I tried a couple of paid feedback options out of curiosity, but they weren’t full critiques, more like two paragraph responses. Basically, I think it was just a reader providing notes on why they declined the submission. One response offered some insight, the other less so, but I think it’s worthwhile if your curious and have the funds because it will at least give you a little peek into what goes on behind the curtain.
A rejection for a non-fiction piece I submitted, the strangest rejection message I’ve ever had: It is with great displeasure that we must inform you 0061 will not be included in this exhibit. We are humbled by your talent and only regret our own subjectivity and blind spots, and must live with the many decisions that will haunt us. We leave your world and to return to our own, along a path that now seems darker than before. But we hold our heads high! For at Neon Door we believe that each work of art is a glimpse into an entirely distinct world, one only you have the key to. To have been given entry is nothing less than miraculous. Please forgive us our shortcomings. Your work is wondrous, and will not go unnoticed. Thank you for allowing us a glimpse into your world. It is to our regret that this time, we are only just visitors. With love and great feeling, Neon Door (please note my submission was not called 0061! It had an actual title.)
Yup, that’s a strange one, although the language/many worlds universe makes more sense after looking up the journal. I have a lot of questions about the metaphors the editors are throwing around, but I’ll leave ‘em alone. I’ve received some similarly styled responses—kinda vague, almost personal, but then not really—and I always prefer a simple, “Thank you, not for us.” Also, thank you for sharing the letter!
A 1-day personal rejection. Quite a bit of praise for the story itself and encouragement to submit again, which makes me happy because this is the first story in this genre I’ve ever written, but they felt the beginning was a bit too slowly paced for an audio market. Which is totally understandable. I’m pretty confident I’ll be able to find a home for this story eventually…if I can actually find suitable markets to submit to. The Submission Grinder isn’t much help with this genre.
Today I had a rejection from Northern Gravy. This one really hurt as the story is one of the best I’ve ever written, I think, and was shortlisted for a competition last year. They had emailed last week to say I made the longlist so it’s a shame to have fallen at the last hurdle. Also, they would have paid me £100. Not sure where else to try with this story, it’s a contemporary YA one and not many places publish them. Although it’s mental-illness themed so I can try one of those publications. It’s still out with Voyage, a YA magazine that pays even more than Northern Gravy, but it’s been 208 days so far so I don’t know if that means they’re really not interested- they’ve rejected other stories submitted much more recently. Unless it means the opposite, but I won’t get my hopes up.
Thanks, I’ll keep you posted! There’s one other YA publication that has bought both stories I submitted to them, so they’re an option to, but they only pay $10. I know it’s not all about the money, but I’ll soon be reducing my hours at work to do more writing and so really need to try and earn a bit on the side so am prioritising ones that pay a bit more.
Excellent! *Air guitars* What's the genre? Maybe someone here knows a few good markets you haven't tried yet.
Fantasy erotica/erotic romance. Not a genre I’d normally even think about writing, but one particular call for submissions touched on an idea related to one of my existing fantasy stories. Seems like it worked pretty well, since both rejections are full of praise and one was a no-fault, but I’ve only found a handful of erotica markets that 1) accept short stories of ~4500 words and 2) actually pay.
Hmmm. Sorry, I know nothing about the erotica market. Hopefully someone else here does, though. Good luck with the story!
Good luck to everyone submitting now that the first of September has arrived! Hopefully too the editors will start responding on the work they've been holding all summer.
I’ve had rejections come back in just a few hours before, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time an acceptance has come in that quickly. It’s only a reprint, but that’s still a nice change of pace from the steady wave of close rejections that rolled in this summer!
211-day form rejection from Voyage. They didn’t want the story after all Also ‘rejections’ from Writer Shed Press and Giving Room Review, by seeing lists of chosen stories that didn’t include mine!
Waiting is so painful! I’d wanted an agent but I’m left with a small but very ambitious small press (I’ve done loads of due diligence on them) with the full MS. they’ve given me nothing but good feedback so far and I’m at the ‘acquisitions’ stage. I’m getting my hopes up too much, bound to be dashed I fear. Been here before with full MS requests. if I do get accepted I suspect it’ll accelerate my chances to get an agent for what I’m writing next so fingers crossed
Submitted a short story a year ago to 2 places. Got rejected from one place beginning of this year. A year and 2months later, the other place (which i'd just assumed was a rejection)...... Accepted it!
Another near miss for the book…. They went above and beyond and provided me loads of notes to help etc and want to hear from me again. Just need to pace myself- I’m 100% getting there and think I’m ahead of schedule but it’s still a bummer. I do like copying the best bits and emailing myself then to give me confidence ‘As you know we've now given it a full read - done by one of our editorial team here who knows the genre well. We absolutely believe that you have talent and that At its core …. is a wonderful sci-fi story full of interesting characters and a well realised universe. “ We keep going….
A 33 day personal rejection from Abyss & Apex. "It's very cute, but it's not quite what we're looking for."
Some news... 1. Got feedback from a trad-pubbed author and his senior editor that I need to flesh out my voice. That the concept, story, and dialogue are excellent, but the voice needs to be stronger before they feel the book is ready. I agree I can still develop my voice further, so I'll be working on it. 2. Subbed directly to an editor in one of the Big 4 thanks to PitMad. Cross your fingers for me, please. 3. Got a full request this afternoon from an agent. Since you are already crossing your fingers, please cross your toes for me too. I want this so badly...
30-day rejection from Arts & Letters 157-day rejection from Grain 104-day rejection from the Sun Rejection from the Ploughshares Emerging Writers contest These were all in the last day or two. On the plus, I had one nice acceptance last month, and the rejected story from the Sun at least advanced to a higher round of consideration.
