February 17, 2007
Have I actually begun to feel grateful for quality rejections? Yes, I have. Agents and publications sometimes send out quickie form letters, often without any indication of what submissions they’re responding to. My favorites are the ones that come on a tiny slip of paper…maybe a sixth or an eighth of a standard sheet of typing paper…which don’t include the cover sheet of my submission or even a quick chicken scratch scrawl of my submission’s title on the rejection slip. For someone who circulates dozens of novel queries and short stories at any given time, this is a real pain in the neckus maximus. On the other hand, I feel a rush of goodwill whenever an agent or editor takes the few seconds to jot a “no thanks” and a signature on my query or cover sheet…or the most coveted prize, a signed rejection on letterhead. Seriously (and perhaps sadly), this little extra bit of consideration makes me feel all warm inside. Let me just say this: I have some idea of the nightmares these folks have to deal with on a daily basis. I suspect the avalanche never stops, and it’s all they can do to churn out the form slips…but still.
