for taking rejection without being fazed, I’m pretty sure I could win.”
- Thomas Lee concludes, “Ultimately, rejection means one thing: you sent your work out, and frankly, that’s something you should be proud of.”
From Around the Web:
- Do you miss rejection slips? David Duhr via WriteByNight gives us his “Top 5 Reasons Why I Miss Rejection Slips.” They are hilarious.
- From Gotham Writers’ Workshop – Authors who got rejected a bunch before publishing stuff: Almost everyone. But also, Ray Bradbury, John Grisham, Louis L’Amour…
- Take a look at Flavorwire’s list of “Famous Authors’ Harshest Rejection Letters,” featuring Stein, Vonnegut, Nabokov and others.
- Ever heard of The Rejected Quarterly? They require submitters to include at least five rejection slips from other publications along with each manuscript.
- Jean Hannah Edelstein for The Guardian says, “I once went out for a drink with a nice man only to realise 15 minutes into our date that I had once rejected his book, too.”
