Rejection as Revelation: How Rejection Shaped Our Best Work

By Erin Wood & Elizabeth Kleinfeld

Erin Wood

Recently, we both landed essays that we’d workshopped intensely—and the anguish of rejection was an essential part of the process.

As members of a CNF writing group meeting regularly for three years, we’ve witnessed the evolution of each other’s work, seeing it transform on the page and peeking behind the curtain as rejections and publishing unfolded. For both of us, process meant not only revisions on screen, but deepening understanding of th...