Rewrites to Rejection

For short stories, I've never heard of more than one rewrite request before they'll flat out say no. Maybe two if the idea is fantastic but you can't pull it off and they REALLY want to help, or they have to fill a themed antho at short notice.

novels are a little different - I've heard someone doing 9 rewrites!

I don't recall being asked to do more than one rewrite. But I'd probably pass on the offer you describe the first time around because it sounds like the editor actually wants a different story than the one you've written. I'm not picky about small changes but I do enjoy writing my own vision, not "to order."

However, if I actually liked the editor's suggestions or was just dying to break into that magazine, then I'd probably just play until my enthusiasm ran out. Sorry I don't have more input for you.

I'm actually in a similar situation. Working on another requested rewrite. I'm fine with all the suggested changes, but it would seem I wasn't able to address all of the issues the editor had with my piece in one rewrite. So, he's giving me another try. Honestly, I would do a million rewrites if that's what it takes to sell the story. Rewriting is often a big part of writing and rewrite requests are nothing more than second chances to win over an editor.

I used to be a journalist. When I started to do work for a well-respected magazine, I had no idea that I would have to do as many rewrites that I did. And these were never quick fixes. The first story I did for this magazine I probably did five or six rewrites (and I do mean pretty much complete rewrites). However, that story was never published. It was frustrating. But then I went on to write more stories that they did publish. Every time there was quite a bit of rewriting. My job was not to just write magazine stories. My job was to sell them. The pay was pretty decent at this place. It would take me maybe a month to write the story and then there were four to six months of rewriting and fact checking. I never would have been published in this magazine if I didn't go through all the rewrites. And I know from talking to other journalist who wrote for them, this was just part of the process. It's how they worked.

The rewrite I'm working on now is for creative writing and not journalism. I have to say it's a little harder for some reason. But knowing that rewrites don't always turn into sales, I'm really giving it my all. Rewrites are supposed to make a story better. I do have faith in the editors at the places I send my work. I think that's important.

I've only been asked to do a single rewrite, and these have been very minor. My experience is that it's pretty rare for an editor to ask for more than two major rewrites, though I did once hear a writer say he did four major rewrites before he got the story the way the editor wanted it. He also said the accepted story was almost nothing like the original submission.

I really don't have an answer, other than every story, and every editor, is different. When an editor really likes something about a story, or just about how a given writer writes, I'm not sure you can put a number on it. The real question, I think, is how many rewrites are you willing to do in order to sell this magazine a story? It really is up to you.