Not Cute Enough

How much rejection can one man take?

Actually, when I set out to document my pursuit of a publisher for The Search for Plupreme, I expected it was a Sisyphean task without the benefit of an agent. But I thought it might still be instructive to record and post the rejections as they accumulated, sharing the sense of anonymity one feels and offering any lessons worth sharing along the way. (Yes, and privately maintaining a sliver of hope that I might one day get to post a note of encouragement, if not an actual acceptance letter.)

Yesterday, I learned that Kathy had intercepted one of the rejection letters that had arrived the same day I'd learned I had been turned down for a job by a company I was enthusiastic about. A charitable gesture, to be sure, but unnecessary as it turns out, as this particular rejection was from a publisher that declines to read unsolicited manuscripts. (Hey, at only 750 words, I'd figured it was worth a try.)

So here is the response from Candlewick:

Dear Author:

Thank you for submitting your work to Candlewick Press. Sadly, we must return the material unread, per our stated submissions policy of accepting only agented or solicited material. Please note that we have increased our attendance at writer's conferences and SCBWI meetings to mitigate the effects of this policy and to maintain a strong level of involvement with the writing community.

We thank you for your interest in Candlewick Press, and offer our best wishes for finding the right home for your work.

Sincerely,
The Editors
Candlewick Press

Sounds like it was written by attorneys, doesn't it?

Then this week I received the following from Houghton Mifflin:

Dear John,

Many thanks for sending me the manuscript for "The Search for Plupreme." Please pardon my delay in responding.

Your story is cute. However, I am not inclined to pursue this project at this time. I am returning your manuscript herewith.

With best wishes,
Andrea D. Pinkney

"Cute???"

Instead of the "Thanks" (T), "No Thanks" (NT), or "Thanks, But No Thanks" (TBNT) varieties of form rejection letters, am I to believe that Houghton Mifflin employs "Cute" (C), "Too Cute" (TC), and "Cute, But Not Cute Enough" (CBNCE) distinctions?

I mean, really: "Cute?"

"Amateur," perhaps. "Discordant," maybe. "Sweet," even. But, "Cute?"

Hey, her letter was more personal than attorneyspeak, so I'll take Andrea's rejection as an intended kindness. And I'll excuse her the one dissonant "herewith."