Got a rejection the other day that was so vitriolic and mean spirited that it convinced me to ban myself from their market. The insults weren't solely directed at my story. A few were backhanded personal shots. I figure not submitting to them again will help everyone's mental state in the long run. The wording was hurtful and made me angry, but I know any response from me would be unprofessional. So no more submissions to that market to avoid future frictions.
What I don't understand is if the editor hated my story so much (which is DEFINITELY the case) why bother reading the whole thing? The rejection made it obvious that the editor not only spent time finishing my story, but also put time into crafting the response. If I'd been reading a submission that I hated that much, I wouldn't have put myself through the whole thing.
What I don't understand is if the editor hated my story so much (which is DEFINITELY the case) why bother reading the whole thing? The rejection made it obvious that the editor not only spent time finishing my story, but also put time into crafting the response. If I'd been reading a submission that I hated that much, I wouldn't have put myself through the whole thing.
Lord. I hope you'll let me take a look at this privately so I can know whom I should be avoiding.
Here's my favorite sentence from the rejection. It's... magnificently backhanded.
"Your lack of relevancy or a coherent plot therefore deny us the opportunity to publish your fiction."
"Your lack of relevancy or a coherent plot therefore deny us the opportunity to publish your fiction."
...WTF?