Rejection + Marketing
One of the rejections I received yesterday—a very spare one-liner—came with a contest flyer enclosed. For a fee, I could enter to win publication and a big ol' wad of cash! Umn...the editors just rejected my work. Wouldn't I have a better shot at the Powerball jackpot? To be fair, the entry fee includes a subscription to the magazine—but why not offer the contest as a perk to new or renewing subscribers rather than sell it as a contest first? I don't mind being asked to subscribe to a journal where I've submitted work.
