I have come to despise my mailbox.
I tried not to take it personal, but, I have been unsuccessful in that attempt. Mailbox, how I loathe you.
Some days, it gets pretty bad. I think about it while I exercise. I think about it when I’m at work. I call my fiancé, who gets home before I do, and ask “Did you check the mail today?” He tells me that if I don’t think about it all the time—or check it each hour of the day (Every. Single. Day).—that it’ll make my response come quicker. I should take his advice.
But each time I check: Nothing!
And so, I blame my mailbox for the horrid delay. My insignificant mailbox; the one with the tiny metal door and a number inscribed onto it; the one with many neighboring mailboxes beside it, above it, below it; the one that only opens when I slip the mini golden key into the slot, and turn.
Nothing.
Oh mailbox, why is that every time I look inside you, there is no envelope for me containing the news I so long to hear? What have I ever done to you?
41 days down and who knows how many to go. But who’s counting? Not me. If my mailbox could count, it probably would; and taunt me with the number like a playground bully: nah nah nah nah, naaaah naaah!
But on the bright side, at least no word isn’t the same as “no thank you.”
Patience is definitely a virtue.
I recently received a very positive rejection after six months. Sometimes I send things out that never get a response even when I include an SASE. I have a picture in my head of editors carefully peeling away MY postage from those envelopes and using them on their own submissions. When I do receive one of my SASEs, I put it aside, open it last. Sometimes knowing is worse than not knowing. Email isn't much better. I recently received a rejection literally within minutes of when I emailed a submission. And then there are the agents who say if I never hear back from them, that means they are not interested. It's a lousy business. Some days I wonder why I try, then something good happens and I'm right back in it.
ReplyDeleteOh man Rosi, I've been there: never hearing anything back.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, for some reason this time, I feel more impatient than usual. Maybe it is because I felt REALLY good about the pieces I sent out. I'm just so eager to hear what the publishers have to say. But, I know I am still at the beginning of the waiting period. I think six months is probably the average waiting time, even for the form rejections.
I will say, waiting and waiting makes me want to send more manuscripts out. I hope to soon. That way, since I have to wait anyway, might has well wait for a whole bunch of manuscripts responses instead of just a few :)