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Rejection
at Yuletide
by Peary Perry |
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Well,
here it is the week before Christmas and I am totally bummed out.
Not from shopping or the crowds, but because I sent a copy of my latest
manuscript off to be evaluated and they sent it back and said they
couldn’t use it because it had entirely too many clichés in it.
Hello? What’s this all about? Is anybody home? I mean am I just talking
to a brick wall? I feel that when it comes to writing, I am certainly
a team player. I never intentionally try to go against the grain and
try to keep my writing very simple and easy to understand.
These editors must have an axe to grind or something. This was a good
book and one in which I am very proud. I was tempted to just call
them up and not beat around the bush and just ask them exactly what
is the bee in your bonnet? Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not the great
American novelist and don’t think for an instant that anything I write
is the best thing since sliced bread. But on the other hand I do believe
that my stuff is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick,
if you know what I mean.
Of course calling them kind of puts a fellow in between a rock and
a hard place. I could make them mad and they might put me on someone’s
list and then where would I be? I mean it’s not like I just fell off
the back of a turnip truck. I can see the writing on the wall. All
of these editors probably know each other and if I speak harshly to
one, then the word might get out and I’d be a dead duck. You know
what they say, if you lay down with dogs, and then you wake up with
fleas.
So, I suppose there isn’t much sense in flogging a dead horse. I should
just lay low and keep my mouth shut and a zipped lip. Even if I think
these people are dumber than a bucket of rocks, I can afford to bide
my time and wait it out. As far as I’m concerned every dog has its
day and I’ll get mine.
I think I’ll just keep on submitting these manuscripts as I believe
if it isn’t broke then don’t fix it and I don’t think my writing is
broken. How about them apples? No, from what I can tell some of the
editors have been scrapping the bottom of the barrel with some of
the books they have published. The ones I’ve seen just aren’t my cup
of tea. I am convinced that only the strong survive and that I should
keep on keeping on and let bygones be bygones. They’ll eventually
come around, if you know what I mean. What goes around comes around
in my book.
I think I might just take a break and stop and smell the roses for
a change. I’ve been working in the old salt mine for too long and
need a fresh direction. You know often we can’t see the forest for
the trees. I’ll just save everything I’ve written for a rainy day
and wait for these brainaics to call once they realize the genius
of my work. I don’t know if I can find it in my heart to forgive them,
but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
So in the meantime, I’ll just sit and wait them out and when they
call, I’ll tell them that the jury is still out on my decision and
that I’ve moved their offers to the back burner. I have to have enough
time to justify the effect of their decision and what it will be on
my bottom line. Let them put that in their pipe and smoke it.
Too many clichés? How ridiculous. |
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