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Rejectomancy
- Thread starter Aggy B.
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I think that's the worst... My most recent sub is at 15 days, and my oldest is at 50. I expect that they're all gonna come at me BLAM!
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70-day personal from Cast of Wonders. Very kind, with specific, usable feedback. The two big knocks were that it lacks the "spark of wonder" that is their hallmark, as well as emotional impact. I'm surprised, because I think those are the two things the story really has going for it. Ah well. I don't think I was *particularly* close here, but I feel like this story is closer to finding a home.
Peace
Ty
Peace
Ty
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Thanks, JJ! You could be right: This one's been around the block at the big pro markets, but I started to get consistent feedback that it reads like YA, even though I didn't write it as such. When I did CoW's suggested dialog polish (cutting down on tags, etc.), I also more firmly aimed it at that market. I'm planning to try Cicada, et al next.
Peace
Ty
Same-day form from Mothership Zeta on the same zombie humor piece McSweeney's just kerplutzed (and The New Yorker ditched earlier). Maybe it's not quite as funny as I thought.
Thirty-day form rejection from The Malahat Review. It sucks when some of your best stuff gets rejected.
'Spark of wonder' sounds like an elusive aspect to consistently nail down in a story. I know if you told me to include a spark of wonder, it'd leave me sitting there scratching my head for a while. It's good to hear they gave you some useful feedback besides, "Not for us."
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17 day form R from Apex, out to Asimov's now. Anyone notice how Asimov's Rs have gone from 2-5 days to 27-42 days in the last 10 days or so? I wonder if it's just because they're whittling down their hold list for an upcoming issue.
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Got a lovely personal R from F&SF last night. The amount of encouragement I draw from getting one of those rarities is worth more to me than an acceptance at an obscure non-paying market. Is that weird?
He liked my premise/idea but felt the story was rushed. It was a timely comment because I've REALLY been struggling with feeling like nothing I write about is interesting to anyone but me (well, my daughter likes it too, but she's like most people's moms when it comes to that and I consider her more a cheer-reader).
He liked my premise/idea but felt the story was rushed. It was a timely comment because I've REALLY been struggling with feeling like nothing I write about is interesting to anyone but me (well, my daughter likes it too, but she's like most people's moms when it comes to that and I consider her more a cheer-reader).
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Arrrrrgh, sorry! Despite KNOWING it's futile, I'm playing the SH tea-leaf reading game right now at 36 days. A 65-day form is a huge bummer.
Peace
Ty
Sitting at 23 days with Fireside, with the same horror piece that made it to 2nd round at Clarkesworld before that. Trying not to get my hopes up. Also trying not to check SG and the queue more than once every couple of hours, haha...
What do the queue numbers actually mean? I've been seeing posts from people that went out at positions in the 100s or the 90s, so does a lower number mean you were closer to being accepted? I gather that no one actually gets to 0 or 1, right?
What do the queue numbers actually mean? I've been seeing posts from people that went out at positions in the 100s or the 90s, so does a lower number mean you were closer to being accepted? I gather that no one actually gets to 0 or 1, right?
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Lord knows with the queue numbers. I just got my 33 day F1reside and I was at # 14. The rejection was the formiest form rejection that ever did form. I heard they had nearly 3,000 submissions, so I don't really blame them, but I was getting a little hopeful. Better luck to you!
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Aw, I'm sorry about the rejection and doubly sorry about the form. If it took 33 days, it must been under pretty serious consideration, though. Here's hoping that you find a great home for it!
I think queue position = how fast you got your story submitted + how fast the slush readers read the stories submitted before yours. I don't think it has much to do with it being closer to acceptance, at least not at this fairly early stage. They said a while back how many submissions they got. Something like 2,300-ish (more than double their previous submission period). What I've noticed of their trend lately is to go back and forth between the polar end submissions and send out chunk Rs. Submissions in the middle will probably be the last to hear unless they start chunking the middle too, so a long wait probably doesn't mean much unless you submitted very early in the process.
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I wanted to get into Cirsova so bad. I love their dedication to sci-fi adventure. It had been awhile since I heard anything and it looked promising based on Grimder stats. But alas... They said it was a fun story but they only had so much room.
It depends on the publication. At F&SF and Apex the lower the number, usually the longer your story has been held onto. But there are certain (fluctuating) thresholds for second read, third read. (FREX: For a while, once you passed the 80-90 mark at F&SF it was usually being looked at a second time, while those under 40 were being held for serious consideration, but that all changes as things are accepted, rejections are sent out, etc.) And it's always possible to be held into a second round or even final round and then immediately culled.
I might or might not have a story sitting at a dangerously low number at one of the aforementioned markets. It may or may not have been sitting there for close to a month now.
Aggy, nerves? What nerves?
Aw, sorry about that R, AbsintheWhisper, but I'm sure it'll find a good home. 
Good luck!
DetectiveFork, that sounds like some encouraging feedback, though! Personal Rs are always a good sign.
I am in the same boat, Aggy, and it is a boat full of nerves, all right. Wheee... all aboard the nerve-boat.
Good luck!DetectiveFork, that sounds like some encouraging feedback, though! Personal Rs are always a good sign.
I am in the same boat, Aggy, and it is a boat full of nerves, all right. Wheee... all aboard the nerve-boat.
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Is that a market that sends notice it's being sent for a second? (Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes...)
It doesn't send a notice, but if you check your status obsessively enough, it changes from "Under Review" to "Under Review (Second Round)". Previously I thought that was just a myth, haha...