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Saturday, January 12, 2008

Writers Bare All On Rejection Critiques

Kelly Spitzer has an article on her blog today about receiving criticism upon rejection entitled "Get Real: Writers and Editors Discuss the Publishing Process." Check out the entire article; it's good, though here are some highlights:

Short Story Writer Kathy Fish says: "I only want critique if the story was truly very close to acceptance. Otherwise, I would prefer a straight form rejection. If my story was not even close, I feel it’s because the editors or readers just didn’t like it, period."

Fiction Writer Clifford Garstang says: "I am ecstatic when I get a critique from an editor (or, more often, the second deputy associate junior editor’s assistant). I can’t imagine disliking feedback. "

Story Writer Martin Cloutier says: "I always appreciate when an editor gives feedback. Especially if it’s feedback on ways to improve the story, and not just a comment on how much they liked it but unfortunately couldn’t find a place."

Novelist Robert Bradley says: "Feedback tells me who I’m talking to. I get a sense of the personality and sensibility of the reader by what and how THEY write, which informs my next submission. "

What's your story?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What's up with Bradley? Is he looking to form a long term relationship with his rejectors? I run as far as I can in the other direction from mine.

Anonymous said...

I don't object to it, but I can't think of a single useful piece of advice I've received from a rejector. Unless a writer sucks in every way, editors reject because they don't like the writer's "thing," so anything they have to say about the work is irrelevant.

The best writing advice has always been from accepting editors who go on to improve the final published work.