A Great Turn-Down Letter

Dear Seth,

I appreciate your considering ... as a potential platform for [your submission]. The piece is not quite right for us, but I do understand that much time and effort goes into the literary realization of a creative thought; I earnestly wish you luck in placing it with the right journal.

Though we do not have the resources to provide personal feedback for each submission, what I can illuminate (for the curious) is that—much like those of most journals—our decisions are highly subjective, merely matters of taste and style. Just as one opts for certain books (and not others) from a vast shelf, we choose the works that compel us personally, fully recognizing that others are of equal merit, standing in wait to dazzle another potential reader. After all, diversity in aesthetics is precisely what makes the array of literature beautiful.

To fulfilling successes in your writing life!

Best,

[Editor]

Seth Barrett Tillman, ‘A Great Turn-Down Letter,’ New Reform Club (Sept. 22, 2025, 5:13 AM), <https://reformclub.blogspot.com/2025/09/a-great-turn-down-letter.html>;