Why That Magazine Rejected Your Writing

and why it probably wasn't personal, from a former managing editor

Rejection sucks in all forms, but there’s a certain twisting of the knife when it comes to a rejection of your craft. Writers around the world (especially my fellow poets) know the crushing weight of reading “unfortunately” in a response email—if they’re lucky enough to even get a response.

I first submitted to a literary magazine (specifically Lightspeed Mag) when I was twenty and thought I’d written the most amazing fiction anyone could have the pleasure of reading. I thought I was a genius. I patiently awaited my acceptance letter and a nice little check. Instead, I received a brief and polite rejection three months after my submission. I was devastated. I thought I’d had it. Was I not as good as I thought I was? What was I missing?

This was the first of a series of rejections.