"The public is not interested in Civil War stories."

-- so said one of the 25+ publishers to reject Margaret Mitchell's submission, Gone With the Wind.

For more examples of great moments in publishing, see

http://www.rejectionslips.com/wisdom.html

Loved it, Sparteye!

"George Bernard Shaw
Rejected Writer

Eleven publishers turned down his first novel"

- but there's always one dumb bas..

This one is kind of long in the tooth, as emails that make the rounds go, but if you haven't seen it yet, it's good for a laugh.

Dear Hiring Manager,

Thank you for your letter concerning my application for employment. After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me a position in your department.

This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals. Despite your company's outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at this time. Therefore, I will assume the position in your department next week. I look forward to seeing you then.

Best of luck in rejecting future applicants.

Thanks, Fiberbabe! That 'rejection letter' is just what I (might) need depending on how the job interviews go this week! With still no tourists coming to visit, I've been without gainful employment now for 5, almost 6 months!

By the way, from time to time, I pen a short story... lately they have taken the form of a child's adventure through Israel (my main characters are two boys, 12 & 11, best friends, one a sabra, or native-born Israeli, and the other, a new immigrant from New York), and if I ever get the energy to continue, I hope to eventually make it a series. But a few years ago, I wrote a little love story out of my own experience and decided to send it off for possible publication.

Well, I am proud? to say that I have now been rejected by four of the top women's magazines in the USA! Should I add that to my c.v.????

Shoshannah

and the other, a new immigrant from New York

Why use someone from New York? New York gets too much attention and everyone is using New York. You don't want to be like everyone else do you? I think you should use Cincinnati. Cincinnati could use some good publicity

JazzO>You don't want to be like everyone else do you? I think you should use Cincinnati.

Well, JazzO - first of all, as you probably have guessed, I'm not like everyone else!

On your second point, I considered Cincinnati (among others) and rejected it as not an interesting place from which to be!

Sorry - better luck next time!

Shoshannah

North Carolina is, of course 1st on the list of interesting places, a hub of interest so to speak

Actually, North Carolina is second on my list of most interesting places - Israel is first and foremost, in my mind, the most interesting place in the whole world - and I have been to many others in my life so I have quite a lot from which to choose! And having been to and lived in many different places, I often say to people who ask that, of course, Israel is my home and always shall be, but if I ever had to live somewhere else, I would certainly choose North Carolina. If you have never been there, why don't you try it - it certainly is, in YOUR words, a hub of interest including lots of interesting people and things to see and do!

Shoshannah

But, if you will take note - JazzO was commenting on my choice of New York as the origin of one of the characters in the short story I wrote... but maybe you didn't read all the postings in this thread?

Nice point Jazzo-- I mean, i love NY, and think its the best place in the world-- but its my home town! and I love traveling-- because other places are so interesting-- and not at all like NY-- in fact the places i dislike the most are the ones that keep trying to tell me, they are big cities--"just like NY!"

London is a big city-- and there are some similarites to NY-- but London is not like NY--Nor is NY like London-- the same with Tokyo-- these are great cities in there own right! Seattle is an other great city-- not at all like NY, doesn't try to be, and doesn't pretend to be--

I haven't been to Cincinnati, but i suspect it has wonderous thing that make it special....same too, for south caralina-- a place i have only passed through.

>But, if you will take note
I have pen and paper ready, what's Cincinnati like anyway?

BOT, this is a letter I read at the Flummery Digest which BTW has a lot of humourous, leftfield items from the news (hope it's not too long)

District of Columbia Public Schools
Office of the General Counsel
Labor Management and Employee Relations
November 16, 2000

Dear Ms. [name withheld]:

On June 23, 2000, you were informed by letter that you would not receive an offer of employment with the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) based on the results of your criminal background check. Based on your subsequent presentation of documentation that your 1984 charge for Uniformed Controlled Substance Act, Cannabis was no papered; that your 1984 charge for shoplifting was nolle prosequi; that your 1984 charge for assault with a dangerous weapon, razor was no papered; that your 1984 charge for destruction of government property was nolle prosequi; that your 1986 charge for assault with a deadly weapon was dismissed; that your 1987 charge for soliciting for prostitution was nolle prosequi; that your 1989 charge for assault with a dangerous weapon, razor was no papered; and that your 1992 Uniform Controlled Substance Act, possession with intent to distribute cocaine was dismissed. You are eligible for employment with DCPS.
If you have any questions or concerns, kindly contact Labor Management and Employee Relations at (202) 442-5373.

Sincerely,

Delores Hamilton
Acting Director of Human Resources

Shoshanna>my choice of New York as the origin of one of the characters in the short story I wrote...

The advice "write what you know" ... may be particularly apt in the case of your transplant-from-USA young male character. Unless you happen to know a lot about the reactions of a New York City lad occasioned by living a NYC life, then I'd recommend using the North Carolina background as your past Posts indicate you know about how young people live and learn there.
Editors cannot resist editing, even when retired. Your pardon for butting in, is asked in advance.
wow

> Every writer has received rejection
> slips; too many of them for most. The "Financial Times"
> has quoted the "mother of all rejection slips", translated
> from a Chinese economic journal. It goes like this:
>
> We have read your manuscript with boundless delight. If
> we were to publish your paper, it would be impossible for
> us to publish any work of lower standard. And as it is
> unthinkable that in the next thousand years we shall see
> its equal, we are, to our regret, compelled to return your
> divine composition, and to beg you a thousand times to
> overlook our short sight and timidity.

here's one from the other end of the spectrum:

I can almost see why you would waste your time by writing this, but I cannot even comprehend why you would waste mine, by sending it to me.

We have read your manuscript with boundless delight. If
we were to publish your paper, it would be impossible for
us to publish any work of lower standard. And as it is
unthinkable that in the next thousand years we shall see
its equal, we are, to our regret, compelled to return your
divine composition, and to beg you a thousand times to
overlook our short sight and timidity.

Till you get to the end, this could be taken either way.

wow>Unless you happen to know a lot about the reactions of a New York City lad occasioned by living a NYC life, then I'd recommend using the North Carolina background as your past Posts indicate you know about how young people live and learn there.

Thanks for the suggestion, BUT I know a whole lot more about how a 11-year-old religious Jewish boy has grown up in New York than the same in North Carolina! Besides that, this has less to do with the growing up years and more to do about the adventures of these two boys in Israel! I have had 12 or so children in that age group read the story and each one said it was great! When I asked if they would buy such a story, they replied that they would; and when I asked if they would enjoy seeing a series with these two boys roaming around Israel dicovering things, they asked when such a series would be available!

So, I just have to sit down and work on them!

I'll let you know when I find a suitable publisher, though it will most probably be someone here in Israel.

Shoshannah

what's Cincinnati like anyway?

Well, Cincinnati is a nice Mid-western city with a rich history of riverboats, the Underground Railroad and pigs. It's in the top 15, I think, largest metro areas in the nation (not totally sure on that) and it's been consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the US to live in. It's not too big that you can't find your way around or that people are very impersonal and it's not too small that there's nothing to do. We have the Reds and the Begals and we're bidding for the 2012 Olympics. There are extensive plans to revitalize the riverfront including the contruction of an Underground Railroad museum.

what's Cincinnati like anyway?

It's also got the best ice cream I've found anywhere, and I've looked far and wide. There's a small chain of bakery/ice cream shops in Cincinnati that makes wonderful, wonderful stuff - they make their own chocolate and in their chocolate chip flavors they pour liquid chocolate into the ice cream as it's being made, it hardens instantly and is broken up as it's stirred in, so you get enormous, delicious chocolate chips.

Oh, this is the language forum, not that ice cream forum I haunt? Back to business.

An interesting language note about Cincinnati then. It was once called Losanteville, explained thusly: the "L" is for the Licking River, which flows into the Ohio River at Cinci, "os" is mouth, "ante" is before/across, and ville is obvious. So, it's the city across from the mouth of the Licking River.

[/end distribution of mindless trivia about a place I do not live but where I got family]

Thanks for the info on Cincinnati. Sounds dandy. My question was kind of targeted at the 'it's not an interesting place' suggestee. Nevertheless ... I'm intrigued now thoguh .. I went searching to find where exactly it is! I wondered whether Licking River flows into the Ohio River?

Nevertheless ... I'm intrigued now

Hope you're taking notes?

I wondered whether Licking River flows into the Ohio River?

Yes it does. It flows north from Jackie-country and then along the Ohio/Kentucky border to the Mississippi (only included all that info 'cuz I enjoy typing the name of Ol' Muddy).

Hmm. . . I've never heard of the Losanteville name. It was originally the location of a pre-US independence fort: Fort Washington. Now Fort Washington Way is the name of the merger of about 3 interstate highways right in front of the city. Interestingly this effectively splits the city from the riverfront. The sports stadiums and riverfront stuff are on one side, the big buildings are on the other. They now have roads about FWW and they're planning on covering the gaps with little parks.

Hyla, the ice cream company to which you refer is Graeter's and I must whole-heartedly concur. It is very good ice cream.

the ice cream company to which you refer is Graeter's and I must whole-heartedly concur. It is very good ice cream.

I am such a fan(atic) of Graeter's that I've got some in my freezer here in California. My partner's family is in Cinci, and they are aware of my passion for the stuff, so they shipped me 6 pints packed in dry ice for my birthday. There's still a few scoops of double chocolate chip left! [thinking-this-board-should-have-an-emoticon-for-"yummy"-by-now-emoticon]

> the ice cream company to which you refer is Graeter's

We also have Graeter's ice cream stores, though they are not related to the family in cincy. I owe my waistline to the evil of two Graeters!

That's a war crime, TEd - Graeter love hath no man.