Write of Passage

[bloodyrosemccoy]

Oh, I forgot to mention! Dudes! I got my first rejection letter last week!* Two-sentence form letter with a stamped signature and everything. Not even a hastily scribbled “Keep Trying!” on it.

A true rite of passage this is. Keep hitting milestones like this, and I will be a Famous Author in no time.

Meanwhile, off to find another magazine that’ll publish my story. And give Captain Crazypants another shot, of course.

(No, I am not actually discouraged—this is supposed to happen, I understand. And the story’s actually darn good. It just wasn’t that editor’s favorite.)


*I’m not entirely sure if the “Congratulations, you almost won” letter from the Captain Crazypants L Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future people counts, because it wasn’t quite a rejection. This certainly was.

Comments

[xaandria.livejournal.com]

One of my favorite tips that someone gave me was to collect rejection letters--because it meant that you were sending things out in order for them to BE rejected, and sooner or later someone will see something they like in your work. She has a wall of her favorite rejection letters, and a file cabinet filled with the rest. She's now a New York Times bestselling author and one of my favorite patients.

[sofish-sasha.livejournal.com]

Per Gessle, one of Sweden's most successful musicians, owns a fancy hotel in Halmstad. In the bar there are a whole bunch of rejection letters from various record labels, framed and put on display.

Also, Sweden's biggest book publishers rejected the one who would later become Sweden's most famous author, Astrid Lindgren.

[chibicharibdys.livejournal.com]

Hooray!

I totally count WotF "you almost won!" as rejection letters. The sort that says "we liked it but we can't fit it in our current lineup, plz send us more!"

[childthursday.livejournal.com]

I was delighted the first time I got a rejection! I think it's still framed, but in a box in my parent's basement. I haven't had an acceptance yet, but that's since I kind of stopped writing.

[gwalla.livejournal.com]

Congratulations?

[karjack.livejournal.com]

Congrats!

[madcap-shiny.livejournal.com]

MOST EXCELLENT. Celebratory cups of tea all around!

[tharain.livejournal.com]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! WELCOME IN!!

=-D

[snarkingapple.livejournal.com]

Grats! I am well on my way to getting my first rejection letter, too, and I cannot wait. OMG.

._.

[westrider.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! Last time I was up in Bellingham, The friends I was staying with (Who are all writers, in various stages of attempting to break through) had simply labeled their Mailbox "Rejections" and had the best ones stuck up on the fridge.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_wastrel/]

You have an inspiring attitude about this, which considering how many successful authors have gone through the same, seems entirely justified.