I did too, I had to go back and look lol. Darn keyboard, or is it the fingers? You should see my zimmer, all tricked out and stuff.
A 75-day slightly person rejection from The New Yorker. It was a form with a small personal note added.
Got this.... got to say I’m chuffed. Must be as good a rejection as I could expect! Many thanks for sending me these sample chapters from ....., and apologies for my very delayed response! I have carefully considered your submission, and there is a lot to admire here – your writing is accomplished, and I loved the opening sequence .. (heartbreaking!) and the very arresting image of .... I think there’s something really special here, but I’m afraid that it isn’t quite the right fit for me. Please do not be discouraged, as agenting is very subjective – I would strongly advise you to keep querying agents and honing your craft. Thanks again for thinking of me, and wishing you all the best in your writing career. Got to take encouragement from it!
I’ve just had my second Honorable Mention in the Writers of the Future contest. I’ve entered twice and had two HMs so that’s encouraging.
Two 60-day rejections from Craft at the same time, about an hour ago. I submitted three pieces at the same time. Haven’t heard back about the other one yet. I don’t know if that’s a good sign or if they’ve just forgotten to press a button to send me out an email saying it’s rejected! I shouldn’t get my hopes up...
Usually, places only want you to submit one piece at a time to them and wait for a response before you submit something else to them. I've seen places mention an exception for flash fiction or if you are submitting in different genres such as fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. I don't don't know the specific rules for craft, though, I do have a story out with them now. But be careful about following submission rules. You wouldn't want them to reject your work because you submitted more pieces than they allow at a time when maybe they would have bought one if you just sent one. I don't know the specifics for Craft, but in general I think it's best to send one story at a time to each publication you submit to. Good luck and keep going.
Thanks- yep they were all flash fiction pieces and the guidelines stated you can send three of them at once.
171 day personal rejection from The Fiddlehead. That's the closest I've ever come to big-time success. @deadrats and anyone else, how do you cope with how crushing this feels? Usually I'm pretty immune to rejection but good grief, to get so close to breaking out in a reputable name... like this could very easily end up being the apex of my literary career...
@Funerary -- I know how crushing these so-close rejections feel. You're happy for a moment. They read your story. They liked your story. It was under serious consideration. And, before I go on, WOW! Good for you because that personal rejection is a success. Think about all the stories they get because that is a big one. You made it out of the slush, it sounds. And that alone is very hard to do. Here's the thing. If you can write something that made it that far, you can do it again. You just have to now (and I mean now) give them a better story. Don't give up on them. They like your writing. They will like your writing again. As for the rejected story. It's got to be a good story. And The Fiddlehead isn't the only big publication so send that story to some other places. And if they liked your story, they won't be the only ones to like it. Aim high because you know it's good. If you want help finding places to submit on the same level, I'm more than happy to help. Do take a moment to celebrate. Getting a personal rejection from a place like The Fiddlehead means you're in the game and ready to play. You might not have made the goal, but you made it to the end zone. Sorry for the cliche there. But it's true. This means you can write at the same level as their writers. Your stories have people taking notice. I do know that getting close hurts more than a form rejection, but this isn't easy. Tell yourself you're close and now it's just a matter of finding the right stories the right homes. And keep writing always. What we can write is always going to be better than what we have written. You've got this. And we're all in your corner and cheering you on.
that response to your query is quite something! First off, congratulations for being able to move someone so deeply with your writing! When you publish your work, do tell me about it, I really want to read it now. It seems you sent a query to the wrong kind of agent, who however has been kind to respond. I hear if you query an agent who represent other kinds of work, that agent will simply reject it without response...? How come this agent has read so much before rejecting? I am not familiar with the process so the note caught my eye.
...You should not be discouraged but these fukkers are extremely crafty fukkers. I too have celebrated...I think mine was: 'Thank you author of the weird and wonderful,' my god they really read it, baby! 'unfortunately...' never mind, I love you guys so much, let's see what wikireject has to say, oh oh oh dear..' TEMPLATE B Many thanks for sending me these sample chapters from SWORD FIGHTER and apologies for my very delayed response! I have carefully considered your submission, and there is a lot to admire here – your writing is accomplished, and I loved the opening sequence .. (meaningful) and the very arresting image of swords. I think there’s something really special here, but I’m afraid that it isn’t quite the right fit for me, slimo. Please do not be discouraged, as agenting is very subjective – I would strongly advise you to keep querying agents and honing your craft. Thanks again for thinking of me, and wishing you all the best in your writing career. $$$$ Now run along toad fish. .. But then I didn't believe an acceptance, it was so anodyne & disinterested, and read like spam. I had to nudge, check it was a real human, y'know. ... Of course yours was a sincere, & nice letter, I'm just evil[ish]. Also I celebrate the 'In Progress' like another day of life, and imagine the board meeting in progress, twelve photo-copied versions of 'my story' upon the table; sub-editors under visors, cigar smoke, heated discussioning 'my story.' Actually they're about 12 years old, one, two virgins at university online...anyway...anyways...different market.
What amounts to my first ever rewrite request came in this afternoon. And only a day after I submitted the story! This one was for a superhero romance anthology, and my story is definitely on the cleaner end of the spectrum; the editor says she has enough 'clean' romances but would gladly reconsider it if I included a more explicit love scene. That's not exactly my forte, but I'll give it a shot anyways. There aren't enough publishers interested in superhero romance novelettes for me to let an opportunity like this slip through my fingers.
Superhero Romance, now that is an unusual genre. I've written on the superhero side of things myself, enjoy that subject, I'm into the modern kind of fantasy, but I've never heard of the romance side as a genre in its own right. I would imagine most publishers preferring romance with some spice in it, especially after the success of stories like Fifty Shades etc.
Bad luck Funerary, but if you came that close you can go a bit further, I'm sure of it. Apex? Phah, you've got a long way to go yet.
Yes, different market indeed...ahem. I like the imagery of the editors puffing cigar smoke and under visors, different era but evocative. I'd like to announce that I've actually written a few words, yes you heard it right, a few words. Now don't leave, I've only just started. Blast, but that door needs a good oiling...but in all seriousness, looking for readers of Sci-Fi shorts very soon. If anyone is interested get in touch with my agent, who will tell you he's never heard of me...
Yes, it was a mean post, I am a horrible person/pig. Sorry everybody, I must have been snarling on my own [historical] fist.
