slice that top layer just a little thinner

The slush pile readers said yes. The managing editor said yes. The executive editor put it in queue for the November/December issue. And then, when it didn't fit in that issue, he rethought and decided, actually, no. To be fair, I had only been told it was probably accepted not guaranteed. They sent me a very gracious rejection letter with lots of detail about why specifically it didn't fit and what a great writer and great person I am anyway. Thanks.

a new low

I thought the two sentence impersonal note was the lowest level of rejection, but I've discovered a new one—no answer at all. In an automatic response email, The New York Times lets you know that if you haven't heard from them in 3 weeks, figure you won't be hearing ever.

I find this a little mind boggling. How do you know your piece wasn't lost? or shuffled to the wrong pile and never read? To give them the benefit of the doubt, I assume they are reading the unsolicited pieces; they provide an email address for them after all. I wonder how many extra seconds it would take after reading to hit one key for the standard rejection blurb and one to send.

The good news is that essay that just got rejected? In two days, I edited it down 1,500 words and sent it out again to the your lives column at The New York Times. Cross your fingers.