As predicted got a rejection from the Cheshire Prize. No way as a SF book going to have a chance. I’m now interested in the feedback they promise to send. Meanwhile I need to get my second book finished, it’s like wading though treacle at the moment
A 55-day personal rejection from Whetstone. They sent me edits and commentary! Just a handful of suggestions on word choice. Overall, they were very positive, but I guess the story was ultimately a little “higher” fantasy than they wanted. I think I’ll make those edits, toss it in the workshop, and if it’s similarly well received I’ll enter it in the Writers of the Future Contest.
I've got a bunch of aging submissions that should get responses any day now. Bracing for an avalanche of rejection.
A 36-day personal rejection that called the piece, “my favorite of the stories I didn’t take.” Which is simultaneously encouraging and really disappointing, since that’s like the third time this story has been right on the edge of an acceptance. So of the responses expected this month, that’s two personal rejections full of praise, one submission of fifty-four poems sold to an anthology, and a novelette held for consideration. When you lay it all out, things are actually going well, so I don’t know why it feels like they aren’t.
So, I just got a rejection with a pretty quick response time (about two weeks), but I'm not going to list this one by name. This was for an anthology. The only reason I submitted was because the pay was decent. But I got this weird personal rejection sort of ripping me threads. I can handle rejection. And who doesn't love a personal rejection when a story gets close. But in this case a form would have been better. Their criticism was just a little off-the-wall and insulting. I got a few "tips" on what readers want that made it seem like this publication doesn't really have much of an idea on what readers want and sounded stupid, generic, and off base. Like, come on. I feel like I wasted time and money with this one. I don't want to name this one because I don't want anyone else to waste their time on what appears to be a sub-par publication at best.
I haven't been rejected yet. but we're coming up on two months. The publishing house indicated if authors hadn't heard from them within four months it's a no. I'm going to presume it's a no and get on with my life. This was my first submission to a traditional publisher.
Congratulations on making your first submission! I don't know anyone who had work accepted on their first submission. You're in the club now. However, publishers often take longer than stated. So, well you are ready to count this as a rejection I think you shouldn't cross this one of completely until the stated timeframe has passed. This could be important if the publication does not allow simultaneous submissions and things like that. Good luck with all your future submissions! And stick around the thread. It's great to have another submitter among us.
Don't give up on it yet. From what I've been hearing, they drag their feet for as long as they dare. While you wait, though, don't just sit around doing nothing. Get involved in a new writing project. Need ideas? Visit the generator websites.
I saw the results of two Writing Magazine competitions on their website today. I had entered both. One I didn’t place in but the other I was shortlisted. That’s 6 times now being shortlisted for their competitions. It’s encouraging but also a bit frustrating. I feel like I’m destined to always be the bridesmaid and never the bride.
Update: as of yesterday the story is "in-progress" on Submittable, as if the other story I submitted to the annual literary competition in my country. First time my heart has beat like this in a while.
A 127-day rejection from Galaxy's Edge, after getting a shortlist notice on 5/24. Dang. That's this story's 5th or 6th close call like that. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.
A 131-day form rejection from Proton Reader. That one doesn't sting as much as yesterday's, at least; I know this story's not one of my best. But I keep sending it out in hopes that someone likes it.
A rejection from the TL;DR Press flash fiction competition. Every story was given feedback- mine was mixed, some encouraging comments and others not so good.
What are your thoughts on those mixed-bag personal rejections? Honestly, most of the time I find rejection feedback pretty useless and sometimes insulting if they start to point out flaws that aren't really flaws. It seems like it could be a good thing to know what the editors are thinking, but then it can quickly turn into "What were they thinking?" I'm not saying these places were wrong for rejecting stories. They have every right to do so for whatever reason they want. But I've found the negative feedback useless for the most part. The best advice I ever got from one of these rejections was to name an unnamed character, which I did and the story sold to the next place I sent it after that change. The rejection mentioned other reasons for passing on the story, but I ignored all that and just made the one change. I have gotten a few personal rejections from places that were so off-putting I no longer submit to those places. Am I taking these personals too personally?