Encouragement sometimes comes in very small packages.  I had submitted a children's short story to the famous Highlights Magazine.  (Nothing like starting at the top.) The rejection letter lists 16 reasons why a manuscript may be rejected. . They didn't check the bloc that says "The story is well written but lacks freshness" nor the one that says "It lacks a strong plot."   The block that reads "Not suited for our present needs" was checked for my manuscrit.–AND–at the bottom of the letter was a hand-written sentence: "Thank you for thinking of us."  This is subtle encouragement. Yes, my story was rejected. But itt went into the mail THAT DAY to the next possible children's market..  Most important, my story did not fit their PRESENT NEEDS.  I will try them again with another story that may fit those "persent needs."

This reminds me that years ago I had submitted an article to an agriculture magazine when I was living in the San Joaquin Valley of California where more than 250 commercial crops are grown.  Most of my articles were interviews and photos of farmers/farm families.   I had waited anxiously for a reply that did not come with the usual speed of response (in those days editors responded much faster than they do now).  When the envelope finally came, it was a fat one and I assumed it held the returned article..  I had high hopes of marketing that particular manuscript.  I set the fat envelope aside for a couple of days.  When I finally opened it, I found a contract–two copies–and a note of acceptance.

 A few days ago, I received a window envelope with only a Box number in Texas in the return corner. I set it aside for "more important" mail.  It got shuffled in with the magazines and daily newspaper I receive and it wasn't until I was clearing "refuse" the next morning that I re-found the envelope and opened it.  It contained a check for a submission I'd forgotten I'd sent.

Morale to the stories:  the mail can bring Wins as well as Woes.