Rejectomancy

Sai

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39 day from Flash Fiction Online. I figured it was a long shot (it's horror and they take horror with a lot of caveats) but at 39 days I was starting to think it had a chance.
 

Project Deadlight

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If there was a monthly award for Rejections... "'I've been trying to think of exactly why I'm rejecting it so I could tell you, but it's very difficult to give a reason. Everything about it is strong."

From the Clrd Lens.
 

Sai

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If there was a monthly award for Rejections... "'I've been trying to think of exactly why I'm rejecting it so I could tell you, but it's very difficult to give a reason. Everything about it is strong."

From the Clrd Lens.

That is a nice one. I've got rejections similar to that, where the editor only has nice things to say before "...but overall it didn't quite work for me."

33-day form rejection from One Buck Horror here.
 

Eliza C

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If there was a monthly award for Rejections... "'I've been trying to think of exactly why I'm rejecting it so I could tell you, but it's very difficult to give a reason. Everything about it is strong."

From the Clrd Lens.

oh - ack - that would be frustrating to get. Encouraging regarding the story, but what a frustrating publication miss!
Well, at least you know the story isn't flawed anywhere...
 

Project Deadlight

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It's been one of those months really. Much better than a month of forms... although there have been a few of those this week. American Scholar and Cam Obs the latest, at least the latter didn't make me wait 133 days this time.
 

alexshvartsman

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Here's a funny rejection story for you guys:

Some time ago I run across a submission call for an anthology where I have a story that seems like a perfect fit. The only problem is, they want 2000+ words and it's only 1000 words.

So I query the editor, and the editor says: "sure, send it over, I'll take a look, though it would be a very tough sell at that length."

I'm OK with that and I send it over. A week or two later I meet the editor at BaltiCon and thank them for letting me submit a flash. They say: "Sure, you're welcome, happy to take a look, but haven;t had a chance yet."

A month or so later (aka today) I get the following rejection from them:

"Thank you for sending your story. Unfortunately, it is not long enough to fit our guidelines."

:(

I don't mind it if they don't like the story, or don't think it's strong enough to accept at present length... but if that's the SOLE reason it was rejected, then why allow me to submit it in the first place?
 

defcon6000

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I don't mind it if they don't like the story, or don't think it's strong enough to accept at present length... but if that's the SOLE reason it was rejected, then why allow me to submit it in the first place?
That's a bummer. :(

It might not have been the main editor who rejected it, but instead, a slush reader who wasn't aware that you'd queried about length.
 

Marzioli

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I don't mind it if they don't like the story, or don't think it's strong enough to accept at present length... but if that's the SOLE reason it was rejected, then why allow me to submit it in the first place?
Is this a market that offered a flat rate per story, regardless of size? I'm just trying to make sense of this response, but I can't! That's amusing on some level, but mostly frustrating to hear. And it wasn't even my story! I empathize.


Also, 72-day from Lore. I'm at least glad I didn't get flushed with the initial 60-day blokes, and held out a little longer. Different form than the standard rejection wiki, but I suspect just as standard.
 

alexshvartsman

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Is this a market that offered a flat rate per story, regardless of size? I'm just trying to make sense of this response, but I can't! That's amusing on some level, but mostly frustrating to hear. And it wasn't even my story! I empathize.


Also, 72-day from Lore. I'm at least glad I didn't get flushed with the initial 60-day blokes, and held out a little longer. Different form than the standard rejection wiki, but I suspect just as standard.

The market is too small to have slush readers. The response came from the editor directly.

They do pay a flat rate per story, but I offered to take a lower rate in the query letter, to accommodate for its length.

The story I sent is 1000 words. Their minimum is 2000. Perhaps I should have sent this story, plus one picture. :D
 

Marzioli

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Got an R from Futuredaze. Unlike the violent first submission I tried with them, they actually complimented the story this time, but said it didn't fit their intended theme.
 

mhaynes

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3 day form R from ASIM. 36 day form R from Nashville Review. (Latter was a longshot, but didn't seem 100% out of the question after poking around the stories on their site. I can finally send this one off to AHMM and see if I get a pleasant surprise next March or not.)
 

Eliza C

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Marzioli

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The rato of real submissions/rejections compared to what's reported on Duotrope is very close to what I expected.
I data entered my results. I would have done sooner, but I didn't realize you had a listing on Duotrope yet!
 

akaSylvia

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Interesting to watch the submission process from both sides. :D

Still no word although I did chase one story and had it confirmed that it arrived.

To be honest, most of my submissions aren't past due, it's just that the ones that ARE also happen to be my favourites.

*sits on hands* *refreshes*