Marketing rewrites

[NicoleJLeBoeuf]

Hypothetical situation:

You've written a story, you've revised it as far as you usefully can, and you're sending it out "'til Hell won't have it." Well, guess what? Hell won't have it. Fortunately, in the time it took that story to collect its hundreds of rejection letters, you've been writing more stories and you've learned your craft that much better. So you look at this poor little exhaustively rejected story, and you know exactly how to fix it and make it better. And so you do.

But where do you send the rewrite? Most markets don't want to see revisions of previously rejected stories, not even years later. What do you do?

A) Change its title and send it back to the markets you tried before, hoping they won't recognize it now?

B) Hold onto it and wait for more markets to spring up so you can submit to them? (I'm thinking anthologies with open submission calls.)

C) Put it in a desk drawer and wait until you're successful enough to be able to publish a collect short works edition?

Note: I am not in this position just yet. All my stories are in various stages of revision preparatory to their first outing, or are on their 2nd or 3rd outings. But this may be one of the possibilities my future as a Prolific, Disciplined Fictioneer™ could hold, after all.

Thanks as always for your thoughts and advice,
--
Niki

[pdr]

Don't worry until it actually happens!
The practicalities are that your first sales attempt story will take a long time to go round the markets and return. What usually happens is that half way through sending the story out - about six months later - you see what needs to be done to improve the story and you rewrite and sell it! Or a kind editor tells you they'd like it if.... and you do that and the editor buys it!

[Fresie]

But I think Nicole is right! It's never too early to ask this question. I'm in the same situation myself: my First Story Ever :) has been doing rounds for almost three years now, having amassed an impressive collection of personal rejections. :lol Now I'm in the mood to finally fix the bugger -- after three years of writing non-stop, I can see what the problem was. What do I do? Its submission list looks like a ralan.com printout!

So I second Nicole's question. What do I do with my firstborn?

[stormie267]

If you sent it to the magazines, say, over two years ago, maybe by this time there is a change in the editorial staff. In larger markets, a first reader usually goes through the manuscripts and decides if it's worth sending on to the associate editor or editor. If it's extensively edited, with maybe even a title change, and it's been awhile since you sent it to that magazine, then I think you could safely submit it.

[Jamesaritchie]

You rewrite it completely, send it to teh same magazines that rejected it, and in the cover letter you write something like:

Dear Joe Editor,

"I submitted a version of this story about three years ago when I first started writing. Over time, my writing skills have, I think, improved dramatically, and I've rewritten it from start to finish. I hope you won't mind taking a look at this new version."

Very few editors will mind, especially since your cover letter states that it was submitted a long while back, and that you've rewritten it completely. The few editors who do mind have the option of not reading it.

[stormie267]

"...I think,..."

Hmmm...just a thought. I'd probably get rid of the "I think." You're writing the letter, therefore, it's already your opinion. Otherwise, I'd say James' cover letter is good.

[Jamesaritchie]

I'd probably get rid of the "I think." You're writing the letter, therefore, it's already your opinion.

You can safely get rid of "I think," but I prefer not to. It seems more modest to me than just stating that my writing skills have improved dramatically.

[NicoleJLeBoeuf]

"I submitted a version of this story about three years ago when I first started writing. Over time, my writing skills have, I think, improved dramatically, and I've rewritten it from start to finish. I hope you won't mind taking a look at this new version."

Ekssssssscellent. Sounds like my assumption that no magazine wants a rewritten previous rejection was a little overzealous.

(I am mentally adding the caveat that the previous rejection not be the sort that includes a gentle slap-on-the-wrist of the form "please read a sample issue before submitting.")

[Fresie]

Great stuff, James, thanks! :)

[Craig Shaeffer]

James, I don't want to sound like an ass-kiss or anything, but I was just thinking about some of the valuable pieces of advice you've given on these boards. I've lurked for a while, and I always make sure to read what you write, even if I don't always agree with it.

Usually, though, it makes perfect sense to me. So, um, anyway...

Thanks.

[Jamesaritchie]

I've lurked for a while, and I always make sure to read what you write, even if I don't always agree with it.

Usually, though, it makes perfect sense to me. So, um, anyway...

Thanks.

You're welcome, and thank you.

You know you're in serious trouble if you agree with anyone all the time.

Always keep McIntyre's First Law firmly in mind: "Under the right circumstances, anything I tell you may be wrong."

It's also wise to remember O'Brien's First Corollary to McIntyre's First Law: "We don't know what the right circumstances are, either."

[Craig Shaeffer]

Thanks for including that corollary, James. :D

P.S. I'm in a twelve-step anti-emoticon program, so here in a couple of weeks I'll have to apologize to you for subjecting you to the smiley-face.