Sunday 25 August 2013

Word of the week (19)


 encouragement


What’s disappointing and uplifting at the same time?

An encouraging rejection!

(With thanks to the editor who took the time and trouble to say, ‘Sorry, no, but …’)
 
 

4 comments:

Henry Mitchell said...

Out of several hundred rejections (not counting all the non-responses) the closest to encouraging that has come to me is the one that said, "I hate to turn down a story that has a Studebaker in it."
It is the only one I've saved. The Studebaker story did eventually find a home. Acceptances, even conditional ones, are always encouraging.

Linda D said...

Yes, Henry, there's nothing more encouraging than an acceptance of course, but I'm always grateful for a rejection that gives a clue as to why a story or article isn't wanted. It encourages me to do a re-write if I agree with the editor's comments, or to send it elsewhere if I don't!

Henry Mitchell said...

Agreed, Linda. If an editor is open to a re-write, I generally try to comply, even if I don't entirely agree with the comments. To make it work for the editor and for me is always a deep learning exercise. And if the editor is any good, the story usually improves in the process, surprising the writer as much as the reader.

Anonymous said...

I agree Linda, kind words go a long way, and we remember them.