My novel MS just got rejected from an established literary publisher. They solicited it based on my query + first 50. By itself, this isn't news. However, the editor gave me very detailed feedback, telling me what she liked and what needed work. Some of these suggestions were really granular ("did he use lemon zest in the dish, or just lemon juice? I need to know"). In short, given how busy editors are, there was a level of engagement on her part that impressed me. Unfortunately it was still a pass. But given how many specifics she put into it, would it be acceptable for me to ask if I can revise it and resubmit? The worst she can say is no, after all.
Typically, if an editor wants you to revise and resubmit that specific work, they’ll say so outright. Very detailed feedback doesn’t make an R&R; them saying “If you change x, y, and z, I’ll take another look” is an R&R. I’ve had a couple editors offer extremely detailed feedback—we’re talking comments and suggestions on the entire story—with rejections, but those were still rejections. Just very helpful personalized ones. While asking if you can revise and resubmit probably wouldn’t hurt, I’d expect the answer to be no.
"Typically, if an editor wants you to revise and resubmit that specific work, they’ll say so outright." That does seem to be generally the case. I have in fact been thinking about revising the MS anyway, and while I don't agree with all of her suggestions, I might just write her a note thanking her for her input, which I appreciate. I don't see how that could hurt!
I totally agree with the idea that an editor or agent will tell you if they are interested in taking a second look if you made all the suggested edits. And if they say sure, I would really think about making all the changes. This is not only going to get them to give your novel a second chance, but it's also an opportunity to prove you are easy to work with. Open a new document, make all the changes, and then see how you feel about it. You can always choose not to resubmit. However, this is also an opportunity for you to test them out and see how well they know their stuff. I've done this before, but only on rare occasions where I could see things working out. I good see how their changes were going to elevate my writing and that I thought we would work well together. If you can tell they put a lot of time into considering your work and they see the vision in it (not to mention the detailed edits, then I think it's okay to thank them and ask if they want to see the story again after you finish with the edits. So, I've maybe done this a handful of times. It has worked once for me. I would expect them to say no but wish you the best with it. But they could give you a second chance. Consider it rare if that happens. I think in your specific situation it's okay to ask.
If you think most of their suggestions are good ones, you could give it a go. It's a lot of work to revise a novel, but it doesn't seem crazy if they were in for the first 50 pages and then requested a full. They've got to feel there's something worthwhile there. Part of me wonders if these sorts of rejections are a test, like, "okay, if they really want to publish with us, let's see if they try submitting a revised version." I don't know if any of these editors are actually intending this with detailed, personal rejections, but it's possible. Who can know, outside of a publisher insider. Coincidentally, I found myself in a sort of similar situation last weekend when I was doing some short story submissions. Just over a year ago, an editor gave me some feedback about how they really liked the premise and anticipated the story going to a certain place, but was then disappointed with my abrupt and unwelcome ending to it. That was one of my first submissions for that story, when it was only about 2000 words. I reworked it quite a lot, expanding it to 5500 words, and completely changed the story, most especially the ending. I thought, why not? It's been a year, I'm much more experienced, and I've improved the story significantly. I've never tried such a thing before as I've only been submitting for a few years, but I just had a feeling that it might be worth a shot. We'll see, I suppose ! If you agree with their appraisal and are passionate about publishing with this press, and you have the time to revise, I say, go for it.
I'm actually planning to revise only some opening scenes. Her comment boiled down to "you start off with a good amount of forward motion, but then it slows down unnecessarily." Looking over the opening section again, I suspect she may be right about that. I don't care (or I disagree) about some of the individual details she mentioned, so I won't worry about them. I figure if we happen to coincide in our views, or if she got me to see things her way, then it's worth revising.
"Just over a year ago, an editor gave me some feedback about how they really liked the premise and anticipated the story going to a certain place, but was then disappointed with my abrupt and unwelcome ending to it" This highlights how subjective the whole process is. What one editor finds abrupt and unwelcome, another might find surprising and innovative. I've had opposite reactions to my current novel narrative - one editor found my 1st person POV "really lively" while another found it "too slow and expository." Submitting is really a long-shot bet that your work will get into the hands of someone who sees your work the same way you see it.
Honestly, I wouldn't think of resubmitting if you're not going to make all the changes. She wouldn't have marked them if she didn't think they were important changes. Just making some of the changes and seeing if she's going to convince you about others is not going to make you seem easy to work with. And that's a pretty big deal. If you're not onboard with all her edits, it's probably best to just move onto someone else. Good luck.
