Why might an editor ask an author to rewrite a text?

If your piece doesn’t quite fit, it’s subject to little or massive changes. An editor can edit, rewrite and ask you to rewrite sections—or even the entire piece—if it’s not up to the publication’s editorial standards, or if your work doesn’t meet the requirements set forth in the original assignment.
 

Should editors rewrite?

An editor should NEVER rewrite. What they should do is make suggestions on how to improve the writing. The writer will not always agree or even want to make changes.
 

What is a rewrite request?

A rewrite request is exactly what it sounds like. A publication asks you to rewrite a story or poem and submit it again. It’s not an outright rejection, but it definitely isn’t an acceptance either.