The Maybe-Yes Before the No

Posted on September 12, 2006 by nova

Before I open a response to a short story submission, I always hope it might be a yes. Who doesn’t? The latest was an email with the innocuous subject line of “Your submission to [Magazine].” You would think this is an automatic rejection, but the last time I got an email with the subject “Your submission to [Magazine]” it was an acceptance, no joke. So my hopes started to build. I knew I should stop them, but there they were, climbing, climbing, climbing, stuck up in my throat. I wanted a story in this magazine. I love this magazine. I started bargaining with the rejection-letter gods. Give me this one, and I won’t ask for another for a long, long time. If I get this one, I won’t be mad about all the other rejections, I swear! And so on. And so I opened the email.

Dear [Me]:

Thank you for sending us “[Your Short Story].” Unfortunately this particular piece was not a right fit for [Magazine], but we were very impressed by your writing. We hope that you will feel encouraged by this short note and send us something else.

We look forward to reading more.

Sincerely,

The Editors

So it was a no. And I am terribly disappointed. Did I mention how much I love this magazine? Yet it’s not a mean, nasty slap of a no, either, so I shouldn’t be too discouraged by the whole thing. I should send them another story (when I have one written). But after reading this email, there were a good few hours, half a day even, when all I could do was think back to that moment before I opened the email… When I saw the “Your submission to [Magazine]” subject header and hoped against hope that it was the good news I’ve been waiting for. If that had happened, I would have had the hugest smile in the world right now. I love that magazine. Oh well.

Filed under: fantasies, fiction, publishing, rejection, short stories, writing

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5 Responses to “The Maybe-Yes Before the No”

  1. jadepark, on September 12th, 2006 at 9:43 pm Said:

    i got the jitters too, reading your post!

  2. Courtney S., on September 12th, 2006 at 10:41 pm Said:

    Sorry it was a no. I just got one with pretty much exactly the same subject line yesterday–except it was a small press (though I was relieved because that MS is not ready for public consumption so it was one of those nos that actually worked in my favour). But it must be that kinda week.

    Getting your hopes up is awful!! I sympathise. There should be some kind of control button. I either get so hopeful that I can’t think/write and then in a bid for more realistic expectations I psych myself down and then I get all put out. It’s impossible to find that ever elusive middleground sometimes.

    But onto the next one, right?

  3. H.E. Eigler, on September 13th, 2006 at 11:55 am Said:

    At least it was a nice rejection - nicer than the one I got recently. Keep trying!

  4. nova, on September 15th, 2006 at 7:41 am Said:

    Yes, on to the next one! … I’ll keep trying forever. I have a streak of neverending persistence that can sometimes be pathetic.

    Good luck to everyone on their submissions. Let’s hope for a rejection-free weekend.

  5. Anonymous, on October 7th, 2006 at 6:50 pm Said:

    I am sorry to hear you didn’t get in to the mag…of your choice. But just think of how much bigger that “smile” will be when you do. Moments like these prepare us for the ones worth true enjoyment. Good luck and keep tap,tap,tapping away. You can do it…I believe in you.-Love the reason to keep living

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