6 Famous Rejection Letters Every Writer Should Read
Rejection isn’t the end for writers. In this post, Writers Write looks at six famous rejection letters and what writers can learn from them.
Rejection isn’t the end. It can be a potential opportunity. Almost every published book has faced rejection before finding success.
Writers like Ernest Hemingway, Stephen King, and George Orwell are now literary icons. But there was a time when publishers didn’t know who they were. Their books were rejected, criticised, or simply passed over.
Here are six famous rejection letters and the lessons they offer writers.
6 Famous Rejection Letters Every Writer Should Read
Before its success, author Alice Walker received several rejection letters. One came from The Viking Press, which criticised her use of exclamation marks at the end of her sentences. The publisher clearly had concerns about her style, but Walker did not let this rejection stop her. The Color Purple went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and become a much-loved classic.
The Lesson: Consider feedback, but don’t lose your voice.
Carrie tells the story of Carrie White, a bullied teenager with telekinetic powers. Almost every writer knows the story of how the manuscript was rescued from the bin by King’s wife, Tabitha, who encouraged him to try again.
In On Writing, Stephen King describes the many rejection letters he received. Eventually, he put them on a spike in his room as a reminder of his progress.
One rejection for Carrie stated that the publisher was not interested in science fiction about negative utopias because they did not sell.
The book was eventually published by Doubleday. Its first print run of 30,000 copies sold quickly.
Stephen King would face rejection again when he submitted books under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman.
The Lesson: Submit again.
The Sun Also Rises is a classic example of Ernest Hemingway’s distinctive writing style.
Hemingway became famous for his clear, direct prose and short sentences. But early in his career, his style was not admired by everyone.
In June 1925, publisher Peacock & Peacock rejected the novel and criticised Hemingway’s writing style. The rejection letter questioned whether a whole novel could be written using such short, stunted sentences.
The letter also mocked some of his word choices, including his use of the word ‘nice’.
Those short sentences would later become one of the hallmarks of Hemingway’s style and are now studied as an important part of his literary technique.
The Lesson: Cut unnecessary words and write with clarity.
Animal Farm is now one of the best-known political satires in English literature. But it was rejected by several publishers, including Faber & Faber, where the decision was made by poet and editor T.S. Eliot.
When Orwell submitted the manuscript, the rejection letter described the book as remarkable but still declined to publish it.
Eliot had concerns about the book’s political viewpoint and Orwell’s request for a quick response. Publishing politics may also have played a part. Even so, Eliot appeared to regret turning down the manuscript.
Animal Farm went on to become one of the most widely read books in the English language.
The Lesson: If one publisher says no, submit somewhere else.
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The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith
Robert Galbraith is the crime-writing pseudonym of J.K. Rowling. The Cuckoo’s Calling was published in 2013, but publishers did not know that Galbraith was already a famous author.
As an unknown writer, Rowling received several rejections for the manuscript.
In 2016, she shared one rejection letter on Twitter. Publisher Constable & Robinson offered some fairly standard advice, including suggesting that she send editors an appealing 200-word blurb.
The letter ended by wishing her success with another publisher. The irony was that the editor had no idea who was behind the name Robert Galbraith.
Sales of The Cuckoo’s Calling increased dramatically once Rowling’s identity became known.
The Lesson: Submit again, and try somewhere else.
Moby-Dick is now considered a great American novel. It has inspired countless adaptations, references, and discussions. But early publishers were far less convinced.
One rejection letter famously asked: ‘First we ask, does it have to be a whale?’
The whale, of course, is central to the entire story.
The letter also questioned whether the book’s protagonist could show the kind of behaviour Melville had written about.
Melville kept the whale. He also kept his story, and Moby-Dick eventually became a literary classic.
The Lesson: Don’t change everything. Sometimes you have to keep the whale.
The Last Word
One publisher’s rejection can be another publisher’s opportunity. If you have faced rejection, remember that you are in good company. Even some of the world’s most famous writers heard ‘no’ before they heard ‘yes’. Keep writing, keep learning, and keep submitting. Your story may simply need the right reader.
By Alex J. Coyne. Alex is a writer, proofreader, and regular card player. His features about cards, bridge, and card playing have appeared in Great Bridge Links, Gifts for Card Players, Bridge Canada Magazine, and Caribbean Compass. Get in touch at alexcoyneofficial.com.
If you enjoyed this, read other posts by Alex:
- 8 Self-Published Books (That Went Big)
- The Art Of The Complaint Letter
- 6 Bits Of Writing Advice From Authors’ Letters
- The Art Of Writing Fiction With Fewer Settings
- 8 Statistics About The Writing Industry (You Should Know)
- 5 Incredible Story Beginnings & Endings
- 7 Tips For Writing Competitions
- Writing The Vampire Tale
- Writing Advice From Twitter
- 9 Tips For The Artful Interview
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