Haven’t written in a while because I’ve been grading papers. About half of the students followed directions with this assignment. Most did not include a rhetorical analysis, which was the main point of the assignment. I got some pretty good papers, but only one that I felt comfortable enough to respond to the thinking and reasoning in the paper itself instead of just the grammar problems, the direction problems, the citation problems, etc. Some didn’t even have an argument and the class is based on argument.
Ah well. At first, I was afraid that I didn’t give good directions, but I looked at the assignment sheet again and had a colleague look it over. It is as clear as crystal. Then, I thought that maybe they didn’t know how to complete the assignment, but I remembered a class where we did a rhetorical analysis on an essay together. Maybe those that omitted it just wanted to do the least amount of work possible and still pass.
But this post is entitled rejection letter. That’s what I got in the mail today from Indiana Review. It came back in my SASE, form lettered onto a little slip of yellow paper:
Dear Writer,
We have read your submission carefully and regret that we do not have a place for it in Indiana Review at this time. Unfortunately, the large volume of submissions we receive makes a more personal reply nearly impossible. However, we do appreciate your support and hope you try us again in the future.
The Editors
Sigh. I don’t care how you look at it, I hate these impersonal responses. I think I’d prefer a 3 X 5 card with “No thanks,” scribbled on it with an illegible signature. I know for some zines, different colors mean different tiers. I wonder if that’s the case for this one or if the story (whichever it was — I have forgotten which story I sent to them and I’m in the wrong office now) just sucked that much for them.
Whenever I get a rejection, I stop believing my adviser and committees. I stop believing all of the profs and students who have read my work and said to me that it was good. If my stories are so good, why do they keep getting rejected?
Oh, well. Back to grading papers.
There’s no real reason…if your writing is good I think the slush pile is probably a matter of preference, which may as well be arbitrary.
I’ve found web journals to be much more personal, even in their rejections, which is usually helpful.
best wishes.
Rejection is part fo the writer’s life - it makes such a good anecdote when you’re famous and revered! Persist!
Rejection slips. Never easy to deal with. But I am sure will get back to writing and sending out your stuff soon—that is what a writer is all about:)
Christopher Cocca: I should try web journals more often. I’ve gotten some good responses from them, too.
Oscarandre: Good point! I will persevere for a little while, but when this degree is up, I’m going to have to start looking for a real job with some real money. We’ll see.
damyantig: I’ll be back up again. When I figure out which story it was, I’ll send it again immediately. My adviser for my MFA used to say just give “no” one minute, then move on!