Good to hear from you deadrats. You may not know it but watching your constant progress and persistence over the course of this thread is actually incredibly motivating in a secondhand sort of way. I'm good but extremely busy, I'm now juggling the second year of my Masters with a legal internship that just became a permanent job so the writing has almost been put on hiatus for the time being. I'm scribbling away when I can but time is exceedingly limited. Life is enjoyable at the moment, however. I try to lurk and keep up with this thread to see how you're all doing even if I have nothing to contribute at present. Edit: I should mention the aforementioned story that just got a five month rejection from The Moth was the same one you proofed for me, I don't think it would have lasted out on submission for so long if it wasn't for some of your editorial recommendations!
@Funerary -- Good to hear you're doing well. Grad school ca be tough. My second year was harder than my first. And congratulations on landing a job. Writing and us "rejects" will always be here. Don't be a stranger. And it's nice to hear this thread might be something that actually helps and motivates people. When I started this thread, I was feeling completely hopeless and like this was never going to happen for me. And it took a long time and a crazy amount of tries, but then it did happen and happen a few times. I don't lists the specifics of where I've published because I would like to keep my real identity off the forum, but those of you who know me know that I sort of hit the jackpot. I still get a million rejections which I do post specifics about. But I hope people realize from this that it really is possible to do what so many people say or think is impossible. And if it can happen for me, there is no reason why it can't happen for any of you. Even the big-time publications have people reading their slush piles, looking for good stories. I rose up from the slush pile. And some of my accomplishments still blow my mind. Of course, I would like to be selling more and rejected less, but when you really aim high, you're going to fail more than succeed. You're going to have to try harder and more than you think you should have to. It really is this hard. But it's not impossible. I think all of you that have shown me your writing can be successful. So, don't forget writing altogether. It sounds like great things are happening for you now. And I think your writing will also bring more great things in your future.
So, thanks to duotrope I can see who's rejecting this weekend and at how many days. I'm in the thick of it. No whammies. No whammies. Here's hoping everyone has a rejection-free weekend.
You know, I think there is often a real difference in even which type of form you get. And some places just have a standard form across the board so you can't always tell. But a higher tier form means they read your story to the end which doesn't always happen and they liked your story more than they like other stories that they've been reading in the slush pile. If they say they are interested in seeing more work from you whether it be a hire tier or a personal rejection, I would take that as a good sign and send them more work. I mention in my cover letter if they've said to much in response to a previous submission. Take them up on it if they say they want to see more from you.
I sure do. I don't think it hurts to remind them that they liked your work before. I often say I'm sending them a story that I think is better or they will like more. But, yes, I think it's worth mentioning and not going to hurt anything.
I guess what Mat means (if he will beg my indulgence) is that it's not something that British people do so often, or maybe not very well. That kind of promotional aspect of life that I know I'm not so good at and which was why I asked about it. I might not find it easy to write a reminder in my cover letter.
If they liked your stuff once, they will probably like it again whether you mention it or not. I know you've only started submitting, but I do think things you write and wrote are going to get attention, seriously considered and hopefully published. I mention whatever I can in my cover letter. I keep them short, but I mention sorties I've liked that they published and I remind them if they liked my stuff I'm trying to publish. It's not going to make or break a submission.
Many thanks for sending "*****", but I'm sorry to say that it isn't quite right for I*******. I hope you'll send me something new soon. This...is meaningless? or meaningful... I veer toward the former.. ..?
I ruined the travel story 1 Blog travelogue - 'ahh, that's good, I should post her away to a travel mag, they're bound to...hah hah...' 2 'Y'know, this really is rather brilliant prose, perhaps the literary markets?' 3 And perhaps, why not, let's change the 'voice,' and make this chap American, ya... 4 anorak goes poncho, trousers go pants, prick to schmuck, lobster to cheeseburger. Insert sure, taffee, elevateror 5 Gloop gloop gloop DELETE
LOL Isn't the prose secondary to the story subject when it comes to literary markets? Actually there are some grammar eccentricities as well when it comes to writing for American markets, although thankfully not too many. And these days does it actually really matter?
Yeea...I know...I drafted an answer around the 'prose' v 'story' debate. I didn't post it...didn't want to attract...attention. My plan yesterday was posting to a Scots literary journal posing [or not] as an American visitor - I may get back to it.
By all means, attract attention. I was going to say you could post as Trump but that might backfire spectacularly. And anyway, why?
The whole thing with prose vs. story is that literary journals don't have to compromise, and they don't. I think the writing and the story both have to be there, and your work should be top of your game. I think when it comes to literary journals this is even more true. I say this because when I think of the literary journals that I read and pay money for, I never see a compromise. It's not like the story is carrying the writing or vice versa. I good story has both. Period. And when you are looking at literary journals there is so much competition. Our direct competition is accomplished and refined writers. And I think most of them (literary short story writers) clearly demonstrate that they can tell a good story and write it perfectly. This is the competition. I wouldn't start thinking too much about which is more important. What you're really after is that winning combination. @Krispee -- I think you've got both. That's why I think some of your genre work could be published in literary journals. Your prose are stellar and so are your idea.
Thank you kind lady. I get that, the stories I've read in that genre seem to be all pretty top notch, as far as the writing's concerned anyway. Mind you I've mentioned before about a story I read in the Clarkesworld magazine that I didn't like. This whole thing is still highly subjective isn't it. One person in one magazine thinks your story stinks, another person in another magazine rates your story great.
