Back around 1982, when this gentleman (link below) was editor of a now-defunct magazine called New England Monthly, I pitched a half-baked idea for a piece. I was living in the Southeast at the time.

He wrote back and expressed reservations but did not slam the door shut. Eventually I realized my idea was not so great.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Okrent

And I once wrote this fellow (link below) and proposed I go over to Bozeman and hang out. This was about 20 or 25 years ago.

He wrote back and said, more or less, "No, thanks." Which is certainly better than no response at all.

My miscalculation was that I was thinking he was about to become a very big deal and he was under the impression that he already was. Too big, anyway, for the likes of The Spokesman-Review.

http://www.ted.com/speakers/jack_horner