I’ve received my second shortlisting from a Writing Magazine competition. I subscribe and read every issue and submit to a lot of their competitions. Encouraging to know I’ve written two stories good enough to make the shortlist (they told me last time it was no more than 10% of stories making the shortlist) but I worry I’m not good enough to actually win one (they publish one winner and one runner-up each time, both win money).
Rejected from an agent who had the full MS. Standard rejection- however it was an agent with no track record and whilst pleased to get a full MS request I had contacted Writers Beware- they said no red flags but they had little evidence of the agent making deals. Seemed more like a hobby. So I’d decided I’d reject even if I’d been offered on. No agent is better than a bad agent. And I’m increasingly confident about my third book I’m currently writing- it just feels like something that will get more attention.
142-day rejection from A Public Space. Seemed like a tiered rejection: “we enjoyed the writing and hope there will be a chance to consider your writing again.” The piece has received good responses—even a few personal ones—but so far remains rejected.
6-day form rejection from the ‘Not Meant for Each Other’ anthology. I’m a bit gutted, I was really hoping for this one!
I know I shouldn't complain, but these revisions from an editor at a publication are kicking my ass. I'm sure it will be worth it, but sometimes it's a lot of work after something is accepted. I wonder how much revision the other writers do while working with the editor. It's pretty common for me. I've been struggling to get this piece right. It's not something I can get through quickly. I've been thinking about one issue that was raised for a few days and just now I think I can get that part right, but that's just one thing. And sometimes there are multiple rounds of edits. I love a hands-on editor for the sake of the piece, but it can be a lot of work. It's only going to be published once and I do want the final product to be amazing. An editor really does help so much with that.
168-day rejection from Five Points. 113-day rejection from Conjunctions. 44-day rejection from Fractured Literary. 40-day rejection from Litmag. A nice bundle—two positive and two boring form.
I just received my first ever acceptance, from Black Petals Magazine. Now, although I've written for about two decades, I'd only started submitting in summer of 2020. I'm sure there's a lot that can be said regarding the merits of the different types of magazines and online publications, but I'll take this. They fit my story and the editor was fairly glowing. I'd received two form rejections today and BP's was the third submissions email. A colossal newbie when it comes to all of this, so I just had to ask questions in my response. Edit: Can anyone advise on contract postponement? I just wonder if I might not receive another offer elsewhere, perhaps on a more well-known platform. Not likely but it's still technically possible. Admittedly I forgot to mention this story is being submitted elsewhere. Poor form, I know. Really I'm just clueless at the moment. I don't even know if I'm allowed or if it's advisable to postpone. Any help appreciated.
Congratulations on your acceptance! I would advise you take it. Putting off the contract in the hope someone else might accept it seems like poor form to me. And if you don’t agree to it for a while then suddenly tell them the story is no longer available, it might be obvious you were waiting for a better offer. Btw, I don’t think you need to tell places you’re submitting the story elsewhere, unless it suggests that in their submission guidelines. I don’t generally do it. After all you might only submit something there and then weeks or months later see somewhere else that you think the story would fit.
Thanks, Woodstock. Yes, I realise it's not great that I've even thought about any kind of postponement. It's just an odd thing though, surely most people will run up against similar "dilemmas" if they're submitting to multiple places? I mean, I know some of you here have huge lists of open submissions, so at least a handful of these must be to places that don't accept simultaneous submissions and the like. Is it not the case that there's at least a chance of receiving an opportunity from, say, a smaller outlet but you've still got maybe 5 other open submissions for the same story? In that case it'd be understandable, I think, to hope that a bigger outlet would take up your story in the meantime. Or is it that you're more selective overall, choosing only one place to submit to in the first place? Again, I have heard, however, that a lot of people just submit the same story in bulk to multiple places. That's why I've been sending my story out to various places almost thinking I wouldn't get anything at all. And of course, I thought that the instant I received any acceptance, I'd jump at it. I've only just realised I've put myself in a tricky position. I should've been more considerate for BP's guidelines. Edit: Of course, some places do reprints and whatnot. Just to put it bluntly, is it highly wrong of me to hope that I don't suddenly get an acceptance after I've signed the contract, since I wouldn't be able to accept it? Thanks!
I rejected an acceptance once, but only after reviewing the contract and finding some of the language atypical. But otherwise, if I submit a piece to a journal it’s because I want to see my work published in that journal, and so I accept their acceptance. As far as simultaneous submissions, I’ve always followed the guidelines and never submitted a piece to multiple places if it’s under consideration at a journal that doesn’t accept simultaneous submissions. Obviously that’s difficult sometimes, because I find submitting to a whole bundle of places at once a lot easier, but I also think following the editorial guidelines is important, as far as showing respect and a familiarity with the journal.
Indeed, I really should just accept that BP is somewhere that will not do simultaneous submissions. That's fair enough. It's just a little unfortunate that the publication who've picked up my story are quite small and really not well known. Two people running out of Kansas, I believe. Small old style website, too. I know that beggars can't be choosers and I'm very much grateful for my first acceptance, but I'll have to see whether I get anything else in the next few days. I do think they're a good fit though. Thanks for your input.
When submitting to magazines and journals you always go with the first taker and withdraw your story from the other places where it is still under consideration. It's really the standard practice. I also always state in my cover letter if it is a simultaneous submission which is also standard practice. It's different with a agents and a novel, but it's really not a good idea to wait for the other places to respond when it comes to magazines. Anyway, congratulations on your first acceptance. In the future if you want to hold out for a bigger publication, only submit to the bigger publications and wait to see what happens before sending your work to smaller ones.
Publishing a story is like an act of haggling. (I'm referring only to markable manuscripts. Things like short memoirs I simply give away.) First, you send it to a place that offers ten cents per word, then eight, then four . . . Or that's how I do it. You never know who might bite. You should withdraw your submission from everywhere else if it is accepted.
That is certainly logical, Deadrats. I fully admit it's poor form on my part, wanting to have more chances at success without thinking that right through. I'll withdraw my other submissions. I mean, I suppose it works entirely on the honour system? I could technically ignore BP if I got a new acceptance, but that just seems a little crude. Can't imagine people haven't done that before though since it wouldn't be difficult. Shame.
