Hey Hackers!
Getting your draft rejected can be demoralizing and disappointing. However, that shouldn’t be the end of your writing journey. You should use it as fuel to come back even stronger. Here are 2 things you can do after your draft is rejected by HackerNoon to make sure it won’t happen again.
1. Check the Reason
The HackerNoon editorial team will always let you know why your draft was rejected. Check your email inbox for the rejection email, which details why your draft was rejected and what you can do next. Alternatively, check within your HackerNoon draft itself (in the story settings), where you’ll most likely see a message from the editor detailing why they rejected your story.
Once you find out why your draft was rejected, you know what needs fixing. For example, if it was rejected for being too short, you know you have to beef it up. If it was rejected for being overly promotional of a specific product or business, you know you either have to tone it down or join HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program.
Sign up for HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program here.
2. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Guidance
The HackerNoon editorial team wants to get your draft published, and they want to collaborate with you to make it happen. Don’t be afraid to ask for more clarification as to why your draft was rejected. If you’re not sure what parts of your article were deemed overtly promotional, ask if they can clarify what specific sections or problems need to be fixed.
Going even further, ask what you can do to avoid getting rejected in the future. HackerNoon’s editors go through hundreds of drafts every week; they’ve seen it all and are more than willing to help you if you ask.
The editing team loves working with writers who are open to feedback because it shows that even though one of their drafts was rejected, they believe in their story enough to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and keep on going.
For more tips from the editing team, make sure to check out HackerNoon’s Editing Protocol.
If you want to avoid getting rejected again, there is a resource that can show you all of HackerNoon’s Do’s and Don’ts.
3. Refer to HackerNoon’s Editorial Guideline Before Submitting Your Draft
HackerNoon wants to see all of its writers succeed. That’s why they created the Editorial Guideline - a place where you can learn all of HackerNoon’s rules.
Here, you can learn about the platform’s backlink, republishing, and grammar guidelines in a clear and concise manner. Plus, apart from teaching you about the rules, the Editorial Guideline also gives you advice on how to become a better writer in general. They explain the importance of images in your stories and how to retitle your republished articles.
Taking a few minutes to review the guidelines before hitting submit is the best way to catch mistakes early and ensure your draft glides smoothly through the review queue.
Combine your newly learned skills and this writing template to create an amazing new story!
But what if you want more tips and tricks on how to improve as a writer? Once again, HackerNoon has your back.
The HackerNoon Blogging Course
Writing professionals and experts handcrafted 8 modules to give you advice on all the roadblocks you will face as you start your writing journey. You will learn how to find your voice, grow your reach, and monetize your work.
Learning from the Editing Protocol, the Editorial Guideline, and HackerNoon’s Blogging Course is a surefire way to level up your writing career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfiZbYlSn9E&t=5s&embedable=true
That’s all for this week.
Until next time, Hackers!