No Response

I’ve been writing off and on since I was ten years old.  I entered my first writing contest in the fifth grade.  I wrote a poem about a friend dying (even though I had not experienced that yet).  I tied for first place with another girl.  (Sadly, that girl did die from cancer ten years later).

Since then I have done some form of writing, either creatively or professionally for my jobs, for over twenty years.  I take breaks from it periodically but somehow always find my way back to writing.  It’s truly a passion of mine.

I’ve received many rejections over my work.  Some have been very clever while most are the typical replies such as “Thank you for submitting your piece.  Another selection was made over yours.”    Or simply a statement is made like “We cannot use it at this time.” 

I am learning to handle rejections better.  At least they tell me that my work was read and where I stand.  Once the reply is sent to me, I can move on to someone else,  to some other publication for a new opportunity.

The worst thing, in my opinion, is no response at all.

When I follow up two or three times about work I’ve submitted, and I don’t hear back, it’s agony.

On occasion I may try to submit to the publisher in addition to the editor.  Or I may look for staff members names I can email; this way, I’m not just going to a general inbox that may not be read very often.

Lately though the response to me has been no response at all.

I recall one case where a well-known magazine sent me a response saying my submission was being considered and in the formal review process.  Wonderful, great I thought!  It had been 2-3 months since I heard anything.  This was a good sign!

Well now it’s been over three months since I received that e-mail or an update on that review.  I realize that I’m not in the publishing world and this is probably not a long time.  Yet as a writer, it feels like years!

In some rare cases, I hear back right away or within a week of sending in my writing.  Now that many publishers accept submissions online or via e-mail, the process can go more quickly than snail mail.  I’m grateful for that.

Because not knowing and never responding makes me feel like my work is stuck in a black hole. My words are just hanging out in space waiting to resurface or to be redirected again.

I’m always so appreciative of any editor or publisher who spends time writing me back.  Even if it’s just an automated “no thank you” kind of response, I have gratitude for it.