Rejection, rejection, rejection...

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

  1. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Ah, British mags, right.
    But what on earth is FOXTROT?

    (I see what I did there ;))
     
  2. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    You make me explain everything, you male.

    ...the 'high' from submission, the sense of purpose, the renewed sense of purpose DESPITE fact that a 99.6% chance is that the sub-eds never even see your foam. It goes first tier to Boris the deranged gamer with his lead figures, a bed crammed with teddy bears, Henry's nephew...
     
    Carly Berg likes this.
  3. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Well, duh, I am a guy so :D...and the reason I ask is because I don't know. A lesson I learnt very early on in engineering, if in doubt ask!
    Plus, if you don't mind me saying so, you can be the tiniest bit cryptic.
     
    matwoolf likes this.
  4. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,086
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    Right now I have 14 stories spread across 42 submissions. I really want to have 50 submissions out, but when I keep getting rejected it's hard to keep the numbers up. In my experience and for me, I have to submit like crazy for anything to come of it.
     
    Carriage Return, Krispee and matwoolf like this.
  5. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    They got really upset when I asked what a valve was? 'What actually is it?' I said during my 'engineer,' ahem, six months.

    Sad time.
     
    Krispee likes this.
  6. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    50 stories, I just can't imagine it.

    You asked that? And you lasted six months? :D
    There's definitely a story in there, why not give it some air, sad times can make for great stories. Mind you they say write what you know but as an engineer I often wonder whether people would be very interested in reading a story based around that; elements of that maybe but not as a whole.
     
    deadrats and matwoolf like this.
  7. Carriage Return

    Carriage Return Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2018
    Messages:
    296
    Likes Received:
    250
    16
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2018
    deadrats, SethLoki and matwoolf like this.
  8. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,086
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    A 29-day form rejection from The Kenyon Review.
     
  9. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Are you doing that with an agent or on your own?
     
  10. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    The Carver 'winners' on the website are ehmm mmm irritating.

    I'll read them again with more patience :)
     
  11. Carriage Return

    Carriage Return Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2018
    Messages:
    296
    Likes Received:
    250
    16
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2018
  12. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Right, sounds like you can't get a book published conventionally without an agent then. Even if you could it seems that snagging an agent is just as hard as getting something published.
     
  13. Carriage Return

    Carriage Return Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2018
    Messages:
    296
    Likes Received:
    250
    16
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2018
    Krispee likes this.
  14. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Nothing about this end of the business seems like much fun.
     
    Carriage Return likes this.
  15. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    upload_2018-10-17_14-51-34.jpeg
     
    deadrats and Krispee like this.
  16. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,086
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    It's pretty safe to assume your story has been sent to someone higher up the editorial ladder or that you've just been completely forgotten after a certain amount of time passes. But it's often a good sign when a publication takes longer with your story than it usually does with others. But close calls and almosts can also take a long time.
     
    Krispee likes this.
  17. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,086
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    I was able to maintain 50 submissions for a pretty long time, but now I just can't seem to get back there. It's hard not paying for submissions. I could easily have 50 out if some of these places would stop a ridiculous reading fee. I just can't afford it right now, and it's definitely limiting where I would send stories. Sure, there are a ton of places still, but these reading fees are limiting and perhaps somewhat shaping what the slush piles look like. I cave sometimes, but it never works out. And right now I just can't. I totally want to just to get to 50, which would only be about $30. But $30 does seem like a lot for 10 submissions. And certainly more than I want to pay for 10 rejections.
     
    Krispee likes this.
  18. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,086
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    Wow. I've never heard of a 14-minute rejection. Sorry to hear about that one. But keep trying. It sounds like you're working hard on getting an agent.
     
    Medazza and Carriage Return like this.
  19. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,086
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    Doesn't every university have a press? There really are a lot of small presses, but the size of the publisher can have a lot to do with your earning potential.
     
  20. J.T. Woody

    J.T. Woody Book Witch Contributor

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    Messages:
    4,129
    Likes Received:
    8,663
    Worst rejection:
    2 days after I submitted, I got "No"
    That was it. An email with 1 word in the subject.
    I mean, I was thankful that it wasn't sugar coated, but "No"??
    Was it not right for the magazine/journal (I'm assuming).

    Any case, I went from confusion, to anger, to confusion again, to bitter defeatist. Now I just find it funny.
     
  21. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    That's a new one. You could take from that that at least they spared you the time to email you. One word though, perhaps he/she was having a bad day.
     
  22. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,086
    Likes Received:
    7,421
    Just wanted to report back that it seems like most places completely ignore and do not respond to follow-up emails. Two places rejected me. The others went unanswered. Well, that was a fun experiment. And by that I mean not fun at all.
     
    matwoolf likes this.
  23. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Well at least you know, although I'm positive that they say (on some of the magazine sites) that they would accept a mail query after a certain period has elapsed. Perhaps they have to say that but in reality they completely ignore it.
     
  24. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    I posted to Gberg review@

    'However, noble gentleman, be forewarned this manuscript shall be published most shortly in British union dominions, would you like US right?'

    Immediate and total response auto-rejection, heh heh heh heh :(
     
    deadrats and Krispee like this.
  25. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    One away to ...G[UK] shhh...heavyweight.

    And a decent letter attachment.

    Such excitement in my atmospheres, pant dance.
     

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