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October 19, 2003

From One Writer to Another

I got the first rejection for the latest of my submissions yesterday, and I must say, I was fairly proud. It only took two weeks for this particular publication to respond. That?s an awfully quick turnaround, I think a record for me, or tying with at least one other publication I can recall on the spot?. I have absolutely no doubt my story never stood a chance.

But this rejection was different from the others: it had an actual signature. The very editor that I had sent the manuscript to actually signed the letter. There was no block printed reading, ?THE EDITORS?, or just the typed name of the editor. It actually had a handwritten signature above the printed version. I even held it to the light, just to be sure it wasn?t from a laser printer, copier, or a stamp. Granted, the letter was probably typed by an intern, and handed to the editor to sign along with a great big stack, but who cares. It was still my first rejection that had a real, bona fide signature, and with it, in my mind, a slight chance the editor actually read the piece.

I reread the letter and studied the signature for about a half hour. Then I left it out for my husband to see, just to prove that yes, I am trying. I walked away from it feeling totally inspired. I got another rejection. That?s good because it means that editors are receiving my work. If editors, or their assistants, are receiving my work that means there?s a good chance they might read my work. And if enough people are reading my work, I?ll eventually find someone that wants to publish my work. I look at the submission process like the lottery. If the odds are seven million to one, and you buy seven million lottery tickets, doesn?t it stand to reason you?d have a very good chance at winning? While I can?t send out manuscripts blindly, I can send them to every viable possibility. That has to raise my odds. You could argue it has something more to do with the quality of the writing, but I?ve read several literary journals, and several elite literary journals, which contained one or two stories I wouldn?t use to wipe up my cat?s hairballs.

So two good things happen today. I got another rejection, proof that I?m trying, and I got an actual signature, the possibility the editor I submitted my manuscript to actually read the piece. I could view these things as bad things, as rejection itself has negative connotations, but then I would get depressed. My motivation and perseverance and inspiration, and thus chance at publication, would die. So I have to put a positive spin on it. I can still have my little tantrums of inadequacy, but I have to try, overall, to remain positive, even about the shit that blows. And let?s face it, rejection blows.

Posted by mary at October 19, 2003 5:42 AM