Rejecting your rejection slips

I just got back from a magazine assignment on the Caribbean island of Grenada — and I’ve spent the past couple days catching up on various tasks, including my notes and comments on the Key West Literary Seminar, which I attended earlier this month.

I’ll be sharing a number of items from Key West in coming days, and I’ll start with a satire of editorial rejection slips that Michael Shapiro shared during his stint as a discussion moderator. Michael didn’t write this satire (he was unsure of the original author), but he got a lot of laughs reading it, as most everyone in the audience (and onstage) could relate. Here it is:

Dear editor,

Thank you very much for your recent rejection slip. As it does not quite fit my present requirements, I am returning it. This in no way reflects upon its merits.

Don’t be discouraged – I read your rejection slip with great interest, and I hope you’ll continue reading my work. I appreciate your thinking of me and wish you the best of luck in placing your rejection slip elsewhere.

Literally,

Just another writer

PS: Please forgive me for this printed note. I’d like to comment on each rejection slip, but the large number I receive makes it impossible to answer each one personally.

Note: Michael Shapiro will be following up his Key West stint with a Feb. 4 seminar at Corte Madera’s Book Passage, entitled “Making a Living as a Freelance Writer”. Shapiro will discuss strategies and techniques for earning a living from one’s writing. Topics include finding your niche, developing professional relationships with editors, targeting potential markets (publications), the art of the interview, and self-syndication. The class is from 10am to 4pm, and costs $95. For more information or to sign up, contact Book Passage at 800 999-7909.

Posted by | Comments (1)  | January 18, 2006
Category: General


One Response to “Rejecting your rejection slips”

  1. Hettie Szymczak Says:

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