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Don't call us we'll call you

edited June 2012 in - Writing Tales
I recently got a response from an American magazine after I pitched an idea to them, and the editor said it's "prohibitively difficult" to get in as a contributor. That's got to be the best "Don't call us we'll call you" response I've had!

Comments

  • [quote=DeneBebbo]"prohibitively difficult"[/quote]

    What's wrong with a straight, 'sorry, no'?
  • [quote=Carol]What's wrong with a straight, 'sorry, no'? [/quote]

    Indeed. I may pitch another idea in future though - don't want to be put off too easily!
  • If it's prohibitively difficult, that means no-one can get in, so why have a magazine at all? Dozy lot!
  • Heard a strange expression on TV the other day - not sure whether they were talking about the unemployed or retired: "financially inactive"
  • [quote=Betsie]Heard a strange expression on TV the other day - not sure whether they were talking about the unemployed or retired: "financially inactive" [/quote]

    Are you sure that wasn't just customers of RBS and Nat West?
  • A clergy friend of mine has written a theological book, which he has tried - unsuccessfully so far - to publish. One publisher sent him a great long convoluted letter, which basically said what it says in the title of this thread. My friend has a thing about split infinitives, and has a habit of pointing them out in almost any conversation or situation. His reaction to the publisher was to write a curt letter saying that the letter he received contained "no less than seven split infinitives, which from someone of your profession is unacceptable", and therefore he would not be pursuing publication with them, and would use another publisher. Unfortunately, he has done this with two other publishers as well, and I can't help thinking he has shot himself in the foot.
  • edited June 2012
    [quote=JohnWho63]A clergy friend of mine has written a theological book, which he has tried - unsuccessfully so far - to publish.[/quote]
    A friend of mine had enough rejections for his theologically-inspired books that he found a charity to publish them.
    I don't know what the charity is, but you can look him up on Google - Kevin Carey. He is the President of the RNIB and he is blind. He's a broadcaster and lay-reader,
    His first book is called "Perpetua" and the series is Testament for the Third Millenium.
    Edited to say - (Or similar - that might not be quite right)
  • Thanks, Liz. I'll let my friend know. I just hope he can see beyond his thing about split infinitives. I personally think it borders on obsession.
  • Hmm. That is the sort of obsession up with I cannot put.
  • [quote=Liz!]That is the sort of obsession up with I cannot put.[/quote]
    You can't take the grammatical high ground with a sentence like that, Liz.
  • This is often known as the 'Thanks, but you're not invited to the party' brush offs. In other words, it doesn't matter how well you write or what you write, you will never get in because they already have their own writerly clique. I've worked in publishing - magazines and newspapers - and I used to see it all the time. Silly really, they lose out in the end.
  • It struck me that way as well. There's just something about it. The best thing to do might be to try and find a way of getting to know one of the contributors who is accepted, and becoming one of 'them'.
  • edited July 2012
    I've just had another look at an issue of the magazine and one person wrote two out of the seven features and one of the regular columns, so maybe they do have a clique of favoured writers. However, I've got another feature idea and will pitch it to them anyway on the off-chance that the editor is interested. Until he explicitly says not to contact him with ideas I'll give it another go.

    It turns out the writer I mention above is the magazine's editor and apparently is a leading authority on British travel and culture.
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