#0072 Vanilla, Chocolate, Rainbow Sherbet, Raspberry: All the Flavors of Rejection
Plus speedrun schedules
When you walk into your local ice cream parlor, do you settle into your tried-and-true comfort choice? Maybe choose something a bit richer? How about sampling something new? Or opt out completely?
I view the types of rejections kinda like ice cream flavors. Vanilla equate to form, the chocolate choice is personal, with rainbow sherbet all the new and fun, and raspberry? The sound of contempt.
Form
This generic rejection often comes from literary journals using Submittable or other submission platforms. Because such platforms include options for automated responses to confirm receipt of submissions as well as acceptance and rejection, places often use the automation. These form rejections might include your name per your account on the platform and even the title of the work rejected but not anything specific about why the piece is rejected. Remember to
Embrace Rejection: Because rejection is not a referendum on your work.
The Inlandia Institute has had a Submittable account since the platform launched in 2009. We use Submittable for our annual poetry and prose book contests, workshop anthology, book manuscript calls, and our online journal. (Maybe for other things too? Not sure.)
As managing editor of Inlandia: A Literary Journey, I use Submittable automated response to confirm receipt of submissions and initial acceptance to give myself more time to formulate rejection messages. All the rejections I send out are personal.
Personal
What makes a rejection personal? Depends on the place.
I address the submitter by name, include the title of the piece rather than the ID#, and especially recognize how brave the submitter was to share their creative work. When I see a way to encourage them to keep on keeping on, I certainly include that also to help each submitter
Embrace Rejection: Because rejection shows you’re trying.
I rely on the screeners who evaluated the submission for constructive feedback to share.
Personal + Constructive Feedback
Rejection can sting. Sometimes rejection feeds the Inner Critic and its prized weapon, Imposter Syndrome. But when the rejection includes advice that’s specific to the writing or artwork submitted? Especially constructive feedback that can propel the creative work in new and exciting ways? Rainbows from rain, friends.🌈
In the screening guidelines I share with the journal editors, I encourage them to include notes on why they vote Up, Down, or Meh/Unsure. I ask for not only praise but also constructive feedback framed in a gentle manner, phrased as if talking with a close friend. From these insights notes, I craft personalized rejection messages. My hope is to give the submitter a way to
Embrace Rejection: Because rejection simply means redirection.
A rejection that includes words of praise and guidance are becoming a rare commodity. A trending norm is what I call the no-response response.
No Response
As I mentioned at the end of last week’s speedrun postmortem (#0071), I hadn’t heard anything about a submission to one of the image prompts from the January speedrun Week 1: Create. No confirmation of receipt (other than a copy of my google form response), no rejection. Nothing. I found out about the rejection when I looked up the place to which I submitted and discovered the issue had published. Ouch? For about a minute. Then I shrugged it off. It was a quick, low-pressure flash fiction piece. Now I can revise, expand, do whatever I want with it. Freedom to
Embrace Rejection: Because rejection is your best friend.
Speedrun Schedules
February Speedrun Schedule
Create: February 2nd–8th
Revise: February 9th–15th THIS WEEK*
Submit: February 16th–22nd
Embrace the Rejection: February 23rd–28th
*Remember to research places to submit (if you didn’t last week) and revise to follow the guidelines.
Winter Speedrun Schedule
Create: February 2nd–15th CONTINUE THIS WEEK
Revise: February 16th–March 1st
Submit: March 2nd–15th
Embrace the Rejection: March 16th–31st
Next time: Ummm… keeping it mysterious