Middling It

Oh oh, do you mean that's what it says when you check the automated system? I was thinking you meant you got an email saying that. Still, I gotta think second round means second round. So congratulations, that's awesome!

Yeah, it was the automated system I checked. Thanks - feels good, even if it is (and probably will be) a rejection!

Back in August, a magazine let me know that my story made it into the final 50+ stories under consideration for the next issue, of which 10 would be chosen. They said this decision would be made by Oct. 1. But I haven't heard anything more, and their usually busy social media and website haven't been updated in weeks. Hopefully they're just busier than expected. :-/

DetectiveFork said:

Back in August, a magazine let me know that my story made it into the final 50+ stories under consideration for the next issue, of which 10 would be chosen. They said this decision would be made by Oct. 1. But I haven't heard anything more, and their usually busy social media and website haven't been updated in weeks. Hopefully they're just busier than expected. :-/

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Congratulations on making it that far. Fingers crossed for you.

gettingby said:

Congratulations on making it that far. Fingers crossed for you.

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Thanks, gettingby. They apparently had more than 600 submissions, so I feel good about getting that far, at least.

Alma Matters said:

Yeah, it was the automated system I checked. Thanks - feels good, even if it is (and probably will be) a rejection!

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That's a super-duper accomplishment! According to SG, they have a 0.23% acceptance rate on a ridiculous number of submissions, so just making it to 2nd round as huge thing!

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DetectiveFork said:

Back in August, a magazine let me know that my story made it into the final 50+ stories under consideration for the next issue, of which 10 would be chosen. They said this decision would be made by Oct. 1. But I haven't heard anything more, and their usually busy social media and website haven't been updated in weeks. Hopefully they're just busier than expected. :-/

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If I cross my fingers any harder I'm going to sprain them. YAY!

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Dang it.

Ty Schalter said:

I summoned the R. Form, but maybe it's not the lowest? They "carefully" reviewed my material, but it isn't "quite" right for their magazine. I'm taking solace in weasel words and, later tonight, this coffee porter I picked up.

Peace
Ty

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It's feels like I've been waiting forever on a bunch of markets. I've got several subs over 200 days. I keep writing new stuff and sending out new submissions, but those really old ones sure are building up a lot of anticipation. I have one story that I'm pretty sure is under serious consideration given how long it's been out and the waves of rejections on duotrope that I've managed to avoid this far. I also entered a few writing competitions that will be announcing winners in the next month or two. The contest thing is new for me. I had to decide which of my stories were worth the entry fee. I feel pretty good about all of the pieces I have on submission. I'm being more careful about when I feel a story is ready for submission. I'm also sending stories out to more places at a time unless they don't allow that. I feel like I'm a better submitter than I used to be.

Do any of you guys feel like you've gotten smarter when it comes to submitting your work? The longer you wait on a response, do you feel more confident? I can't just be setting myself up for failure after failure, can I? Publishing short fiction (or trying to) feels like this really slow-moving, wild ride.

If I've learned anything over the years, it is that every market is different, and getting your anticipation up because your work has been out a long time will usually lead to disappointment.

I've had stories accepted less than a couple weeks after submission, I've had many more stories receive form rejections after waiting twelve months, eighteen months, and (wait for it) twenty-five months.

Some places read and respond quick. Some places hold your work for a second or third reading but send the same rejection letter tier-one people got, some places close down and don't bother to let anyone know.

The smartest thing I've learned about submitting is that unless I know people working for the magazine, I don't know shit about anything.

All that said, in my experience, if the place isn't using an on-line trackers like Submittable, submissions go missing far more often than I would have imagined. Off the top of my head, I can think of five times in the last three years I've written to editors asking about a piece that has been with them for long past their stated response times, only for them to say the story is lost.

William Green said:

Some places hold your work for a second or third reading but send the same rejection letter tier one people got

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THIS drives me bonkers. It's probably my own fault for being too OCD watching the Grinder and getting my hopes up. Still, I wish they could give you something, even a hint that it was close but not quite.

Just hit the 300-day mark at Tor.com.

I have a story being held for further consideration. I was surprised to get that far with this market, so it's a good feeling, but now the wait is more agonizing than usual.

DetectiveFork said:

THIS drives me bonkers. It's probably my own fault for being too OCD watching the Grinder and getting my hopes up. Still, I wish they could give you something, even a hint that it was close but not quite.

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Right? I too wish editors and readers would say more than they do. I had a submission held close to a year. On the submission manager it was marked "second read." This was for a really big publication. It would have been such a big deal. Making it to "second read" status was probably a big deal. But then I got a standard form rejection. The only reason I know it went to second read is because I checked the submission manager. I thought maybe I had missed the rejection somehow.

At the same time, those editors that do take the time to say a line or two about my work never really say much. What else is there to say? The story wasn't good enough for them to buy. Maybe almost good enough. Maybe worth a second read. I am trying so hard. And I know there are probably thousands of people trying just as hard. What do you guys think makes an editor write a personal rejection? Do you feel better getting a personal rejection compared to a form? Sometime I feel good about getting a personal rejection, but it is usually short lived.

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DetectiveFork said:

Just hit the 300-day mark at Tor.com.

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Good luck! That sure is a long wait. I really hope it works out for you.

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Cmalone said:

I have a story being held for further consideration. I was surprised to get that far with this market, so it's a good feeling, but now the wait is more agonizing than usual.

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That's great news. I hope your story makes it.

Thank, gettingby. I'm not exactly hopeful about Tor.com. Based on Grinder stats, it looks like a lot of stories that were submitted around the same time just haven't been reviewed yet. I'm at 320 days now; I'm thinking that if it gets to a year, I might withdraw the piece. But then I'll always wonder if it stood a chance. lol

I completely understand that most editors don't have time to offer personal feedback on rejections, and that the few comments they can provide are a gift. But I want to call out one publication for giving substantial feedback that has been incredibly helpful in whipping my stories into shape - Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores.

DetectiveFork -- Don't withdraw. The way I see it is someone will eventually get around to looking at it and make a decision. Do they not allow simultaneous submissions? I hate having a story at just one place. But you've been at this a while and I can only imagine how good probably is. I think it could be worth the wait. Besides, isn't Tor like one of the top genre mags? Of course, you've got to wait it out. Here's hoping good news for you is on it's way sooner than later.

I'm at 300 days with Tin House and getting close to that with a few others. I've really pushed myself when it comes to submitting this year, sending submissions out each week most of the time. But I've heard from just over half of the places I've sent work. I wanted to reach a point where I had a hundred short story submissions. That's only 10 markets each for 10 stories or five markets each for 20 stories. But it's just been too hard for me to reach that. I haven't even come close. I think I'm really going to give this writing thing all I've got in 2017. Cheers to all of us publishing like crazy in the coming year!

gettingby said:

I'm at 300 days with Tin House and getting close to that with a few others.

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I just hit 459 days with Tin House. That's right about where a batch of forms hit Duo recently so I'm expecting one soon. Good luck!

pdichellis said:

I just hit 459 days with Tin House. That's right about where a batch of forms hit Duo recently so I'm expecting one soon. Good luck!

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Thanks. And good luck to you too. They didn't used to take so long. Maybe they're short readers or something. I think it's kind of ridiculous for anywhere to take more than a year. Honestly, I think they should be able to get to submissions within six months. Longer than that just doesn't seem right.

I just got a rewrite request from a token-paying market I submitted one of my stories to. It might not be much, but it's the first time I've gotten anything other than a straight rejection. So I'm feeling celebratory enough to brag a little bit. Hopefully my rewrite will make it in.

Are there any stats out there on how often rewrite requests end up as acceptances? Is it safe to say most still end up rejected?

I'm not sure, but I think rewrites often do turn into sales. Just try your best to follow the editor's requests.

Luxtizer said:

Are there any stats out there on how often rewrite requests end up as acceptances? Is it safe to say most still end up rejected?

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I don't know if there are any specific stats for that tracked anywhere, but I'm batting zero on mine. I've found that those rewrite requests are too vague for me, and I end up missing the boat on on my guess of what they're actually looking for when I get the personal rejection later.

Luxtizer said:

Are there any stats out there on how often rewrite requests end up as acceptances? Is it safe to say most still end up rejected?

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Congrats!

I've only ever gotten one rewrite request, and they were specific about the added detail they wanted. In the end, they bought it. I have no idea what's typical, though.

Thank you all for the feedback. This market was pretty specific about the changes they wanted to see, so I'm optimistic about a positive end result. I suppose the only way to see is to do the rewrite and see what happens.

Does it count as cheating on my W1S1 progress if I focus on the rewrite instead of a new story for this week? I think I'm going to give myself credit for it anyways, even if it does feel a little like fudging on my new year's resolution just five days in.

Luxtizer said:

Does it count as cheating on my W1S1 progress if I focus on the rewrite instead of a new story for this week? I think I'm going to give myself credit for it anyways, even if it does feel a little like fudging on my new year's resolution just five days in.

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Go ahead and count it. I'd say this falls in with the spirit behind your goals, whether they're to keep writing, improve your skills, or get published.

JJ Litke said:

Go ahead and count it. I'd say this falls in with the spirit behind your goals, whether they're to keep writing, improve your skills, or get published.

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Thanks! I think that's exactly the attitude I should take. I appreciate the perspective.

I've sent off the rewrite. Somehow I'm more nervous about this than I was about submitting the story the first time. Wish me luck, all.

Received an email from Da1ly Sci Fi to let me know my story had made it to the second round. It might not go all the way, but it was a piece of flash fiction that I was unsure of and this has made me put a little more faith in it.