>Size Matters – Part III

>You may recall a post from a few months ago in which I complained about a rejection slip I received from a literary magazine that was both tiny and badly cut out.(Size Matters) Subsequently, I wrote about the fact that an editor from the magazine that sent me that rejection slip recognized their “handy work” and contacted me to ask for my input in their planned revamping of their form rejection. (Size Matters (continued)) What I didn’t mention anywhere that I also recently received a rejection slip that was larger than the one I blogged about but with a cutout job that had to have been done by a blind person. Seriously. I won’t submit to that magazine again.

But, now to Part III of this story. The aforementioned editor of the magazine I wrote about mailed to me this week a sample of their new rejection form. It’s the first time I’ve ever received a rejection before I submitted a story! The form, I think, is ideal, given the unfortunate necessity of form rejections. It is on heavier stock, it’s a decent size (1/3 of a sheet of paper), includes a basic but polite “no thanks” response, and includes enough space that an editor could write a personal note if he or she wanted to. Thanks for listening and thanks for doing a great job on this seemingly minor matter. I think your contributors will appreciate it.

And, on the subject of rejections, you may be interested in a blog I visited today: Literary Rejections on Display.

About the author

I am the author of three novels--THE LAST BIRD OF PARADISE, OLIVER'S TRAVELS, and THE SHAMAN OF TURTLE VALLEY--and three story collections--IN AN UNCHARTED COUNTRY, HOUSE OF THE ANCIENTS AND OTHER STORIES, and WHAT THE ZHANG BOYS KNOW, winner of the Library of Virginia Literary Award for Fiction. I am also the co-founder and former editor of Prime Number Magazine and the editor of the award-winning anthology series EVERYWHERE STORIES: SHORT FICTION FROM A SMALL PLANET.

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