Guide to Rejection

How do the editors of magazines, online journals, what have you - come up with the wording for rejection letters?

This morning I “didn’t make the shortlist”.

This could mean either:

1. I advanced beyond a long list?

2. Didn’t even make it past a first round

“We feel so fortunate to have received so many incredible submissions”

1. Everyone got this?

2. Mine was one of many “incredible” ones

3. It was actually incredible?

“We always have to decline some excellent submissions”

1. See “incredible” submissions above

“We are grateful for opportunity to read such high-quality work”

1. My submission was in fact high-quality

2. Stock response

3. I was middle of the pack

What does it all mean?

Enter Google.

Wikipedia has a sub-site (it appears) where stock rejection letters are posted for individual journals. My rejection template was not listed.

This could mean:

1. Mine was so generic it wasn’t even listed

2. I’m a special snowflake?

I suppose this post isn’t so much a guide as an ask:

1. What does it all mean?????

Or, just keep submitting. Fin.