grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Rejected. Again.

By

Over the last year, I’ve begun receiving rejections. Not that I had an oh-look-at-me-I-had-everything-I-ever-wanted kind of life, but more like I took-the-safe-path-by-not-putting-myself-out-there kind of life.

Well, I’m out there now.

Some rejections come in the form of complete pin-dropping silence and total non-responsiveness to my carefully crafted query letter.

Other publishers regret to inform me they will not be accepting my work for publication, but wish me much success in finding the right publisher.

I realize writing takes perseverance, and I have it.

I know I do.

I write because I can’t not write. I write even if no one ever publishes my work.

Yesterday I was rejected by Baylor Press, the press for my college alma mater.

It stung.

We have a long-standing relationship, a thirty-year relationship built on fond memories and late-night study sessions, culminating with a liberal arts degree I’m willing to pretend helped get me to this point. I hoped Baylor would be proud of her own enough to consider publication, maybe even claiming an inkling of credit.

But no.

In a response one step from blanket blogger spam, Baylor thanked me for my submission yet felt my farm novella wasn’t a good fit for its list… Baylor publishes history and cultural works—my book is about cotton farming—not  historical nor cultural enough…

I knew this submission was likely a stretch, as many college presses only publish ‘scholarly’ works (plus biblical for Baylor). My tale of 1970’s cotton farming includes a mixture of childhood shenanigans, Schlitz beer, spin-the-bottle and other real-life adventures likely frowned upon by such conservative folks. Even so,  I thought as an alumna I’d give Baylor first shot, dance with the one who brung you as the old Texas saying goes.
Que sera.
talya
And P.S. to Baylor—you can stop phoning every night and sending letters requesting money for scholarships and the massive football stadium fund. As a struggling writer, donations aren’t a good fit for me at this time. But I wish you much success in finding the right donors…

Sic ’em anyway.

Musical Pairing:

You Can’t Always Get What You Want, Rolling Stones

Whew! I feel better:) Back to writing…

Check out my friend’s blog post Facing Our Fears. We wrote about the same topic on the same day… 

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Comments

  1. Sorry to hear about the rejection from a place associated with your alma mater. That would be tough alright. 🙁

    I, too, have felt the sting of rejection too many times and lately have stopped submitting just because it seems so hopeless for all the work I put into it. Not the best attitude, I know. I still enjoy blogging though and am writing just for the sheer pleasure of writing at the moment. It sure isn’t for the fame and fortune. Haven’t seen much of either in all the years I’ve been writing.

    You have the right attitude to keep persevering and sending work out. You inspire me.

    Your novella sounds great and I’m sure it will find a home if you keep at it.

    Good luck!

  2. I have been saying since I met you that “We’re going to be hearing about you.” You’ve got it going, just gotta find the right fit. Wish I were half as prolific, savvy, and talented!

  3. I have had so many rejections that I have lost track. The oddest rejection came with the following comment. “We do not want psychological focus but moral or thematic focus (I have no idea what this means) We do not want the kind of stories printed by the New Yorker and we prefer the ideas seen in Hardy, Graham Greene and Dickens. We have found your story well done but the theme does not interest us.”

  4. As a struggling writer, donations aren’t a good fit for me at this time. But I wish you much success in finding the right donors…

    Hehehehehehe!

  7. I am so glad that you are “out there”! You do have perseverance and you will just keep on, keeping on, until you will make it. I am certain of that. “Donations are not a good fit for me at this time”…….Amen, sister!

  8. Try the U of A Press, your story is (I presume) set around Osceola. However, like Baylor (or you) said, they probaly want more esoteric writing (sniff, sniff) Their loss, but keep looking. Dr. Suess, ee cummings and shel silverstein all had multiple rejections. xxoxo

  9. “As a struggling writer, donations aren’t a good fit for me at this time. But I wish you much success in finding the right donors…”

    Thanks, Talya. Reading this made me spit diet cola all over my keyboard!

  10. Rejections are part of the process, and unlike most of life, one acceptance for a piece negates and dissolves all the rejections received in prior submittals. Getting 50 rejections for a piece of writing before getting an acceptance only means you submitted in the wrong order 🙂

  12. I’ve been in your shoes many, MANY times. Don’t give up. Some of our greatest writers went through dozens of rejections before they were accepted. Hang in there!!

  13. Love the ‘pun-intend’ at the end!!! I have no worries – the ‘write/right’ one will come along!!! Did you submit it to any NEA colleges? Your “Ole Happy Day!” is just around the bend. I feel it InMyOldBones! <3

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