What's the MacGuffin

I had a writing teacher once (undergraduate program, as you know I never got an MFA) who spoke lovingly of mcguffins during our workshops. It wasn't until years later that I understood the origin of the word. Same with a second undergraduate writing professor who used to say, "You have to kill your darlings;" I didn't know he was loosely rephrasing a famous quote. Someone sent this rejection in for publishing here at LROD:

Thank you for submitting “Title” to The MacGuffin. Although we are unable to publish your work at this time, we thank you for the opportunity to review it.The MacGuffin has a thorough and vigorous reading process. With the large number of submissions we receive, the editorial process can be quite lengthy. Please know that your work is important to us and has been given careful consideration.We appreciate your interest in The MacGuffin and hope you will submit again. We wish you all the best in your writing endeavors. Sincerely,Elizabeth Kircos, Fiction/Non-Fiction Editor, The MacGuffin