HOPE FLOATS--AND SINKS by Steve Nadis
Some months ago, I wrote about the boost I received by virtue of sending an entry to a prestigious magazine, one of our most distinguished. Although I knew it would probably be rejected--the odds, based on pure statistics, were against me--until I was notified as such, I could always hope. Well, the word from "on high" came yesterday, and the verdict was a polite thumb's down: "Dear Mr. ___, We're sorry to say that your piece, "_______," isn't right for us, despite its evident merit. Thank you for allowing us to consider your work. Best regards..."
Looking on the bright side, there's not much to go on here expect those two words, standing out like beacons of truth: "evident merit." Not to be a nitpicker, but I always thought the expression was "obvious merit." But maybe it wasn't "obvious" to them, only "evident." And what was "evident" to me was that despite it's undeniable "merit," they still didn't like it.
