Into a Writer's Head

You just can't take it personally...

(aka rejection part 2). One thing I've learned about the business of writing and publishing is that you cannot take it personally. Over half the time you are sending your manuscript off to a complete stranger. If you're lucky, you had the opportunity to meet him or her at a conference and a partial was requested. The majority of the time, though, you are sending it off to someone whose face you don't even know, and wouldn't be able to pick out of a crowd. In the case of the latest, the manuscript was sent (unrequested) to an editor who I have never personally met. I've seen her at a conference, but I've never had the opportunity to shake her hand and give her a face to put with the name. So I'm not all that shocked that I received a rejection in the mail not from her, but from an Editorial Assistant at her publishing house.
Why don't I take it all that personally? I know you're sitting there thinking, but it's your book! Your baby! You've put almost 2 years of your life into the sucker! Darn right, it should be personal. But it's not. At least, not in this case. If the letter had addressed specifics, if the EA had said, "Well, your character Shayna is flat and two-dimensional. She's complete unsympathetic." Well, then I'd take it personally. Instead, I got a form letter printed on plain printer paper with the date, the title of my book and my name HAND WRITTEN into the three blank lines at the top of the page. This was followed by a paragraph about how the writing just isn't strong enough for them and listing what they look for as a house.
What does that come down to for me?
Not a whole lot...except I'll wait a bit before sending this House anything else. Nope, all it says is that I tried, and it's just not the right fit for me. So onward to the other agents and houses. No time to stop and wallow...

PS. In other news, University of Michigan plays Notre Dame today. Go Blue!!

posted by Erin @ 12:43 PM