Favorite quote of the day:
“Rejection always stings. It stings me, you, everybody. Nobody likes to be rejected. A writer who likes being rejected is a writer who is secretly a robot and must be smelted down into slag before he tries to kill us all because he hates our meat. Pain is instructive. And it’s not permanent. Not if you don’t let it be. Some writers savor misery like a hard candy endlessly sucked in the pocket of one’s cheek, but fuck that.”
Taken blithely from Chuck Wendig’s blog.
I read that earlier today and it brought up so many memories. I’m not currently submitting anything, but I distinctly recall most of the rejections I’ve gotten. Many have been the puzzling form rejections. Some of have been handwritten little gems. Only one suggested I try something different with the work. The rest were veiled ways of saying, “I don’t think I can sell this.”
My favorite rejection was from an assistant who said she tried really hard to convince her boss to take me on. It was handwritten on the first page of my manuscript, wrapped around the form rejection as if she couldn’t leave a paper trail. Utterly heartwarming. I hope she some day gets her own agency. ^_^
I think I’m going to have a thoughtful day. How about you?
Barbara Ann Wright 
Show me a writer who gets off on rejection and you’ll have found one truly sick individual.
I did have one rejection that came to me on pink floral stationary, hand written and yes, it made the rejection less painful since it was done with such good intentions in mind.
Thus, I shall be thoughtful today as well, or at least full of thoughts to get on paper 🙂
That’s cool, Angela. I have yet to get stationary.
I think a bad review is far more painful than a rejection. An agent rejection means the book might not be financially profitable for them. A bad review means the reader has cursed you and all your descendents.
…at least that’s what it feels like. 🙂
That makes me shiver, Maria.