Rejection, rejection, rejection...

Discussion in 'Traditional Publishing' started by deadrats, Aug 19, 2016.

  1. Alex R. Encomienda

    Alex R. Encomienda Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2016
    Messages:
    663
    Likes Received:
    257
    It sounds much more prestigious than it is but I'm still content with it. I included online publications and non payment publications too. Of course, there's always some that are much more satisfying than others however.

    I am just frustrated with the lack of any notice. I checked my submittable account and saw that half of them are received and only very few are in progress. I can't remember when any submittable entry of mine ever got published.
     
    deadrats likes this.
  2. Alex R. Encomienda

    Alex R. Encomienda Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2016
    Messages:
    663
    Likes Received:
    257
    It sounds much more prestigious than it is but I'm still content with it. I included online publications and non payment publications too. Of course, there's always some that are much more satisfying than others however.

    I am just frustrated with the lack of any notice. I checked my submittable account and saw that half of them are received and only very few are in progress. I can't remember when any submittable entry of mine ever got published.
     
  3. Funerary

    Funerary Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2016
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    151
    Location:
    A Constant State of Terror
    Fantastic. Sounds like an intriguing premise! I'm also aiming to have my piece finished by the end of the weekend so don't feel too under pressure time-wise. I'd be hoping to return feedback to you within seven to ten days. Is that acceptable or are you working against a deadline?

    Private Message me when you've got it finished and we'll set up the swap then.

    As per usual, this invitation goes out to anyone else who's got anything on their hard drive.
     
    Krispee and deadrats like this.
  4. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    I think our plan to swap after the weekend is the perfect motivation for me to finish this story. I'm at a point right now where I'm like... Why am I writing genre? And what's this story about? Don't worry. It will be much better in a few days or I'll trade you with something else.
     
    8Bit Bob likes this.
  5. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    Suffering horrendous writer anguish

    stillinthegame*stillinthegame*stillinthegame*stillinthegame
     
    deadrats and Krispee like this.
  6. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    I also have a small story I can finish if someone wants to read it. I should be done this weekend, have a couple of days off so will get to work. I'm also open to read other's work as mentioned before.
     
    deadrats likes this.
  7. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Don't worry, Woolf, it's not over until the sort story writer finishes his latest work.
     
    deadrats and matwoolf like this.
  8. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    Okay, because I absolution hate leaving things to the last minute, I went through my story and finished it. I don't know if I love it or just love that it's done, but there is a sort of high that comes with finishing something we've put a lot of work into. Anyway, I'll be ready for trading with anyone who is up for it. My lover said he won't read it until I go through it again tomorrow. My lover can only put up with so many first drafts. I'm going to try and clean this up as best I can over the weekend. My story is another science fiction one. Hope you are all doing well with your writing, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you've been working on.
     
  9. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    A good old 169-day form rejection from The Cincinnati Review. Fun fact: The Cincinnati Review was the first literary journal I submitted a short story to. This is my 11th rejection from them. And I'm not done trying.
     
    Krispee likes this.
  10. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    And here's another one from the Alaska Quarterly Review after 42 days. Just a form. Nothing special.
     
  11. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    I thought they were all forms?
    Anyway, I don't know about you but I've nearly finished my piece. It's fairly short at just over 3g words.
     
    deadrats likes this.
  12. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    Most of them are.

    My story is about 3,500 words. I'm going to go through it again, but I think I'm ready whenever you are.
     
  13. Funerary

    Funerary Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2016
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    151
    Location:
    A Constant State of Terror
    I just had a piece slaughtered by a reputable literary magazine. Needless to say they misread it from the fourth line onwards but still.
     
    deadrats likes this.
  14. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    You mean they criticized your work?
    I thought they weren't supposed to do that.
    I'm going to the same today/tomorrow, then we'll do a swap.
     
    deadrats likes this.
  15. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Actually I think mine is ok now. Gave it a once over again and it seems fine for the moment. A few issues but I'll send you a message and explain.
     
    deadrats likes this.
  16. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    It's quite an accomplishment to publish so much within a year. And I hear you on the waiting in silence thing. For me, it's usually followed with a "Dear Author" form rejection. But what I've learned from the few places that have bought my fiction is that the longer it takes, the better. One place that accepted a story from me is known for quick responses. That place took something like 120 days to decide they wanted my story. So, as much as it sucks to wait, waiting for an acceptance is always going to be better than a quick rejection. All my acceptances have been through submittable entries, but I'm discovering a lot of genre publications use a different system or have their own. I try not to check up on my submissions other than looking at duotrope. And if too much time goes by without me hearing anything from anywhere, I just figure that means I don't have enough stories out on submission. Then again, I've had over 50 submissions out before and the waiting still sucks. And those were all rejected.

    Just wanted to add that maybe we could help each other out. Story trade? I'm up for it anytime.
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2018
    Alex R. Encomienda likes this.
  17. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    You're totally part of our original crew over here. Want to get in on some story swapping?
     
  18. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    Most of the time these big-time-literary editors don't waste their time even to slaughter a piece. Your story must have had something that caught their attention.

    Also, for some reason I can't send you a private message. Do you have that feature turned off or something?
     
  19. Funerary

    Funerary Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2016
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    151
    Location:
    A Constant State of Terror
    I'd like to believe so.

    Oh, sorry about that. Didn't realise I had my privacy settings ramped up so highly. I think I amended it there if you want to try again. I'm not satisfied with the piece I was trying to finish to send you so I'm going to send you a previous piece instead, the one that was shortlisted for that literary journal but didn't make the cut. It probably makes for better reading anyway.

    Some places give feedback as a matter of policy, others if they feel so inclined, others if they think the piece is good enough but not quite there. Either way, getting criticism is pretty nice but sort of useless when they've misread the entirety of the piece (though one could argue that perhaps that means the piece itself wasn't clear enough in its intended interpretation, which is also valuable to know).
     
    deadrats likes this.
  20. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    I suppose any information is good information, positive or negative, unless they are just being mean.
     
    deadrats likes this.
  21. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    I'm happy to read anything you want. I'll send you a message now and we can work out the details.

    I don't know of any place that gives feedback as a policy. Most submissions are not worth the editors time to comment on. Heck, most submissions are not worth an editor's time to finish reading. I would look at the part you think they misread again. Even if the next editor you send it do doesn't have the same problem and wants to buy your story, you wouldn't want readers getting confused. Anyway, it does seem like a good thing. I would try that same editor again with another story.
     
  22. Alex R. Encomienda

    Alex R. Encomienda Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2016
    Messages:
    663
    Likes Received:
    257
    Sure, I have a somewhat decent length (3,000 words) short story that i've been persistently submitting with no acceptance. Message me the details.
     
  23. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    Is it genre or literary? I've been on a bit of a genre kick lately. But I have both of similar lengths I could trade. The other guys on here are reading my science fiction. I really want it to be good. It's a fun genre to play with. And I have put a few drafts into it, but I'm not sure that really means anything. And have have a bunch of literary stories, polished but proving to be tough sells. Let me know what you think. :)
     
    matwoolf likes this.
  24. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,087
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    I'm slipping a bit with sending out submissions. Sometimes I want to wait for a place that's past due, but when I get a form rejection a week or two later, I feel foolish for not submitting that story to other markets and doing it sooner. Then there is the problem that maybe something is wrong with every story I've ever written and I should go through them all, make them better. Will it give me more of a chance? I've learned from the few times I've been published that editors have a way of working their magic. I'm not sure I've got any magic. Am I ever going to learn the trick?

    Anyway, do I keep sending out because the odds are against me and not doing so just wastes time? And maybe it makes sense to keep working on new things while some of my bests stay on submission? Or do I put on the breaks and reevaluate everything?
     
  25. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    Hi @DR, I'd love to swap - let me get out of this work loop awhile - Thurs/Friday :)...altho' presently don't like anything...precious me.
     
    deadrats likes this.

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice