Art and Culture #89
The Memory of Rejection Letters
-For the Uncensored!
Rejection letters are and always will be the bane of creative people’s existence. I couldn’t fathom what people feel today because many people will never hear back from publishers or agents that reject them. They don’t want to have that conversation. But I remember one time, a rejection letter devastated me. It’s when they tell you, “It’s bold and visionary, and you’re talented, but we have no way to sell this.” That was told to me, but the letter has since been missing, but that’s what I remember after reading it with my own eyes.
That has always haunted me as a writer. It’s either being way too ahead of the curve or being outright lied to in order to not bother the publisher or agent. I am sure it might be a combination of the feeling of being rejected by women, or how women feel being rejected by men. It’s almost like a post card into the abyss.
It doesn’t mean someone will read it. I don’t think that all agents are bad people. They started as assistants to high profile agents who looked to them to find thought provoking but entertaining, and profitable. Plus it really depends on who the agent is. If talent could be able to sell books sitting in a warehouse, then it might be different. The age of thought provoking artists trying to make a difference in society has long past. It can’t be blamed on society, but if academia is only allowing a few literary masters to foster their talent and grow, then the rejection letters might be more than I know.
Granted, being told your work is “bold and visionary and thought provoking but we don’t know how to sell this,” creates a conundrum to even send manuscripts to an agency. The independent market sees more money go toward independent content creators, on Indiegogo. But then, that market is entirely for graphic novelists, comic book authors, but that market is flooded by many who needed a home after cancel culture from 2015 to 2020. Who needs to care about rejection when you have a ready army to support your work and you can keep the proceeds, or spend it towards your next project. This was unfathomable before Amazon publishing decided to give power to writers and make money their own way.
What makes rejection like a piece of fabric blowing in the wind is being able to write, edit, and compile your vision into a product that people can enjoy, discuss, and debate online, and be the artist you were meant to be. I think a phrase still rings true for me as a creative: “You can’t teach a lion to be a rabbit” as my writing is not built for most omnivorous weak writers who still reads Harry Potter, Handmaid’s Tale, or 1984.
But rejection letters almost feel like an old crush I used to be in love with. It’s a reminder that I didn’t matter. But being free to publish what I want is the gift and the curse. It all depends on me, and what I want to talk about.
(This is probably one of the kindest and warm rejection letters ever received by a writer. Even though it must have damaged Plath, it does remind me of a time when I was asked to rewrite something, only to then be charge me to publish it, too. I didn’t take that deal, but at least I have a reworked fiction ready to go. Which at least Plath never had to do that, but then, maybe she would have been alive if she could have ventured into self publishing.)
-Louis Bruno is the author of more than 19 books, including, The Michael Project, The Michael Project: Book 2: The Lost Children of Eve, Thy Kingdom Come, The Disintegrating Bloodline Part 2: Chaos, The Data Chase, The Disintegrating Bloodline part 3: Solvè, The Disintegrating Bloodline (and the original text re-released in 2019), Apocalypse Soldier, The Data Chase, Selection: The First Book of the Life and Death Saga, and Blinking Eyes: The Second Book of the Life and Death Saga, Hierarchy of Dwindling Sheep, The City of Sand, The God of Curiosity, To the Moon and Back, The Villain Lives and The Villain Lives: The Divided Pinpoint, Come Home, Young One. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Phoenix. His books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Lulu. He can be found on Gab, https://gab.com/thereallouistbruno, Minds https://www.minds.com/lbruno8063/. Instagram @lbrruno8063 and @louisbrunoofficialbook. Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouisBr88881650. He has written for the Intellectual Conservative and Ephemere. His newest book, The Voices Are Alive is out now: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/louis-bruno/the-voices-are-alive/hardcover/product-mvggdg.html?page=1&pageSize=4. Also, if you can’t subscribe so that you can get members only content, please be sure to share the articles, as well. If you do Subscribe, you have long term access to the paid articles that some readers won’t get to see or access after the articles/books go private. If that doesn’t tickle your pickle, I am also selling merch from t spring, if you want to help support me in other ways. I sell hoodies, shirts, phone cases, and trying to find something there loved ones would like. Link is here: https://thereallouistbruno.creator-spring.com/listing/too-many-strings-not-enough. https://thereallouistbruno.creator-spring.com/listing/duck-fuckery. https://thereallouistbruno.creator-spring.com/listing/headless-corpo. Every little bit helps. Thanks for reading.
The Rejection Letter is such a hard truth. Most of the time it really couldn't even be something you could your finger on. Bad writers got gigs all the time while good writers died in obscurity. What was the formula? Did you have to know a certain person, write a certain way, write certain things? Was it just blind chance? who knows?
Sure, it's easier to self-publish now, but that means more people are doing it, which means more competition for people's attention.
Then there's the social pressure to not like things or creators that could get you in hot water with the mob later down the road. I see a lot of that.
the hill seems to get steeper and steeper and climbing up it seems more and more a matter of luck than any hard work or diligence.
Well, I can see a lot of things. You made some good points.
Sometimes it's blind chance, and others it's who you know and not how talented you are. People I think are straight garbage are often people who went to writing festivals or went to writing seminars and made friends that way. But every time I would try and have conversation, it was weird, because they treated it like it was a homework assignment and I was just a leper. So, intellectuals are rather snide, crass, and hiding behind intelligence to keep their blemishes out of sight. What confirms my suspicions is very clear, now. But to be published today on a traditional publisher, while you might get a higher paycheck and be part of the WGA, there's no guarantee that your book will sell. That's why independents have to work harder, and sometimes, make more headway with their own brand, instead of a corporate "finesse" that doesn't help that particular transgressive writer be more palatable to an invisible market.
For me, I'm not in competition with people I respect, because they have earned that place for me, and they continually make sure they perfect their craft, regardless of me helping them or not. I'm glad to, but I will admit when I don't know. But not everyone should be jack of all trades. I think people who do podcast or YouTube have different skills than a writer should.
But social pressure today is very much what you want to bring upon your brand. But then mobs, in their righteous way, often have one singular purpose. Violence, either physical or mental. It takes future generations to call out old past times and say, "This is wrong," which is why many leftists don't want children, because they don't want to age or be called out for their mistakes. Denying themselves growth or the chance to change.
But "the hill" as you call it is again once more a simple contest of being consistent. But as an artist, consistency is important if you have an audience. But It doesn't mean you have to write the same damn book every time. Then there would be no point in being an artist. But consistency is only appropriate if you're cooking food. To me, at least. Some writers really love formulaic ways, and while formula is fine, I didn't get into art because I loved calculus. 😂
LtB