WRITING PROMPT #7 OF 30

NaProWriMo # 7:

I’ve been thinking about rejection letters lately. I’ve received some super sweet ones (I’m winking at you, Collagist!) and also some fairly rude ones (how YOU doin, Anti- ?) and also the same form rejection from the same magazine like eight times (Rattle.)

If you know me and my writing philosophies, you know that I urge my students to collect one hundred rejection slips. Rejection can be it’s own kind of fuel.

I want you to make a list of people, places, institutions that have rejected you: colleges, pretty girls, sports teams. Make a list of things that it seems this life just doesn’t want you to have: a comfortable job situation, a life with gluten. And then write yourself a form rejection letter from that thing—let it be a gentle letdown, or be a jerk about it. 

I’ve had the pleasure of working with one of the writers for Welcome to Nightvale recently, so let this quote be your inspiration:

“Thank you for your interest in a life free of pain. We are not accepting applications at this time. Please try again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again…” 
- WTNV

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Megan Falley is the author of two collections of poetry, After the Witch Hunt (2012) and Redhead & the Slaughter King (forthcoming in 2014), both published by Write Bloody Press. In honor of National Poetry Month, she will be posting a writing prompt per day over at her artist page.