Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Bad Editor, Bad Editor

I don't mind rejection letters (much). God knows that I have enough of them to wallpaper this little shithole that I live in at least two times over...if not three, but if an editor is going to reject a story, they should at least send a rejection letter, even a form letter.

It's just rude to send back an author's manuscript (late, I might add) with nothing. Was it really that bad???

2 comments:

E.Jim Shannon said...

Even in Strange Horizons at least they send a form rejection email, but to just send the ms back with no form letter is rude.

I work as a fundraizer, my job, and I get rejected a hundred plus times/day so i'm used to rejection. LOL

e.Jim

Keith said...

I have, according to my records, submitted 128 times since I started trying to sell. I estimate: about 30% received acceptance letters, about 30% received polite rejects with helpful comments, about 20% were form letters, 5% were curt or unpleasant responses and as much as 15% lost my story or never responded.
I can understand (if not forgive) an unpleasant response, especially if I screwed up somehow, but I hate it when an editor loses my story and doesn't respond to queries.
There are various reasons why someone might want to be an editor. Some people, though, should not be editors and just aren't good at it.
I might add that J has always sounded sorry when he's rejected my story. I try not to dissapoint him and vow to send a better story next time.