Dear Editors,
We writers love you—we really do (I’m even married to a real-life editor). But sometimes, just sometimes, your rejections (or the dreaded silence) can be a little… discouraging. Have you ever thought about sending really positive emails to writers? Here are a few templates you can use. Feel free to take any of these and personalize them.
‘I just wanted to drop you a line to say how wonderful you are.’ Illustration by Josh Quick.
Dear Writer,
I’m so sorry I rejected that essay you sent in last month. I see you ended up publishing it in a much more prestigious place. I realize now that I made a terrible mistake, and I hope you can forgive me. Can I buy you a cup of coffee?
Yours,
Editor
Dearest Writer,
You are the most amazing writer who ever put hand to keyboard, pen to paper, even crayon to placemat, back when you were a child. I am simply not worthy of working with you. This isn’t a rejection, per se, but an encouragement for you to find an outlet worthy of your genius.
Best,
Editor
Hi Writer,
I happened to see you earlier when I was getting my breakfast at a nearby cafe. You look good today. Did you get a haircut? Is that a new sweatshirt? Whatever you’re doing, it’s working for you. I would have said hello, but you were tapping away at your laptop and you had headphones on, so I didn’t want to disturb you. I’m sure you were working on something very important. I’m sorry I didn’t respond to your last email sooner. Hope we can catch up soon.
Sincerely,
Editor
Dearest Writer,
Remember how we said we couldn’t pay you for that story you wrote for us? Well, our fortunes have changed, and we’ll be paying you $2/word. We will wire the funds into your bank account today.
Cheers,
Editor
Hi Writer,
Thank you so much for sending your latest submission. Although it’s not quite right for us, I’m going to give you detailed feedback and encourage you to re-submit it for further consideration. I’m also going to suggest other outlets for you to approach and will give you the names of the editors there. Please tell them I sent you!
Best,
Editor
Dear Writer,
Your writing keeps getting better and better every day. I’ve read the last five things you’ve published and I just wanted to drop you a line to say how wonderful you are. Keep up the great work.
Love,
Editor
Dear Writer,
You are on fire lately! Have you landed a book deal yet? I’d love to hook you up with a fabulous agent I know. I can’t wait to see you at your book launch party. I have complete faith in you.
Sincerely,
Editor
Dear Writer,
I love the idea you pitched me. You seem super smart and witty, and it’s amazing that you never make a single typo. How do you do it? I’d love to talk about your process with you. Have you ever considered giving a TED talk?
Yours,
Editor
Dear Writer,
An editor can only dream of working with a writer as wonderful as you. I think of all the great editor-writer relationships of the literary world and they pale in comparison. You are more than Thomas Wolfe to my Maxwell Perkins. I’m looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship.
Sincerely,
Editor
Dear Writer,
I have an assignment and I think you’d be a perfect fit for it. Would you like to write it? I’ll publish it right away, and I’ll pay you a good rate for it. I love your writing and I’m looking forward to working with you.
Best,
Editor*
*I actually received a version of this email recently and it made me so happy I immediately considered it to be one of the greatest moments of my entire life, right up there with other milestones like graduating from college, giving birth to my child, and getting published in the New York Times. I’m going to frame it and hang a copy of it in my house.
Looking for other ideas in the style of these alternative response templates for editors? Here are some lively alternatives to a standard rejection letter.
Janine Annett is a writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Real Simple, and many other places. Janine lives in New York, in a house full of piles of books, with her husband, son, and dog. Visit her website at www.janineannett.com or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.