Well, I got the nicest rejection letter I believe ever written in the history of the world on Monday.
Very clear that they were not going to be able to publish, but also told me why: short- story collections are a hard sell in the best of environments, that this editor was unsure that Hurricane Baby (based on a reading of the first four stories) would be “something greater than the sum of its parts”; and that he didn’t feel he had enough time with each character in each individual story.
But in the letter, he also complimented me on my writing skills, my ability to portray these emotional moments in the characters’ lives, and my ambition in taking on such a topic of import and delivering exactly what I promised in my cover letter: the mental and physical toll Hurricane Katrina took on those experiencing it.
This letter is the kind of rejection you want–kind, respectful, and honest.
Thank you so much, sir. Hats off to you for keeping my dignity and self-worth intact. May your tribe increase.
Julie Liddell Whitehead 