Every week, rejection letters from my past. Because the hurt goes away after a couple of decades.

This Week in Rejection!: Boulevard

Posted on: 12/09/11

Funny thing about this one: I remember reading and really enjoying at least a couple of issues of Boulevard. I really, really wanted them to publish a story of mine, and I remember being absolutely crushed by this rejection (which is a little worse for wear over the years...):

 

Boulevard rejection

 

But read that bit added on to the form letter:

"A very moving, nicely written story. It is publishable, but not what we are looking for."

Wow. Seeing that now, through 2011-eyes, I am thrilled with this letter. I understand that Younger Barry was crushed, but he shouldn't have been. This rejection is all good news -- the story has emotional impact and is well-written. It's just aimed at the wrong market. That's tremendous news!

Funny how time can change the impact of something. The next time you receive this sort of rejection, let it sit for a few days and then give it a read with fresh eyes. It may be better news than you think!

Write a comment

  • All fields are required.

If you have trouble reading the code, click on the code itself to generate a new random code.
Security Code:
 

Member Log-in Form

Guests are allowed to comment, but will be moderated.

User:
Password:
Forget Password?
Request a new account.