Getting rejected is part of submitting fiction. But sometimes we save an editor the trouble by rejecting ourselves before we ever send anything. I got an email from an author who wasn’t sure whether he could submit another story to BITC right after he received a rejection. I understand why he asked, as some markets have that stipulation. I don’t limit submissions that way, but this poor fellow was holding himself back from submitting. I think he just wanted to make sure he didn’t get on the wrong side of the editor, which is always good thinking, but in his mind, he turned a single rejection into a closed door that was never actually closed.
Unless the guidelines specify a waiting period, never assume there is one.
This next one is something I do a lot myself: Deciding the type or style of story isn’t a fit for what the market wants. You do want to be careful and be in the ballpark of what they are asking for in their submission guidelines. A hard-core horror story is not going to fit the likes of Reader’s Digest, but if it’s close to what the market is asking for, why not take a chance? If it’s a good story and at least touches on what they are looking for, an editor will usually give it a fair shake. That happened to me with The Right Answer. I wasn’t quite sure it was a fit but submitted it to the UFO anthology anyway, and it got picked up.
Another way we self-reject is by deciding our work isn’t “good enough.” Don’t get me wrong, do always err toward making your work better. Most of the submissions I see USUALLY need more work (and recognizing that yourself is part of becoming a better writer). But there is a point where revising becomes a way to avoid actually submitting. We keep polishing because sending the story means letting someone else judge it, which feels like submitting ourselves for judgment. You don’t need to believe you have written a masterpiece before giving an editor a chance to read it, but you should have made an honest effort to make it as good as possible. I am really hoping this paragraph does not create a bunch of subpar submissions for BITC. Please note that this is likely a small category of authors, but a very real group of people who let perpetual refinement keep a story captive for way too long. I have known a few.
I managed to create my own obstacle when submitting The Resignation to 200 CCs. I thought the stories had to be exactly 200 words, and I became so concerned about hitting that number that I nearly gave up on submitting altogether. I finally worked the story to precisely 200 words and sent it off. The editor responded that he liked the story and was impressed that it was exactly 200 words. Apparently, the thing I had treated as a requirement was something he considered an out-of-the-norm accomplishment. I had almost rejected myself over a restriction I had imposed.
Of course, “never reject yourself” doesn’t mean ignoring submission guidelines. If a publication accepts stories up to 2,000 words, sending them 5,000 words is just failing to respect what they asked for. Genre, submission windows, and other stated requirements matter. The careful balance is to understand the actual boundaries without inventing additional ones. Read the guidelines, give your story the attention it deserves, and submit it when it fits. There are plenty of editors who will tell you “No,” but you don’t need to do that for them.
Have you ever rejected yourself? Let me know in the comments below.
-James
