YOUR REJECTION SLIP IS SHOWING

 

Being stung by a bald faced hornet is not something that you are apt to forget real soon, if ever.

            Usually bald faced hornets considerately build their paper nests high in the uppermost reaches of the trees, well out of the reach of small boys. 

            The hornet’s nest in question had been, by some miscalculation on the hornet’s part, been built within easy reach of an eight or nine year old boy and I, being somewhat dumber than a stump, sensing that the hornets were in dire need of attention, struck the nest with a stick. 

            I can attest to the fact that hornets resent having their nests struck with sticks because this stick striking ploy resulted in a most interesting phenomenon called, ‘pain’, lots of pain.      

            Needless to say with great haste I retreated, vacating the hornet’s territory and in full cry I ran home to mama while the hornets went back to their nest to rethink their choice of construction sites. 

            As usual she knew exactly what to do and smeared mud on the stings bringing almost immediate relief.  

            Thank God for mamas and mud.

            Now, as a writer in my seventies I am still writing and striking  hornet’s nests and more often than not I get stung.  The metaphorical hornet’s nests I speak of are the editors that I hopefully send my manuscripts to and the stings are the rejection slips, those nasty little, stinging scraps of paper that they send back.  I must say, each and every one of them has been painful.     

            A most treasured hand written rejection slip I received very early in my writing career reads, “Dear Sir, please take a writing class, sincerely, The Editors.”  Well, they did say, please. 

            Another one of those early collectables indicates a twisted sense of humor and reads “Dear Sir, rejecting a manuscript often pains me but in your case it is a delight, sincerely, The Editors”

            Then there are the more traditional rejection stings such as, “Thank you for your submission.  We read it with interest.  Unfortunately, it does not meet our editorial needs at this time.  We wish you the best in placing your material elsewhere.” 

            And then there was the handwritten note, “We do not have room for your manuscript at this time but thanks for your interest in our publication.”  Or how about this handwritten note which left me hanging, “We will be sending a reply as soon as the editors have reviewed it.”  “The editors must have never reviewed it because I never heard from them again.” 

            Another classic reads, “It does not meet our editorial needs at this time.”  Or, “We were unable to develop it for publication at this time.”  And, “We appreciate the opportunity to consider your fine work.”  Or how about, “Thank you for your submission.  The editorial staff found it thoughtful and interesting… unfortunately it doesn’t meet our editorial needs.” 

            Then they start getting better.  “Thank you for letting us read your work.  We will not be publishing it, but we enjoyed it and would like to see more.”  That one might sting a little but they applied some mud to take away the pain when they asked to see more.            Another one, handwritten on their letterhead reads, ” Thank you for sending us, “Trapped!”  I enjoyed reading it.  It gave me the willies!  Unfortunately it doesn’t fit our editorial needs at this time.  Thanks for thinking of us,” Or, “Unfortunately, we already have something like it in the works.”  The fact that the editor claimed to have enjoyed it told me that I was on the right track 

            And this one encouraged me to keep writing, “Style and treatment good, but wrong subject for us.” 

            What a joy it was when I started receiving letters such as, “We agree to pay $250.00 for the above mentioned article.  We sincerely appreciate your interest in… and hope you will be pleased in the presentation of your work.”

            Saul Bellow so wisely said, “I discovered that rejections are not altogether a bad thing.  They teach a writer to rely on his own judgment and to say in his heart of hearts, ‘to h–l with you.”

            Now when I receive a rejection slip in the mail I smile and keep on writing because I know I’m just that much closer to another acceptance.

             

GARLOO’S TALES OF THE GENTLE WIND.   This is a project that is almost at its completion.  Garloo is a very wise gopher turtle who lives along with his friends in Wood-N-Dale on the edge of the River Nargoth.   Garloo is a story teller as well as a woodsy philosepher and is friend to all, young and not so young.  I am in the process of collecting Garloo’s “Seems-T-Me’s”  which are a collection of his wise woodsy sayings “what am handy t’ live by!”  Or so says Garloo.  You can find one of Garloo’s “Seems-t-me’s” by clicking on his picture.  The book, Tales of the gentle wind, as well as a collection his “Seems-t-me’s will be ready sooner than later.  We will keep you posted.  Charles

 

Chuck, this page should contain a general overview of all of your writing. For example, one paragraph for each book that you are writing or selling on your blog. Each paragraph should then link to a new page — that page should be created with this page as the parent.

You should rename this page to whatever you feel is most appropriate to describe your work as a whole, but that words should also be obvious to your readers. You want them to know what’s one the page before they even click.