Finally, the Stupefying Stories matter has been resolved! Read my signature file if you want to find out the results.
Wordcount, that's a pretty good rejection! Recently we've been noticing WP sending a lot of form rejections with the exact same criticism: "We noticed uneven prose." Hopefully they got that kink worked out. As for whether or not saying to submit more stuff is a good thing, it really depends on the market. I noticed more than half include that in their signature files, or as part of the form. You can check out a site like Wiki Rejections and compare it to the rejection tiers there. Or go through old AW posts and see what others have posted.I received a rejection from The Washington Pastime the other day.
Standard form rejection ending: "We appreciate your interest in The Washington Pastime and hope that you will keep us in mind for future submissions." I'm not sure how higher tier rejections are worded.Doe Washington Pastime tell everyone they want to see future work from them?
The Rs have started rolling in for my latest piece. Pretty bummed about the one I got from Allegory.
"A very interesting idea. Unfortunately, the treatment just didn't engage me, and in the end, I came away unconvinced."
In other words, it's boring and unbelievable. OUCH!
As always, though, that's just one person's opinion. Someone else might be engaged and convinced. Hang in there!
Wordcount, that's a pretty good rejection! Recently we've been noticing WP sending a lot of form rejections with the exact same criticism: "We noticed uneven prose." Hopefully they got that kink worked out. As for whether or not saying to submit more stuff is a good thing, it really depends on the market. I noticed more than half include that in their signature files, or as part of the form. You can check out a site like Wiki Rejections and compare it to the rejection tiers there. Or go through old AW posts and see what others have posted.
Zanjan, thank you!
Sussura, hi! Good luck with that query. I always prefer to know, myself. Sometimes submissions get lost. There's nothing worse than sitting on on a cricket-less bucket, thinking all the time that you're just waiting for a response when, through some error, they haven't even received it yet. Sometimes their response gets lost. Or sometimes, I imagine, they might have even accepted it and forgot to follow through. Regardless of the possibilities, giving them a polite kick in the backside (after the appropriate allotted time) will ultimately only benefit you in the long run.
Standard form rejection ending: "We appreciate your interest in The Washington Pastime and hope that you will keep us in mind for future submissions." I'm not sure how higher tier rejections are worded.
The standards used by an editor are a lot more complicated than one might realize. First and foremost, you have to have a professional level skill. If you pass that, you have to tell a fantastic story. If you pass that, you have to have a story that fits in with the mag/anthology/e-zine's genre/message/philosophy, or fits well with other stories they've already accepted, or doesn't sound too much like something they already took, or doesn't hit upon an idea that bothers them, or has a character they don't like. Many authors have been in a position where they have an editor tell them they loved a story, was very fond of the prose... but for some undisclosed reason they passed on it.^Is this code for "I don't like your story?" It sure sounds a lot like it to me.
Oh no! But that's still an honor to be considered so long by the best paying genre pro-market and one of the toughest markets in general. Feel proud, Meret. I would! My longest was 5 or 6 days, and that was only because of a backlog.32 day R from Clarkesworld. ow.
32 day R from Clarkesworld. ow.
Well, curiosity killed the cat, so to speak. At least, posting about it on a forum did. Today brought me a 140-day form rejection from IGMS. Pfft. Onwards, right?!
Best of luck on the next one. Keep it coming, Sussura. Now to find a place where it can be appreciated for what it is.Well, curiosity killed the cat, so to speak. At least, posting about it on a forum did. Today brought me a 140-day form rejection from IGMS. Pfft. Onwards, right?!
Well, curiosity killed the cat, so to speak. At least, posting about it on a forum did. Today brought me a 140-day form rejection from IGMS. Pfft. Onwards, right?!
You do realize, of course, that until you posted about the Schrodinger Story it existed in the state where it was both accepted and rejected at the same time?
Well, curiosity killed the cat, so to speak. At least, posting about it on a forum did. Today brought me a 140-day form rejection from IGMS. Pfft. Onwards, right?!