Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Good form
As you likely know if you've helped edit a literary journal or submitted to a lot of them, many places have multiple rejection forms: (A) the basic "no thanks" they send to the crowds and (B) the "we liked these, please try again" they send to the slightly more talented crowds who actually sent something they looked at twice and wouldn't mind hearing from again. You probably also know that, for many journals, it's hard to tell sometimes whether you're getting a rejection from column A that's blowing smoke up your ass or a rejection from column B that isn't quite enthusiastic enough for you to get it.
Well, AGNI doesn't have that problem. I got a rejection from them yesterday, and it started with the standard "Is it or isn't it?" boilerplate: enjoyed reading it, careful consideration, think about us again in the future. But then, in bold and italics, it says "This is not our customary rejection slip." I think that's great, and I wish more places were clear like that. I know we try to be with our rejections (though rejecting via e-mail usually risks the problem of having a basic form note seem more special than it is).
Well, AGNI doesn't have that problem. I got a rejection from them yesterday, and it started with the standard "Is it or isn't it?" boilerplate: enjoyed reading it, careful consideration, think about us again in the future. But then, in bold and italics, it says "This is not our customary rejection slip." I think that's great, and I wish more places were clear like that. I know we try to be with our rejections (though rejecting via e-mail usually risks the problem of having a basic form note seem more special than it is).
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That's great news! My rejection from them said, "Hee-hee. Best laugh we've had since Carter was in office." It's rejections like that that keep me watching TV.
Ha! AGNI sent my rejection so fast it still had spit on the envelope.
I do agree, though, about the note thing. It's so hard to tell anymore. Almost all of my rejects come back with notes on them so I don't know if it's just a polite thing or if I'm just often close.
I do agree, though, about the note thing. It's so hard to tell anymore. Almost all of my rejects come back with notes on them so I don't know if it's just a polite thing or if I'm just often close.
The most creative rejection slip I got was from Another Chicago Magazine, years ago. It had a drawing of a medieval condemned prisoner lying with head on the chopping block, and a hooded executioner with ax raised, about to bring it down. The header up at the top said "Don't take this personally..."
Then it gave a multiple choice of reasons for rejection, three or four choices, which (as I recall) ranged from the standard "does not meet our needs at this time" to "who ever told you that you could write?" It was years ago and I actually don't remember now which box they checked, but they said no...
Then it gave a multiple choice of reasons for rejection, three or four choices, which (as I recall) ranged from the standard "does not meet our needs at this time" to "who ever told you that you could write?" It was years ago and I actually don't remember now which box they checked, but they said no...
I sometimes get rejection letters that sound like column B asking me to try them again, but since there is no ink on them I wonder if this is really their column A rejection slip.
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