Nobody likes to be rejected and writers and salespeople probably face the most rejection on a daily basis. Up until just recently, I despised those pre-penned, stock rejections until one day I had a different type of rejection experience. I submitted to a seemingly open-minded, mental health publication that was supportive of emerging writers (or so they said) and discovered when I checked Submittable that my submission (it had won 1st place in a national competition) was DECLINED. No rejection email accompanied this cold smackdown. A few minutes later I got an email welcoming me to this very same publication's newsletter!? The audacity of these people galled me. I had never signed up to receive this newsletter and I unsubscribed within seconds. I would much rather have received one of those quasi-kind emails telling me that they "...receive hundreds of submissions and have to make some difficult decisions.". Of course, I will never send another submission to this publication. Thoughts?
- melanieflores6