12 Personalized rejection. They liked my story, the worldbuilding, characters and plot.... But felt that it has potential to be a longer story and they wanted more
52-day form rejection from Augur Magazine. That makes it a dirty dozen for 2024. I only have a few more active ones out there, so I should probably do some more submissions this weekend. I've got a couple stories that I think could sell eventually, but you all know how this works. Probably won't, but ya gotta keep trying !
Form rejection from Flash Point SF, and I’m writing off two other submissions as dead letters. Any market that can’t be bothered to answer the submission status inquiries they ask writers to send after x time isn’t one I trust with my work. So that brings this year’s rejection count to four.
53-day form rejection from a themed contest (Vehicle) for On The Premises. Only 10 out of 340 entries moved forward to the next round, and they were regretful in informing me that my story wasn't included. Make that a dirty baker's dozen for the year now.
A very quick 4-day form rejection from The Razor Literary Magazine and a longer 53-day form from Tales & Feathers. Up to 15 now.
40-day form rejection from Fractured Lit. Still don't see what's supposed to be fun about this. I submitted a flash piece and a poem at the same time to Nightmare during their one open week. (They allow a submission in each category.) The flash came back in 14 days. I'm still waiting on the poem after 2 months. Does that mean anything, or are they just leaving the poems for last? I'm currently assuming the latter.
Receiving rejections is fun because that's the only way anyone is ever going to receive an acceptance - submitting, and consequently getting lots and lots of rejections. It means you're trying to get published, which a whole lot of writers are never going to do. Is it brave, stupid, a bit of both? As long as someone isn't completely delusional re: their writing skills, I say, it doesn't matter. Because you're actually doing the work and trying. Those who have talent and don't submit (or write!) are the losers (or maybe more like, losing out?), not the people receiving rejections. As for the flash v poetry subs, I imagine that they have a different editorial team for each category, or at least a separate one for poetry than for prose. I wouldn't think on it all that much. Though, of course I hope the delay is because the piece has been bumped up to the next tier.
Receiving rejections isn't a whole lot of fun, but the alternative is what? Do nothing with those stories? No. Better to keep trying, and enjoy it when a piece is accepted, drag some encouragement from the occasional positive remark wrapped up in a rejection. Keeping track on Duotrope and Submittable can be head-wrecking by themselves. Reading the entrails of small rodents will yield as much useful info as trying to work out where you stand based on what's happening on either of those. I've neglected to record my last few rejections here, but, in no particular order: 21 day from Stone's Throw 29 day from Big Wing Review 34 day from Brink 52 day from On the Premises 65 day from Shortstory Subtack 55 day from Split Lip 66 day from /tems/review
