Monday, December 20, 2010

Letters Of Rejection Every Writer Must Read

Check out author Richard de Nooy's pre-emptive letters of rejection. Here's a sample:

Dear Paris Review,

Although I am honoured by your request to contribute to your magazine, I regret to inform you that I must cordially decline as it has come to my attention that you have long preyed on the gullibility of those ignorant enough to believe that you are based in the French capital, when indeed you are little more than a colonial rag, buffing up and serving somewhat outdated quotes to your friends on social networks. That said, I wish you the very best of luck in your further endeavours.

Yours in writing,

Richard de Nooy


LOL! Read the rest of the letters

So who's Richard? He's one of my favourite humour writers, that's who. "Met" him online through READ SA. As for his credentials, he's grew up in Johannesburg, but has lived in Amsterdam for more than 20 years. His first novel Six Fang Marks and a Tetanus Shot (Jacana, 2007) won the University of Johannesburg Prize for Best First Book. It was published in Dutch as Zes beetwonden en een tetanusprik by Nijgh & Van Ditmar in 2008. De Nooy was awarded a grant by the Dutch Foundation for Literature to write his second novel in Dutch. Zacht als Staal will be published in August 2010. He is currently working on the English edition of this novel.

Learn more about Richard and his writing

Join READ SA's Facebook group.

No comments:

Copyright Notice

With the exception of entries specifically credited to individual authors, the content on this blog is copyrighted by Damaria Senne and may not be reprinted without permission.