And they do—editors and publishers and animation execs. Author Leonard Chang talks rejection and the best way to beat the Man.
I went on six pitches this year for three different animated TV projects. No hits. The rejections ranged from blunt to complimentary and, since the process is highly subjective, the reasons for rejection varied in logic. In one instance, my agent gave me pitch guidelines from a studio. I wrote up a show within those guidelines. The show was rejected because "it's not what we're looking for right now." This can enrage a normal man into bending crow bars. But as Chang points out, the only way to sanity and success is to keep on keeping on.
That said, my favorite 2011 rejection came from a magazine editor. He passed on a short story of mine, but a simple 'no thanks' was inadequate. He dissed my characters, plot and pacing as well as slagging the dialogue as "elevator conversation." In closing, the editor invited me to submit again.
I thought of wishing him success in one day achieving his goal of editing The Passive-Aggressive Quarterly.
Instead I just sent the story somewhere else.
h/t: Bernadette Murphy
Image: Clevelandseniors.com
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