Rejection, rejection, rejection...

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

  1. Native Ink

    Native Ink Active Member

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    I've always thought it looks more impressive when someone lists a few places and then casually adds: "and others." Or they preface their credits by saying something like "My fiction has appeared in journals such as..." To me, it implies that there are so many places they've been published that they can't list them all. I'd love to get a couple more publication credits so I can add "and others" to my bio. :supergrin:
     
  2. Woodstock Writer

    Woodstock Writer Senior Member

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    31-day personal rejection from Oxford Writing Mentors Writing Competition. But, I was a runner up! My ‘prize’ was half price on their memoir writing course, but I decided not to take it up as it’s still expensive at half price and I’m not actually working on a memoir so I wasn’t sure it was worth it. I’m concentrating on fiction but do the odd non-fiction thing. Nice to know they liked what I wrote.
     
  3. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    After exactly one year I'm pretty sure I can count my submission to The Saturday Evening Post as a rejected even though they never responded.
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2022
  4. Woodstock Writer

    Woodstock Writer Senior Member

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    :)

    Remember all those times I’ve been shortlisted for Writing Magazine competitions? I finally got further! Had an email yesterday saying I’ve won second prize in the Love Story competition. I win £50 and my story will be published on their website.
     
  5. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    A 117-day form rejection from Black Warrior Review.
     
  6. Set2Stun

    Set2Stun Rejection Collector Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Contest Winner 2022

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    Just got another rejection. I have an email address that I only ever use for writing stuff, and it always makes me jump when something comes in while I'm on the computer.

    30-day rejection from an agent. Another very kind form letter; here's a bit of it:

    I’m honored to be one of the agents you considered to represent your hard work. Unfortunately, though your premise is intriguing, I don’t feel as invested in the overall project as I need to be its best champion, and so I'm going to pass.
     
  7. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    A 117-day form rejection from Room.
     
  8. J.T. Woody

    J.T. Woody Book Witch Contributor

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    2 more rejections within 10mins of each other.....
    this brings the rejection count up to 24:supercry:
     
  9. J.T. Woody

    J.T. Woody Book Witch Contributor

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    Wow, silverlining:
    I withdrew the short story that got accepted from the other journals i submitted to (as promised).
    But one of them reached back out and said they really wanted to publish it and asked me for more of my work!
    Saddly ... I have no shorts ready for submission. They still need a ton of editing at the moment and i wouldnt feel comfortable sending something rushed :supercry:

    (Now if only i can get an agent sold on my work :bigconfused:)
     
  10. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    Even if you don't have anything ready now, I would mention that they wanted to see more work from you when you finally do have something ready to send out. My friend used to work at one of the top journals and she said that when people mention that in their cover letters it was immediately sent to one of the editors instead of the slush readers regardless of how much time had passed. I know some form rejections can kind of say that, but at her journal the form rejections do not say that so it carries some weight.

    I usually don't say that in my cover letters when I submit something new to places that have sent me personal rejections, but she advised me to start doing so. Good luck!
     
  11. J.T. Woody

    J.T. Woody Book Witch Contributor

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    Will do! And thank you!

    The funny thing is, this wasnt a rejection. I withdrew my piece last month. I guess they got around to reading it regardless of me withdrawing it.
    i submitted this piece 16 times to various places over 3 years, reworking it each year to have 2 places want it finally :supercry:

    I feel pressure now.
    Like, what if what i submit next wont be as good. Or what if they dont feel the same way about the new one as they did for the previous one?
     
  12. SapereAude

    SapereAude Contributor Contributor

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    What if what you submit next is better?

    Think positive.

     
  13. Woodstock Writer

    Woodstock Writer Senior Member

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    :)

    A 1-day acceptance for a story I sent out for an anthology. This place has accepted every story I’ve sent to them for various anthologies. Wondering if they really like my writing or if they just don’t get many submissions/are not very choosy…
     
  14. Set2Stun

    Set2Stun Rejection Collector Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Contest Winner 2022

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    40-day form letter rejection from an agent. In another 4-6 weeks or so I think I can assume those who haven't responded yet have passed. I've been pretty realistic in my approach to this process, but it still kinda stinks to have not received even a nibble yet. No requests for additional material, just form letters.
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2022
  15. ShannonH

    ShannonH Senior Member Contest Winner 2023

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    Took part in the CatCamMadPit event on Twitter yesterday. A like from one of their employees is an invitation to submit your full manuscript.

    I got three but am now deciding if it's the best thing for my novel.
     
  16. Woodstock Writer

    Woodstock Writer Senior Member

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    38-day form rejection from ServiceScape Short Story Award.
     
  17. Set2Stun

    Set2Stun Rejection Collector Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Contest Winner 2022

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    CamCat is a legit publisher, but they are quite new to the business. I say go for it. If you end up getting an offer, then you can probably get an agent very quickly who can take it from there. Or you could ask about the sales numbers for their other debut authors and decide if it's something you want to pursue or not. You've had some nibbles, so perhaps it's worth holding out for a bigger publisher. It's difficult to say, but you can always say no at any point in the process.
     
  18. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    I agree with @Set2Stun that you should see it through.
     
  19. ShannonH

    ShannonH Senior Member Contest Winner 2023

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    I think what's giving me pause is location. Camcat are American, I'm in the UK and my story is set in Belfast.

    I'm not worried about slang or people not getting references. Almost all my Beta Readers have been American and highly complimentary about the stuff they liked, but I wonder how well it will be received on the market so to speak.
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2022
  20. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    I think you're getting ahead of yourself here. And a publisher isn't going to take you on if they don't think they can sell your book. But there is a big difference between an invite to submit and a book deal. It's not going to hurt anything to submit and see what comes of it. Good luck!
     
  21. Native Ink

    Native Ink Active Member

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    Fwiw, Novels set in Ireland are popular in the U.S. Tana French is a best selling author, as is Claire Keegan, to name just two.
     
  22. Catriona Grace

    Catriona Grace Mind the thorns Contributor Contest Winner 2022

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    Half the people in the United States have an Irish grandmother somewhere in the family geneaology and the other half have a grandfather who was driven out of Scotland to Ulster and from there to the colonies. I have several versions myself.
     
  23. ShannonH

    ShannonH Senior Member Contest Winner 2023

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    You all make valid points :)
     
    deadrats and B.E. Nugent like this.
  24. J.T. Woody

    J.T. Woody Book Witch Contributor

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    I can second this.
    My maternal side had the surname McDuffy and McCallum and can be traced back to a plantation own by both (and you know what gets down there....)
    So im pretty sure even MY ancestry has Scots...
     
  25. Catriona Grace

    Catriona Grace Mind the thorns Contributor Contest Winner 2022

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    Did you know that "duff" is a Gaelic word for black?

    Our black lab/Great Pyrenees is named McDuff, therefore we can periodically exclaim, "Lay down, McDuff!" Very satisfying when someone who gets the joke overhears us.
     
    Native Ink and AntPoems like this.

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