Thursday, June 21, 2007

In Case You Were Thinking Of Submitting

After six and one-half months, it's a 'No' from the Gettysburg Review. In my fantasies, I shall imagine the editor, Peter Stitt, reading the short story over and over, giving it serious consideration, but then, at the end....no credentials, no room in the journal.

There was more than just the little card that said 'Rejection' in so many words. Clipped to the first page of the story, back to back with the rejection, was another card that pretty much said, If you're thinking about submitting again, well, we're closed.

I'm not taking it as a warning, however. I know they don't read in the summer, but not everyone does. The extra note was for all those faceless others who don't remember to read the journal's submission rules and regulations before posting their works of literary art. So I won't send another story just yet. I'm waiting for August and September, when the happy little English majors are back at university and ready to do that work-study business by tackling the slush. Ah, the things you'll do for an education.

2 comments:

Herbal Renaissance said...

"another card that pretty much said, If you're thinking about submitting again, well, we're closed"

That seems very unprofessional. You're right wait for the students to back to school.

O hAnnrachainn said...

Not unprofessional, for a literary journal. They operate on a different plane...like actually writing, with a pen and ink, on the rejection form, encouraging you to submit something else.