I Got Rejected!

Yes, I'm ecstatic I got rejected. Number one because it's a response. Remember the old saying 'even bad attention is still attention'? Well it's true. Some magazines and publishing houses don't let you know that you've been rejected. Your hopes for publication with those venues just sort of dies a slow, natural death. Once their time limit has expired a few times, well then you can go throw yourself back on the spike. But today I got a rejection for two query letters I'd sent in to Great Mystery and Suspense.

The second reason I'm glad is because it means my system is working. I'm sending out submissions and have gotten back a response. The editor was intrigued by my queries, but my word count was too far off. (remember to double check writer's guidelines.) Even though I keep my database, I had still made an error. So she invited me to cut enough to qualify, or to submit new material. That's a great rejection.

The third reason I'm glad is becasue the contact with the editor is done, and I made a good to medium first impression. She could have been a hardliner who assumed my page-count-error was due to amateur disregard for the rules, or she could simply not have had time to answer rejections. But now I have at least one editor with whom I've broken the ice.

Last, I'm glad because six months ago, I started this process, knowing it would take a long time. Within a week of sending my second query letter, I've gotten a response from one of the magazines. Well that's not true. I also got a rejection from Men's Health. But it was a standard pre-printed 'good luck placing your article' sort and not really doing much more than putting a check in a box. When what I really want is a check in the mail box. And so it goes. But today's a great day. I'm ecstatic to be rejected.