Rejectomancy

[AnnieColleen]

One of my subs just went red at duotrope. I've already nudged and confirmed they got it...and it looks like they're just slow right now (they've had others longer)...but they've also responded to others received sooner, so...trying hard to ignore the crickets here. No cricketomancy! I've got other stuff to be working on.

(Or is this why I could hear them outside my window last night??)

[Lillie]

Well, just had my one and only SF story come wandering back through the door, hanging its little head.

It got a boot up the arse and went back out again.

Good luck with your crickets, Annie!

[faerydancer]

Sorry to hear about your R, Lillie. Glad you got it right back out there! I had one come in this morning, too. Just need to figure out where to send it off to next.

[Lillie]

Thanks.

Sorry to hear about your R. I'm sure it will find a good home.

[alexshvartsman]

Originally Posted by shelleyo

Rejection question. Anyone know if Pedestal Magazine ever holds stuff from one issue to the next, or do they just sometimes send rejections long after the issue in question is up?

Shelley,

They often send R's out several weeks after the deadline, and even after the issue has been posted. They don't take MUCH longer than that, so I'd wait just in case they do decide to use your submission for the following issue.

[alexshvartsman]

Originally Posted by AnnieColleen

One of my subs just went red at duotrope. I've already nudged and confirmed they got it...and it looks like they're just slow right now (they've had others longer)...but they've also responded to others received sooner, so...trying hard to ignore the crickets here. No cricketomancy! I've got other stuff to be working on.

(Or is this why I could hear them outside my window last night??)

Annie,

I have a few red subs on Duotrope as well.... As long as they've confirmed receipt, don't sweat it and just wait. Them rejecting more recent submissions can only be a good thing, and while it doesn't in any way guarantee acceptance it does likely mean that you've made it past the first reading (or further). Good luck!

[Lillie]

Wah!

Another of the little buggers trails back home, all forlorn.

Out into the cold you go, young man, and make a bit of effort this time.

[shelleyo]

Originally Posted by Lillie

Out into the cold you go, young man, and make a bit of effort this time.

May it go and do its job this time!

I got my first rejection of July this morning (one that didn't really bother me all), and made my first submission of the month a few hours later. It's all about balance.



Shelley

[JC Romel]

Sorry Lills and Shells. Chin up!

[Aggy B.]

Crickets here. Waiting on beta feedback before I send the next couple of things out. (And editing a few in the interim.)

[pangalactic]

Lots of crickets here. Still waiting on responses from some of the big guns, and I'm happy to wait. The longer they hold it the better, right? Let's go with that.

[Lillie]

Just got a very interesting R from BCS.
What they said is very similar to other things that have been said.

I think there might be something fundamentally wrong with the way I write.
I'm going to have to do some thinking.

[MattJ]

Lillie, I've been there. Can be a good thing, I think.

As for me, I'm about to pass my 50th rejection this week. Does it count if I close my eyes really tight?

[Lillie]

You get a party for 50, I think.
Make sure you let us know so we can all celebrate with you.

As for mine, it's not a big deal. I've just got to think about it.
They are probably right in what they say. I've just got to decide whether I like it the way it is, even if they don't, and carry on trying to find a market for the stuff. Or if I'm going to try to change how I write, and if so, how.
Cos I'm a bit of an old dog to be learning new tricks.

Anyway, it's not like I'm crying in my beer about it. I've just got to think about it.

[faerydancer]

Sorry to hear about the R, Lillie. I'm not sure if this will help, but if you want a fresh pair of eyes to look over your stuff, I'm more than willing to.

Sometimes rejections can have a compound effect. I'm dealing with that right now. 6 rejections since Friday. Makes me pause for a minute and wonder if I'm cut out for this. Then I try to remind myself that I'm obviously a genius. It's just no one's noticed yet. :P

[zanzjan]

Originally Posted by Lillie

I think there might be something fundamentally wrong with the way I write.
I'm going to have to do some thinking.

If this is something you'd like to pass by a fresh set of eyes, let me know. I'm totally slackin' from writing right now, so the least I can do is be helpful to someone else.

-Suzanne

[Sai]

Originally Posted by Lillie

Just got a very interesting R from BCS.
What they said is very similar to other things that have been said.

I think there might be something fundamentally wrong with the way I write.
I'm going to have to do some thinking.

Try not to let it get you down. The fact that you are getting personal rejections suggests that there's more right than wrong with your writing.

As for me, I'm about to pass my 50th rejection this week. Does it count if I close my eyes really tight?

Ohh, you get to throw a party! And you better invite all of us!

[JC Romel]

Originally Posted by Lillie

You get a party for 50, I think.
Make sure you let us know so we can all celebrate with you.

As for mine, it's not a big deal. I've just got to think about it.
They are probably right in what they say. I've just got to decide whether I like it the way it is, even if they don't, and carry on trying to find a market for the stuff. Or if I'm going to try to change how I write, and if so, how.
Cos I'm a bit of an old dog to be learning new tricks.

Anyway, it's not like I'm crying in my beer about it. I've just got to think about it.

So the criticism they have of your story is one you've heard a few times before? If so, then absolutely take it as a cue to change things up. I'd count myself lucky if I could pinpoint something about my writing that's getting me rejected.

[JC Romel]

Welp, Electric Spec just popped my balloon and sent me crashing back down to earth. "Summer of Change" was rejected. Ah, well, I'm not surprised. I rushed this one out to meet the deadline.

I'm going to take a few days to revise/polish this puppy, and maybe even work on a title change.

[Sai]

I'm in the rejection doldrums right now where all my submissions are either nowhere near close to getting a response or just not close enough. I'm going on a road trip later this week, which is good since it will be easier to keep my mind off my subs when I'm traveling. In the meantime, time to sub more stuff!

[Lillie]

Ah, JC. My sympathies.

Ideomancer just popped mine.

Anyone know what's going on with Chizine?
There have been no responses posted on Duotrope since the 21st.
Are they on holiday or something?

[faerydancer]

Sorry about the rejections, JC and Lillie. And I feel you on the doldrums, Sai. Nothing coming in and it doesn't look like anything will come in for a while now. *sigh* I'm not good at this patience thing.

I have no idea what's up with ChiZine, Lillie. I'm curious to hear if anyone has news, too.

[JC Romel]

Originally Posted by Lillie

Ah, JC. My sympathies.

Ideomancer just popped mine.

Anyone know what's going on with Chizine?
There have been no responses posted on Duotrope since the 21st.
Are they on holiday or something?

It's a good question. I know their current issue extends from July to September, so it's possible that they don't really dig in until we get closer to the deadline. All their most recent activity was in the week prior to the issue releasing.

[pangalactic]

I've done a mid year roundup of my 2011 submissions, if anybody is interested; you can see it here.

Does anybody submit to Shroud? I'm so used to having submissions trackers that nothing but radio silence since the beginning of the submissions period is setting my nerves on edge. I keep feeling like I've been rejected and missed the email.

[Sai]

Hah, so I was wrong about being in the 'no-response' zone. I got a form R from One Buck Horror today. Time to check out Izz's awesome flash fiction list and find another place to send it.