Best Rejection Letter EVER!!

[wednes]

I want to preface this by saying that 2005 Writer's Market does list this publisher as "needing" horror. So I did do my research.

This is SO much more what I was looking for:

Re: A Stabbing for Sadie

Thank you for considering *publisher name*. Your outstanding novel, however, is too graphic and descriptive for our standards. We don't publish horror stories, no matter how good they are.

Please, remember us when you have a work out of this range.
Good luck in your creative enterprises.

And then it is signed in actual script on real live letter head.

Even though it is another rejection, I feel very encouraged by this.

Comments

[groovesinorbit]

Your outstanding novel! How cool!

[wednes.livejournal.com]

I only sent them 3 chapters since they didn't want the whole thing. I am most encouraged not by the word "outstanding" (although that is pretty swell) but that they found it too scary to pass for anything but horror.

I wanted it to be classified as horror, but there aren't that many murders in it. So I wasn't sure if maybe it was drama/suspense or something.

[groovesinorbit]

And now you know. Awesome!

more like it!

[fflo.livejournal.com]

Now THAT's the kind of rejection letter you start papering your walls with proudly!

Re: more like it!

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was thinking more like stuck on the fridge with a magnet!! ;-)

Re: more like it!

[fflo.livejournal.com]

Oh, no---your goal is to get WAY to many for one refrigerator!

[spiralwitch.livejournal.com]

WOO that is the best rejection ever :)

[spiralwitch.livejournal.com]

just realised i re-typed your subject line.... paging dr. frued.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

hee hee!

[wednes.livejournal.com]

I was pretty excited to get it!

After I get my rejection from Bantam-Dell, I can start sending out one query letter at a time to some of the bigger houses that do not accept simultaneous submissions.

[spiralwitch.livejournal.com]

*crosses fingers*

[jere7my.livejournal.com]

Oooh, that's definitely very good. And what it means is you can write directly to that editor now, bypassing the slush pile, with an "In your letter of 5/15/05, you expressed an interest in my future work. Here it is."

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Indeed, if I ever am able to write something that isn't horror. I do need to send this lady a nice note back.

[skryche.livejournal.com]

That is great.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Thanks, man. ;-)

[princezna.livejournal.com]

Awesome!

[dirtydaisy.livejournal.com]

Wow. Great rejection letter. Can I read your novel?

dD

[wednes.livejournal.com]

There is an early draft posted in my November 2004 journal chapter by chapter. Please, help yourself!