If they never ever look at it and don't approve it, it'll just hang out there in the ether for all time. They have to actively bounce it in order for you to get a rejection notice. The responses RR (and other folks) were getting were just that their fics didn't meet current standards.

People not on the rather obvious 'no fly' list have had things rejected for specific quantifiable reasons such as 'your summary is too long' or that kinda thing.