positive?

billz015 · Jul 6, 2006

I recently submitted to two magazines, and one rejected me and I haven't been able to figure out if it was a personal rejection or just something they say to everyone.

It seemed personal, but I don't know.

What was said was, "Thanks for your recent submission. Though it's not right for our magazine, I'm certain you'll find a home for it."

And the other reply I got was, "Thanks for your submission. We will be reading and making decisions for our next issue and will contact you once we have chosen the work for the magazine."

I hope this is the right board. It's sorta been plaguing me as to whether either is a positive reply.

bsolah · Jul 6, 2006

I'm not so sure if the first rejection is personal or not. When they say, 'I'm sure you'll find a home for it,' it could suggest that your piece is good.

Continue to submit and it will become clearer to you.

Birol · Jul 6, 2006

The first one sounds like a form rejection.

Jamesaritchie · Jul 7, 2006

Rejection

"Thanks for your recent submission. Though it's not right for our magazine, I'm certain you'll find a home for it."

This is a standard form rejection, and many, many magazines use similar wording.

"Thanks for your submission. We will be reading and making decisions for our next issue and will contact you once we have chosen the work for the magazine."

This is also a standard form, though it's an acknowledgement, rather than a rejection.

veinglory · Jul 7, 2006

The first is a generic rejection, the second is just confirming they received it and will get back to you.

billz015 · Jul 7, 2006

Thanks much to all.

madderblue · Jul 8, 2006

I find anything typed out or not addressed to me or the story personally is standard form. All the good stuff usually comes scribbled in the margin or under the signature. That stuff is usually pure gold!

Jamesaritchie · Jul 8, 2006

rejection

madderblue said:
I find anything typed out or not addressed to me or the story personally is standard form. All the good stuff usually comes scribbled in the margin or under the signature. That stuff is usually pure gold!

Even many rejections with your name, and with the story's title, are still form rejections. Some magazines have rejections set up to look "personalized" by including the writer's name and the title of the story.

Other magazines use color coded rejection slips. Sometimes the two rejections look and read exactly alike, but paper of one color is very bad, while paper of another color is very good. Many writers have no clue this is the case, however, and think both are equal.

katiemac · Jul 8, 2006

Other magazines use color coded rejection slips. Sometimes the two rejections look and read exactly alike, but paper of one color is very bad, while paper of another color is very good. Many writers have no clue this is the case, however, and think both are equal.

Any particular reason they would use different colored paper then, since a rejection is still a rejection, and the author won't know the difference? Organization, bookkeeping, or a little humor on the magazine's end?

Birol · Jul 8, 2006

James, er, you're being tongue-in-cheek, right?

katiemac · Jul 8, 2006

I would hope so! I'm thinking white is for the "very good."

Jamesaritchie · Jul 8, 2006

Birol said:
James, er, you're being tongue-in-cheek, right?

No, I'm not. I wish I were. I won't give away the name of some editor I know who do this, but I will say there are several magazines where a form rejection on white paper is bad, but that same rejection on colored stock is good.

And there's often meaning behind the madness. At a couple of these magazines, the white stock is used by assistant editors. The colored stock is used by the main editor, and means your story reached his desk. But they read exactly the same.

Then, of course, while the wording is different, you have magazines such as Realms of Fantasy that send out "The blue form of death," and "The yellow form of promise."

I believe Asimov's also sends out two different form rejections, though I don't know the difference.

Jamesaritchie · Jul 8, 2006

katiemac said:
Any particular reason they would use different colored paper then, since a rejection is still a rejection, and the author won't know the difference? Organization, bookkeeping, or a little humor on the magazine's end?

Well, sometimes writers do learn the differences. And while there's more than one reason, it's sometimes because assistant editors use one color, and the main editor uses another.

positive?

billz015

bsolah

AW's Resident Commie

Birol

Around and About

Jamesaritchie

veinglory

volitare nequeo

billz015

madderblue

Beagle Lips.

Jamesaritchie

katiemac

Five by Five

Birol

Around and About

katiemac

Five by Five

Jamesaritchie

Jamesaritchie