Question re: Submission

[orleans]

i recently submitted a short children's picture book mss. to a publisher who, according to guidelines, specifically said not to enclose a SASE as material is recycled rather than returned if i hadn't heard from them within 3 months. so i didn't enclose a SASE.

six weeks later i get a post card from them (standard rejection preprinted) with a hand-written note: "great idea! pare it down" blablabla. "thank you" (whoever wrote the note at the bottom did not sign their name and did not say i should resubmit the mss. once i had changed it)

here is my question: should i resubmit to the same publisher after paring it down or should i assume no matter they are not interested in the story?

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Definitely resubmit to the same publisher.

Include a photocopy of the postcard, and refer to it in your cover letter.

[orleans]

2. thank you, david.

i was going back and forth over it (in my head) but it never even occurred to me to send a copy of the postcard.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. No signature?

So you have no idea if this came from anyone in any position of authority at the publisher's?

Why would they send you a rejection and include on it a suggestion, if that's what it was?

It doesn't make sense.

If I were you, I'd call and ask to speak to someone who might be able to clear this up for you.

[petgoat]

4. I get a lot of suggestions written in my rejections. nt