Rejectomancy

defcon6000

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Just had a hearbreaking personal rejection from one of the bigguns. Not because it was a bad rejection, just that the comments in it made me think that the reader didn’t really understand the story and made me think she had missed the point entirely on quite a fundamental level… That is a whole market now where I will worry anything slightly interesting or challenging won’t make it past the slush reader just because they don’t get it. Grrr.

Ah, I've been there...quite a often, actually. :D It's frustrating, and I've had to sit on stories because I couldn't find another market for them, but I KNOW eventually they're going to flip an editor's switch -- you just have to find that editor.
Also, the reason I do not like slush readers: many are not well read.
 
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pangalactic

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Personal from Shimmer, with a "please do try us again. Would like to see more from you." Dang. No idea where to send this story now (Shimmer was a long shot).
 

Project Deadlight

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Ah, I've been there...quite a often, actually. :D It's frustrating, and I've had to sit on stories because I couldn't find another market for them, but I KNOW eventually they're going to flip an editor's switch -- you just have to find that editor.
Also, the reason I do not like slush readers: many are not well read.

Your post made me feel a bit better and that it's not just be being a grumpy gus. It's just the exact bit I think is awesome about that story, they have clearly not got.
 

pangalactic

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Fantastique Unfettered finally made their decision, and it was a no. And a form no, at that. I always expect a little something when I make it to the final round. *shrugs* Ah well. No idea where to send this story next, either.
 

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A form from wizards of the future. First of the month.
 

GCU_Dramatic Exit

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just got a rejection from Ideomancer, probably the best rejection I've had so far

Thank you for sending us your short story "An Uncanny Life." While Ideomancer will not be accepting it, we encourage you to send us another story.
The narration is beautiful but the dialogue could have been improved.
We wish you all the best in placing this short story and hope to hear from you again.

now where can I send a experimental SF flash piece
 

Project Deadlight

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Rejection city round these parts... After some progress into the tiered rejection and personal rejection territory I'm back at square one with two bi, fat, ball-kicking forms. Was going to start my novel this week, now not sure if I have the enthusiasm.
 

Lillie

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Sorry to hear about all the rejections :(

Project Deadlight. Don't take it to heart. Sometimes I get a personal, mostly I get forms.
I don't think it means much. Some places seem to send mostly personals, other places mostly forms. You've probably just hit a spot of 'mostly form' markets.
You'll get more personals.

And start that novel thing! It's November :)
 

alexshvartsman

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Lillie is right - a lot of markets don't provide personalized rejections, regardless of how close your story came to being picked up. It stings a little more than a nice soothing personalized rejection, but look at it from the editors point of view - they have to say no many times a day. If I were an editor, I'd rely very heavily on tiered forms.
 

alexshvartsman

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Lots of crickets here too. SOOO many subs out. A whole bunch beyond average RTs. Several are the oldest subs at their markets as per Duotrope - but no responses from anyone. Hellloooo? Editors? You out there?
 

faerydancer

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Sorry about the Rs everyone!

Rejections from Analog, Daily Science Fiction, and Lightspeed came in today. Things this tells me: 1. Rejections always follow acceptances. 2. My sci-fi stories are much harder to sell.
 

Ovid9

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Mojo to all those who have received R's lately. I'm not so patiently waiting for my first one.

Best of luck on your resubmissions and finding new places to sub!
 

Lillie

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(((((Brenda)))))

:(
 

defcon6000

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Sorry about the Rs everyone!

Rejections from Analog, Daily Science Fiction, and Lightspeed came in today. Things this tells me: 1. Rejections always follow acceptances. 2. My sci-fi stories are much harder to sell.

Ah, I got a rejection from DSF, too! SF definitely seems to be a harder sell.
 

Sai

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Form rejection from Asimov's. It's a bit of a longer story, so I'll have to look at markets and figure out which places will take a 7,000+ word story beforeI send it out again.

On the birghtside (?) It won't be long now before I reach 50 rejections! Party time!
 

pangalactic

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Don't mean to quibble, young Pan. But technically that is good news! Well done you. I set up a forum called Middling It for just these sort of developments. Please play there! It is lonerly!

I'll go check it out!

Sorry for being so down recently. My last 4 or 5 Rs have all been stories that made it to final consideration before being passed on. I'm refusing to get my hopes up (hence posting that in Rejectomancy!)
 

Lillie

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Lol. 82 days at Abyss and Apex and they send a form :(

And my Machine of Death got the big fat R. Lol. That was fun, though. Hope some of you have better luck.
 

faerydancer

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Sorry defcon and Sai. Yay for nearly 50 rejections though! Definitely cause for a party!

Congrats on getting to the final round at Bull Spec, pan. You never know, this might be the one to break through!

Sorry, Lillie :( I got the R from Machine of Death, too. Were there tiered rejections or did everyone get the, "we'll be keeping your story in consideration for future projects" email?