I've starting at the end of march this year, I've been submitting poems and stories to various print and online journals*. So far, I have received nothing but rejection letters. Yesterday, however, I received the most motivational rejection letter yet:
"Greetings. Thanks for submitting, as well as for your patience in awaiting our reply. We, as a staff, spent time reading and discussing your submission, which delayed our response somewhat, but also allowed us to give it the attention it deserves.
I'm sorry to say that after our discussion, we have decided not to accept your work for publication. However, there were quite a few favorable comments made, supporters of your work speaking up on its finer points.
We do wish you the best of luck placing this elsewhere and hope you do try us again when you have something."
I hope that's not a form letter. Its not so bad even if it is a form letter. While my work is not yet being published, at least someone it reading it. According to this letter it had to be discussed! Awesome!
I am happy to get these kind of rejections. Of course it would be better to get some contracts for publication instead, so I guess I've accumulated enough rejections at this point to do some heavy revision and make sure my product is quality.
*Most publishers will only accept previously unpublished work, which accounts for the lack of posts of new work on this blog, and has absolutely no connection to laziness or neglect.
Indeed an encouraging word. I also hope it's not a form letter, but even so, it is still encouraging to know that they care enough to read and discuss and even make favorable comments. (Would be even better if you knew what the favorable comments were :-)
ReplyDeleteKeep on tryin'
what he said :-)
ReplyDeleteI think that you need to start submitting your manuscripts in person... with a taser in hand. "When words fail, resort to violence." Mother Theresa said that. No she didn't.
ReplyDeleteI got one of those rejection letters once. It was the same sort of thing: they said my submission had made it to the final round but they had ultimately decided to reject. It was pretty encouraging, I must say! Though, like you, I would have rather it had been published.
ReplyDelete