On Brandywine Books, "Learning to Love Rejection" is another opportunity to understand the coping skills needed to be a writer that go beyond the skills of the elements of good writing themselves.
And, while we’re on the subject, may I as well make a few little suggestions to the publications whose mercy we are at?
1. Please, type out a new copy of that rejection letter. The one I received from a major literary journal was the too-many-times-copied and blurry version.
2. Don’t be overly solicitous with your praise when using a form letter rejecting my work. It makes me think either a) wow–you’ve really read my stuff but you were so backed up with perfection and experience that I quite understand your regret in having to turn my story down, or b) you didn’t read it, did you?
3. Be so kind as to wait a minimum of three weeks either side of sending me a rejection to send me a solicitation for subscription. When received prior to the eagerly anticipated yay or nay of my submission, all that comes to mind is "It is not necessary to purchase in order to win." When received immediately thereafter, well frankly, you’ve got a snowball’s chance in hell of my subscribing to your magazine after you’ve broken my heart.
Thank you.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology