Why stories get rejected and how to fix them

As an editor and submissions reader, I’ve reviewed hundreds of manuscripts, and over the years, I’ve learned a few things about writing engaging stories. In this post, I’ll share two reasons why stories get rejected and how to fix them.

Before I get into it, remember that this list is not exhaustive, and sometimes, the reasons why your stories are not accepted are inexplicable. However, these tips should help you make the necessary adjustments to your submissions. 

The first thing is there is no hook, especially at the beginning.

When writing stories (or anything, in fact), you must recognize that you’re not the only one vying for your reader’s attention. Your reader probably just had a notification on their device, or they have a hundred more stories to read (if they’re a reviewer, for example). So you want to get them interested from the get-go and immerse them in the world you’ve created. 

I’ve found a lot of manuscripts lacking here. Many times, the writer has allocated too much time describing unnecessary details, or they’re taking too long to get to the point of conflict or interest. 

Here are some questions to help: “Who wants what?” “Why do they want it?” “What or who’s stopping them?”

So, what can you do if you’ve received this feedback?

One thing you can do to create a hook in fiction writing is inspire curiosity.

Here’s an example from Samuel Kolawole’s The Road to the Salt Sea.

This first paragraph of the book tells us a lot. First, we read about the character’s name–Able God. That immediately strikes the reader as curious. When I read this, I thought, “Who names their child Able God?” The writer effectively gives us a character we’re interested in. Then we see he’s driving about in the dark, anxious and hiding. So now, I want to know why he’s anxious and why he’s running. Who’s he running from? Is this character a criminal?

In Episode 1 of the Journey of the Art podcast, I chatted with Samuel Kolawole about the name Able God, and we discussed his novel extensively. You can listen to our conversation here. 

Inspire curiosity by making your character or characters interesting! Maybe your character is driving an imaginary car while walking on the road, or they’ve shaved off half of their hair and smeared the bald part with mustard. Or they’ve turned into a giant cockroach, like in the short story, Metamorphosis. Or they’re thinking about doing something controversial or unethical. As you ask yourself how you can use your character to present a strong hook, you will improve the overall engagement of your story. 

Another way to improve your hook is to give your reader someone to worry about.

An example is from Wally Lamb’s She’s Come Undone. In the second paragraph, we see a reference to the character’s core memory:

We see that the character, a young girl, has a history of unpleasantness that has wounded her, and this makes us feel empathy for the narrator. We wonder if she turned out alright and what struggles she will have to overcome, so we turn the pages to check on her, to make sure she’s alright, to satisfy our hope that things turned out well for her. 

Giving your reader someone or something to worry about at the beginning immediately connects them to the story.

Another reason why stories get rejected is there are just too many descriptions.

This is something I often see with new or intermediate writers. They spend so much time describing the characters and the fictional world that you’re left wondering, “What is the point of these descriptions?” “so, what’s the story?” “What is happening?”

I asked Chat GPT to create a story about a character who goes shopping but forgets her wallet at home. I asked it to write the story first. Then I asked it to give me another version with more details.

Here’s what Chat GPT generated for the over-detailed version:

And here’s the first response Chat GPT generated:

As you can see, the second version is more succinct while the first version is stuffed with unnecessary details. As a line or stylistic editor, as we say in Canada, I would even say that the second version can be tightened up.

Unnecessary details defeat the purpose of a story, which is to immerse the reader in a world that makes them feel something. Yes, stories require worlds and characters the writer has created, but what takes the reader along is the plot, the action. The action/plot is the ticket that says, “Come into this world.” 

Are descriptions bad? No, but every detail must move the story forward. If it doesn’t move the story forward, delete it. I know the descriptions increase the word count, but it’ll be no good if your reader discards your story for a lack of interest. 

Too many descriptions and details in a submission sample often indicate that the plot has not been solidified, and a plot is solidified by important events and actions. These important events and actions answer the questions, “Who’s doing what?” “Why are they doing this?” “To whom are they doing this?” and “What are other characters doing as a result of this action?” 

These actions and events help to create conflict and tension and ensure pacing. If you’ve ever felt a story was dragging, it’s because the writing hasn’t effectively answered any of the above questions. Now, notice that I said important actions and events. A good plot creates a chain of important actions or events that move the story forward. 

When suggesting rewrites and cuts, I often ask my clients to consider the question: “How does this move the story forward?” Does the fact that the chandelier sparkles with gold and purple move the story forward? Is it important for us to know the step-by-step details of a character moving from their home to their car and then to the store? Except a large shadow follows them and drops a string of pearls that becomes a skinny, slimy tree with horns that become candy canes; we probably don’t need that much detail. A more efficient use of space and time would be to cut straight to the action. 

So how do we fix the problem of too many details? 

Complicate things by adding believable conflict.

I often think about the elements of a good story as the ingredients of a pot of soup. And I believe conflict is the salt in a good story. Conflict adds tension (or suspense). It grips the reader. Think about all the great books you’ve read, and you’ll most likely realize that you liked them because there was a conflict or some tension that kept you worried about the character or characters.

Don’t take too long to introduce the conflict. Remember, it’s all about getting your readers engaged from the start.

Give your protagonist some trouble to overcome, or make your antagonist an unforgettable troublemaker. The best story conflicts are the ones we see every day:

• A parent who wants to prevent a marriage for financial or classist reasons
• A friend who’s secretly wants something that belongs to their friend
• A person who’s trying to keep a horrible secret
• A child who feels misunderstood
• A person who feels overwhelmed by societal pressure to marry or remain married
• A leader or influential person who wants more power 

It’s important to remember not to create conflict just for the sake of it. That’s why I say create believable conflict. Believable conflict aligns with what the reader knows of the character or the plot. For instance, it would be unbelievable for a mild-mannered character to suddenly become the winner of a battle without any prior mention of military training. 

Writers often fall into the trap of creating unbelievable conflict toward the end of their manuscript, and they do this because they want to wrap up the story and think the reader will not know. Newsflash! They will, and readers usually find it quite upsetting. That’s when you’ll hear them say things like, “But it makes no sense” or “The end felt rushed.”

When you think of creating believable conflict in your story, a good question to ask is: “Would this character do this?” this is why it’s important to know your characters well. Get into their minds, and you’ll be able to see what can tick them off and how their experiences can influence their decisions.

I hope you’ve found this helpful. Let me know in the comments if you want to hear more reasons why stories get rejected and how to fix them. And, of course, let me know if you’d like me to expand on anything I’ve shared in this post.

Happy writing!