Middling It

Project Deadlight

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Inbetween rejectomancy and braggage? Something made it to a higher round? Been passed on to an editor? This is the place you!


So, my two favourite places on this forum are Braggage and Rejectomancy...

But there isn't really anywhere to go when you are sort of inbetween the two. I thought I might try and start one but it will probably fall flat on its arse. Please play along if it floats your boat.

So, yeah, had a lovely "passing you to the senior editor" middler today from a pro-market. It had the lovely last line: "thank you for a great read."
 
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zanzjan

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the check-in lounge, i guess? (pardon lack of caps, one hand holding ice cream sandwich)

congrats on the story making up a big step up the ladder -- however it ends up, you gotta feel good about it (-:
 

Project Deadlight

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Yeah? I thought that was more for like introductions, rather than half-way-housey sort of reporting... Oh well, hope that ice cream was good!
 

zanzjan

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Ice cream sandwich was indeed good, thanks (-:

I could be wrong, but the lounge has always seemed more like a random chit-chat spot, like the Cantina over on the SF/F forum. Doesn't mean a new thread especially for hopeful-woots is a bad idea.
 

Lillie

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Yeah. This thread is good.

I'm on 76 days at Abyss and Apex. I'm half hopeful and half crapping myself every time I look at my email.
 

Project Deadlight

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Yeah. This thread is good.

I'm on 76 days at Abyss and Apex. I'm half hopeful and half crapping myself every time I look at my email.

I know the feeling... I now have two that are definitely in the second stage of consideration at pro markets.

Fingers and toes crossed.
 

Lady MacBeth

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I have a story that was just passed to a senior editor too. I've been trying to get into the magazine for a few years. I'm superstitious even writing about it.
 

Tienci

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Currently on day 48 with a pro market (got the "passing it on to next round/senior editor & thanks for the read" message 1.5 months ago).

It's the only 1 of the 16 pieces out right now I know has been shortlisted.
Meanwhile, I'm starting to think my submission to The Paris Review was lost--on day 149 and no response to my query! :(
 

V1c

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Tienci - hopefully it's just a good sign. They (PR) take approx. 1 slush story a year apparently (asked them once at a conference, they said, 'uhm, yeah'). Last time I had one with them forever I got a nice handwritten note.
 

Lady MacBeth

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Tienci - hopefully it's just a good sign. They (PR) take approx. 1 slush story a year apparently (asked them once at a conference, they said, 'uhm, yeah'). Last time I had one with them forever I got a nice handwritten note.


Wow. I didn't know PR took any from the slush. Thanks for the info.
 

pangalactic

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Deadlight just pointed me this way - I hadn't seen this thread before.

So yeah. Just made the final round at Bull Spec, but I'm not getting my hopes up. Last few subs hit the final round at Fantastique Unfettered, Shimmer, Daily Science Fiction and Beneath Ceaseless Skies and all got rejected, so breath is not being held.
 

Project Deadlight

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So yeah. Just made the final round at Bull Spec, but I'm not getting my hopes up. Last few subs hit the final round at Fantastique Unfettered, Shimmer, Daily Science Fiction and Beneath Ceaseless Skies and all got rejected, so breath is not being held.

Fancy bumping into you here, Pan.

I don't think I have subbed to any of those before, bar Shimmer. Do they always let you know you are in a final round or is it guesswork? That is a major bum to have gotten that far only to be rejected. Good luck with the 'spec!
 

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Deadlight just pointed me this way - I hadn't seen this thread before.

So yeah. Just made the final round at Bull Spec, but I'm not getting my hopes up. Last few subs hit the final round at Fantastique Unfettered, Shimmer, Daily Science Fiction and Beneath Ceaseless Skies and all got rejected, so breath is not being held.

Good luck, Pan!

Fingers crossed for you :)
 

GCU_Dramatic Exit

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Camera Obscura is currently reading a story of mine, second story I wrote but first magazine I've sent it to so doubtful it'll be accepted.

Just sent a story to Pedestal [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
 

Lillie

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How do you know Camera Obscura are reading it?

I sent them one ages ago. I don't know that they've even looked at it. Is there a way of checking?

Anyway, good luck with yours.
 

Lillie

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Oh! Cheers!

Once I'd found my log in details I found it :)

It says reading. I wonder how long it's been saying that. I sent them the damn thing about 2 months ago.
 

V1c

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I've found CO a long time (I think my lastone there was about 150 days).

Don't know if it's a technical 'middling' - over 90 days at Analog now, and I do still worry (It's said 'closed' on my sub since day 11, but I sent an e-mail asking about it and am told it's still under consideration, wait for an e-mail)
 

pangalactic

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Fancy bumping into you here, Pan.

I don't think I have subbed to any of those before, bar Shimmer. Do they always let you know you are in a final round or is it guesswork? That is a major bum to have gotten that far only to be rejected. Good luck with the 'spec!

With Shimmer and Bull Spec I had an email from the slush readers telling me they were passing it along to the editor for final consideration. With the others I was told in the rejection letters how far it had made it, though that's only happened when it's been an "Almost". Especially for Daily Sci Fi, I usually have no idea how close or far I was from making a sale. (Not that it matters as a no is still a no, no matter how close to being a yes.)
 

alexshvartsman

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DSF now sends out a form email to let those who advanced into round 2 know. This is a fairly recent development.
 

pangalactic

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DSF now sends out a form email to let those who advanced into round 2 know. This is a fairly recent development.

I don't think I've had one of them yet, but I've only got further than round one with them once (I think). That time had their standard form, with a PS at the bottom that read "This was an almost for us. Honestly, I think [blah blah blah shit specific to my story]."
 

alexshvartsman

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Yeah, they sent out an occasional note or two on the subs that made it further than most in the past, but now they do the whole "welcome to round 2" email which is quite cool. It makes you feel better, and also fights off the crickets for that day :)

I currently have a story in their slush that is probably way too wacky to sell anywhere (still, figured I have to at least try), so I'm expecting a form reject to break my DSF streak by the end of this week.
 

alexshvartsman

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So about that DSF story I mentioned above... I found a rejection in my inbox this morning with a few words of encouragement... followed by another e-mail 15 minutes later saying that, on the second thought, the story is growing on them and they'd like to hang onto it for a few days more, passing it to the second round!

Naturally, they can have all the time they need. I can only hope that, like a virus, it will continue to grow in the petri dish of slush until they have no choice but to accept it :)