Say It Ain't So, Tin House!

Darn, another rejection and dreams of stardom are flushed down the toilet, once again. The blow came in an e-mail with the words, "Your submission to Tin House," in the subject line. Uh-oh, I thought. About three weeks earlier, I had received an email confirming that my submission was received, and for the last couple of weeks I was daydreaming about seeing my poem published in the crisp pages of Tin House...and then my whole life would change. I would be discovered by a New York literary agent and then I would have a book deal and BAM I'm a household name! Please note: I am being extremely sarcastic and completely delusional. But when I saw that email from Tin House, I knew the deal...defeat...another one bites the dust. Usually, when you receive a response too soon, especially when it comes from a literary publication, it's not a good sign. So, I braced myself for the inevitable and opened the email. Yep, it's what I expected. One of those impersonal rejection letters. Or should I say note of brevity where you are a nameless soul:

Dear Writer,
Thank you for your submission to Tin House. Unfortunately, we must pass at this time. Best of luck placing your work elsewhere.

Sincerely,
Tin House Editors
2010-06-03 13:25:39 (GMT -7:00)

As a result of my Tin House rejection, I'm thinking about submitting my work to another publication, preferably Callaloo, but I'm not sure. I know everyone says that a writer should simultaneously submit their work to various publications, but I never do that, which is not the most efficient route to become published. I have to understand that just because a literary magazine passes on my work, it doesn't necessarily mean that my work is crap. It might mean that my style of writing or content is not "suitable" to the publication's aesthetic. Or at least that is what I have to tell myself. I know that ZZ Packer, author of Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (2004), mentioned that she had submitted a number of stories to The New Yorker before her story, "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere," made its debut in 2000. So, I got to keep writing and keep hope alive. If your work has been rejected, please don't feel discouraged. In fact, give a shout out to the publication that rejected your work. Don't be mad--you're just earning your writer's stripes.