The Best Rejection Letter I've ever Received

The Best Rejection Letter I've Ever Received

By Susanne Patterson

Clearing The Red Tape

www.theblacklistnbc.com

As a writer and journalist for several publications, I've received more than my share of rejection letters. Some publishers send the submission back with no indication anyone even bothered to read it while others return submissions that are bleeding out with red ink and riddled with the publisher's opinion. It's not rewarding to be rejected, however, I have always preferred the blood. These submissions are practically dead on arrival but it carries the assurance that someone took the time to read it past the first page and thought it warranted further discussion. Either way, it can be discouraging or rewarding depending on how you look at it.

Being a successful writer is not easy! Achieving originality and standing out in the crowd can be a major task as a writer and in Blacklist Fandom.

My dedication to The Blacklist began with the trailer. I knew in an instant I was going to love the show. In fact, I'm not ashamed to admit I watched the trailer more than 10 times.

I began my journey as an "everyday" sort of Blacklist fan. I watched the show, got pulled into the story arch and eventually sought out a medium that allowed me to discuss every twist and turn of the show. Hello, Facebook!

The first group I joined had over 25,000 members and I thought high number of members meant I was in the right place. It didn't take me long to realize that the "bigger group" doesn't necessarily mean the "best group". So, I set out on my own and "Clearing The Red Tape" (CTRT) was born.

Building the group and a following was very SLOW! I spent hours researching how make a group grow and how to stand out among the mass of Facebook fan groups. I also searched around the fandom for other admins and podcast hosts that could assist me in bringing my vision for CTRT to fruition. Then, BAM! CTRT began to grow! However, true to character, I wanted more for my group.

The Blacklist series creator, Jon Bokenkamp, mentioned during an interview with The Blacklist Exposed Podcast, that he wished to have more interaction with Blacklist Fandom. The gears in my head began to turn and I set out to cultivate a plan.

The plan was a blueprint for an all encompassing web presence that would include almost all of the varying facets of Blacklist Fandom. Fan groups, writers, producers, podcasts, musicians and artists all under the same roof. I emailed this proposal to Jon Bokenkamp. It was a shot in the dark and I had no way of knowing if it would ever garner a response. I figured what the heck...nothing ventured...nothing gained, right?

Within two days, there was an email in my box from, you guessed it, Jon Bokenkamp.

As I expected, setting up a fanbase with official show support simply wasn't possible unless it was internally created by Sony Television. My idea was shot down. However, Bokenkamp went on to praise the proposal and the group/website.

"How truly amazing! The articles are great and the attention to detail is really humbling. Thanks for such a great site," he said

"It’s really fantastic and I can’t thank you enough for being so involved. Makes all the hard work here worth it when we know we’ve got dedicated fans on the other end. Thanks again for the email and best of luck."

I literally began to cry. I wasn't crying because of the obvious rejection to my proposal. I was crying with joy because my work, vision and dedication to The Blacklist had finally found a spotlight. In that spotlight, I was able to network with writers, producers and even cast members. The doors were now wide open. It was the best rejection letter I have ever received.

Recently, I watched an episode of the now defunct, Beyond The Blacklist. It was produced and posted on NBC.com following each episode of season 1. In an instant it brought me back to season 1 of the show, before my journey on Facebook and before websites or podcasts. I remember thinking to myself back then, "Boy, would I love to pick the brain of Mr. Bokenkamp or ask questions of the cast and writers." The second viewing was a totally different experience. Today I can say I've have corresponded with Jon Bokenkamp, some writers and even cast members. It all became very real in that moment.

The moral of the story? Don't look at the challenge before you and assume you can't meet it because it all appears to be out of reach. Look at the challenge before you and assume you can rise to the occasion. As one of my favorite quotes conveys quite beautifully, "Luck is preparation meets opportunity." We all create our own luck through dedication and hard work.

If you ever decide to jump into the sea of Blacklist Fandom and create your own fan group, here's a tip! It's not the amount of members you have in a fan group that determines it's worth...it's the members you have!

Be sure to check out my interview with The Blacklist's, Amir Arison (Agent Aram Mojtabai) by visiting "Inside The Interrogation Room With Susanne Patterson" hosted by The Blacklist Fan Site (www.theblacklistnbc.com).

Join us at "Clearing The Red Tape" (www.facebook.com/groups/ClearingTheRedTape) to dive deeper into the mystery that is THE BLACKLIST.

Special Thanks to:

Troy Heinritz and Aaron Peterson, hosts of The Blacklist Exposed Podcast for all your advice and support of CTRT.

To my partner at www.theblacklistnbc.com and CTRT admin, Jen Sansevere. I'm forever grateful for your friendship and support.

CTRT Admin, Jessica Ward McWhorter. You are an amazing fan of the show and I'm proud to have you as part of my team.

Finally, Mr. Jon Bokenkamp, a very nice guy and a gifted writer/producer.