Poetry Tips: Close but no Cigar

Those of us who submit our poetry will often face rejections, but then there are those rejections you should pay special attention to: The ones with personalized notes saying you were close, or that you almost made it, and/or “please try again.” I recently received such a notice and I was elated, it was my first time submitting a chapbook manuscript and I almost made it! Sure, I was a little disappointed but then I realized the odds and was happy I got as far as I did and I’ll definitely try to submit again to the same place—but I hope to add some new ones to it if possible so it isn’t the exact same manuscript. I urge you all to save those “almost made it” notes to spur you forward because you are well on your way to publication. Take them out when you feel as though you don’t have what it takes in order to remind yourself that you do.

Good luck to all of you in your poetic endeavors, please drop in again next week…