Rude rejection letters could cost publishers the next big author, warns Hannah MacDonald, founder of September Publishing. MacDonald told colleagues at the FutureBook conference that publishers need to be kinder, reports The Independent:
Hannah MacDonald said the industry should be more constructive with its criticism and rebuffs, as there is a danger that potential stars might abandon their dreams. “The publishing industry has always been hugely selective,” she told The Independent. “Getting your book published is notoriously difficult. We need to reach out and nurture talent. Publishers could do more to help writers.
One response
I am pleased that someone has recognised and pointed this out. Every writer should expect to be rejected multiple times but, as someone who has been rejected both well and badly, I can testify to the value of a good rejection. It doesn’t have to be long, or even detailed, but understanding why I have been rejected can mean the difference between me being depressed and wanting to give up and me furiously re-working and striving to be better. If publishers don’t like writers and don’t want to engage with them then it’s a shame they have decided to be publishers. And, if they are working to a process that is so pressurised and demanding it doesn’t allow time for courtesy and investment in the profession perhaps it is time for someone to re-address the process.
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