Write from Home: Lessons from the Editors

BY STEPHANIE OLSEN

Writers talk about rejection all the time — just part of the job. But getting rejected by a no-pay publication really scrapes the barrel. I know: It's happened to me more than once and now that it's been years [of therapy] later, I can admit lessons learned.

1. Competing Market

My first novice article submission was to an About.com site. The writing was good, and loaded with links to other helpful sites. It was the latter that got the piece booted. The website editor simply did not choose to publish articles that might lead readers to sites similar to her own.

This goes directly to the "study back issues" mandate offered by experienced writers. Even if you don't agree with a specific editor's approach, you need to write to those specifics or submit elsewhere.

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