At any given minute, a writer somewhere is being told ‘no’ by magazine editors, book agents, consulting clients, and these days, even potential connections on LinkedIn.
Aspiring freelance journalist Ishea Brown Arnold says she might have received the quickest rejection email in history after pitching a story idea to a popular online women’s magazine. “I was both excited and slightly nervous to pitch my first story idea,” says Arnold. “Imagine my surprise when [the editor] responded to my email within five minutes. I attempted to throw a few more story ideas her way and was once again shut down in record time.”
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Even the most established scribes know that for every 10 ideas they generate, a paltry one or two might actually result in a byline. But if you are committed to your craft and story, stick to it. Rejection may be inescapable, but it’s the recovery that makes all the difference.
Pitching is as unpredictable as a roll of dice, says Demetria L. Lucas, relationships editor at Essence. “Sometimes you can pitch something to say, six or seven different magazines, and the first six will say, ‘Eh, it’s not really for us,’ but the seventh will say, ‘I think this is great.’ Sometimes somebody will pitch something and it’ll be a great story, but not for us.”
Short story writer and author Dolen Perkins-Valdez avoided rejection of her novel Wench because she didn’t submit the manuscript prematurely. She also says writers often are too preoccupied with the logistics of book publishing, instead of perfecting the material first.
“I think sometimes as writers we get so excited when we have a completed manuscript, and we start to submit it before it’s ready. Don’t think about the publisher and the agent, just write the story,” says Perkins-Valdez. “Get it written and then worry about that, and if that doesn’t work, then self-publish. The important thing is that we write our stories.”
While you’re at it, consider searching for other magazines or publishing houses that may be interested. Pitching is constant, so researching various outlets should be, as well.
Know When to Say When
It’s easy to become attached to an idea, but there comes a time when “no really does mean no,” according to Stephanie Davis Smith, editor-in-chief of The Atlantan and contributing editor to Jezebel and Men’s Book Atlanta. “I say if three editors don’t see the value in it, and you know it’s right for their publication, scrap it. It might be something they’ve seen before or someone on their team is already working on it.”
| “Once, I taped all of my rejection letters on my wall and then it covered the entire wall.You have to just keep going forward.” |
Lucas says going for the usual hot topics, such as current events or hot guys and sex, in an untimely manner is a trap many writers fall into when pitching to Essence. “A clear sign for writers to drop their ideas is when you see the same things somewhere else. As much as [editors] brainstorm on ideas all the time, there are very few new things,” she says. “What makes it fresh is the perspective that a writer brings to it.”
If you haven’t received positive feedback from any editor, go back to the drawing board, Lucas adds. “If you’re pitching ideas, you want them to sell. You want them to get picked up, and good ideas usually go pretty quickly. [Editors] know a good idea immediately when they see it.”
Find a New Hook
Sell your story by making it relevant and timely. “The best way to pitch a common story is updating the cast of characters in it and tying the story into something going on in the news,” says Jozen Cummings, digital content director for hip-hop magazine, XXLmag.com.
Cummings says writers should ask themselves what makes their story idea unique before formally pitching to editors. A common mistake music journalists make is pitching profiles or Q & A’s on new artists who the editorial staff is likely to have covered already. “Find some nuance in the story you pitch, a hook that makes it different from all the stories we’ve read on a similar topic.”
He shares an example, “I don’t want someone to pitch me a story on Yelawolf being the ‘new white rapper of the moment.’ That’s obvious. But if someone pitched me a story on Yelawolf and other rappers from Alabama who hit it big, that’s a Yelawolf story I can possibly get into.”
Smith suggests brainstorming exercises to generate new story ideas. “Sometimes I just like to write down an idea and then brainstorm on 10 or 12 different ways to angle that story,” she says. “After three or four, wild ideas start to come out and that’s usually when you get something original or new.”
Befriend Your Editor
Sometimes a no is a just a delayed yes. Building a rapport with editors through follow-up is key in turning a rejection into an assignment, Smith says. “It’s all about developing a relationship with the editor where you’re bringing them great ideas,” she says. “The better and more original the ideas, the more likely they will respond and assign you something.”
Editors may not have time to explain why story ideas or manuscripts were denied, but sending a simple handwritten thank you note or email with more suitable pitches attached is still in order.
“If I get a personal note from an editor that says, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ I’ll write them back,” says Perkins-Valdez. “I don’t do it often, but if the door’s cracked open — I can see a little bit of light — I’m stepping through that door.”
| “Every single person who’s gone on to be a great writer or a great editor has had tons of rejection letters.” |
There are more innovative ways to keep editors engaged after rejection. When pitching them, include links to your blog or website, Facebook and Twitter handles. Lucas says even if the story idea is rebuffed, writers can still leave lasting impressions. Though she may not greenlight every piece, she will keep writers in mind for future assignments after reading their work and checking out their online interactions.
“I think using social networking is brilliant,” Lucas says. “It’s the smartest thing you can do to stay on an editor’s radar because please believe we’re all on there. We’re on Gawker; we’re on Twitter and Facebook. We’re always searching for ideas.”
Let Rejection Motivate You
Perkins-Valdez’s Wench was accepted by its first publisher, but for the last 10 years, she’d been writing short stories for journals, such as The Kenyon Review. In that time, four of her stories were published, but she received plenty more snubs. Consequentially, she developed a thick skin she says is required for writers.
“Once, I taped all of my rejection letters on my wall and then it covered the entire wall,” she recalls. “You have to just keep going forward. Every now and then, when I think maybe I’m not a short story writer, something gets accepted.”
It’s impossible to sell every story or manuscript, so be creative in establishing relationships with editors, know when to drum up new ideas, and dig for alternative outlets for an idea, even if that means posting it to your own blog. Lastly, don’t take being turned down personally.
“It’s not a rejection of you; it’s a rejection of the idea,” Lucas says. “Every single person who’s gone on to be a great writer or a great editor has had tons of rejection letters. It happens to the best of them.”
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Alisha N. Tillery is a freelance writer living and working in Memphis. She maintains a personal blog, Because I Said So.
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