The Daily Rejection, Vol. 2

Form rejection to a short story, first thing on Saturday morning. Not a great start to the weekend. But I rebounded quickly and shot the story off to another market.

ETA: I used to post about all my rejections on Twitter (sans names of markets and editors, of course). I quit that when I realized I was being followed by a number of editors and publishers. None of them probably pays that much attention to me, but I decided it was a good idea to just stop.

RL Greenleaf - that sounds like a very generic rejection to me. Unless the agent mentioned the dialect specifically, deciding it's the reason behind the rejection sounds more like you have concerns over it yourself.

If that's the case, you definitely should look at it again. I don't know we can help you with how much or how though without knowing the dialect. Does the reader actually have to stop and translate every time a child speaks? Does it jar with the narrative language?

RL, what did your beta readers say?

If you want more opinions, you could always try posting an excerpt in SYW.

Tamlyn:
JJ Litke:

My beta readers had absolutely no problem reading that 1700's English, but one publisher complained, in that vague, colorful way that they do, so I "upgraded" the language somewhat, but kept some of the "olde flavour".

Here is a small sample:

1700's: "Aye, enn I finds that ta be quite true, yass..."

MODERN: "Yes, that's true..."

I find the first line to be more colorful and pleasant, but...well, I am going to look at the ms again, from the beginning, all the way to the end, where that evil, wicked lady gets her just desserts.

RLGreenleaf said:

1700's: "Aye, enn I finds that ta be quite true, yass..."

MODERN: "Yes, that's true..."

I find the first line to be more colorful and pleasant, but...well, I am going to look at the ms again, from the beginning, all the way to the end, where that evil, wicked lady gets her just desserts.

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I think I am much more used to modern language. I would have a very difficult time parsing the first, and would prefer the second. That would be my off-the-cuff reaction.

Generally, I don't like dialect, accent, etc., written out in dialog like that. I always have to work to understand it, and it throws me out of the story.

But that's just my own gut reaction. Other people will have other opinions, so take mine with a grain of salt.

RLGreenleaf said:

Tamlyn:
JJ Litke:

My beta readers had absolutely no problem reading that 1700's English, but one publisher complained, in that vague, colorful way that they do, so I "upgraded" the language somewhat, but kept some of the "olde flavour".

Here is a small sample:

1700's: "Aye, enn I finds that ta be quite true, yass..."

MODERN: "Yes, that's true..."

I find the first line to be more colorful and pleasant, but...well, I am going to look at the ms again, from the beginning, all the way to the end, where that evil, wicked lady gets her just desserts.

Click to expand...

RLGreenleaf: I'd maybe go with something in between - give the reader a bit of dialect here and there, but in a way that doesn't slow the reading and interrupt the experience. I understand you're going for authentic (and that's admirable in its own way), but it's okay to take creative liberties and change things IMO, and honestly, reading that one line, I had to focus and work more than I'd like to throughout an entire novel.

Some words/phrases are still in use but less so, and selecting those might help (they'd still be known and easy to read, but with a touch of the old way of speaking). So for example, rather than the completely modern "Yes, that's true...," maybe something like "I find that to be quite true" would give just enough of an old time feel in a readable way.

Hope it works out for you, however you go about it!

Sounds like a batch of R cookies are in order...

Got an R myself, but it was for a short and didn't really bother me. Sent the story off again. Feeling...not down, exactly, but certainly not up. I don't really feel like writing at all right now. Which is pretty unusual for me (while I may not always manage to get the writing done, I usually want to), so instead of trying to power through I might just chill. Which then makes me feel bad for wasting this free time that I am not going to have again for a long, long while, but, you know, got to look after my mental health.

Pitch Wars mentees are announced this week, but I've basically lost interest. Sure, they always try to rouse the troops with stories of how someone got picked without getting a request first, but it's very rare and I think it's safe to say that if 0/4 mentors did not want to read more, then I'm not even close to in the running.

Maybe tomorrow I'll poke around MS6 and see if anything sparks. I do have a new idea for an MS8, but I'm definitely not ready to dive into it yet. Could jot down some notes, though.

Hi everyone!

I have returned after taking a long leave from posting at AW. When I left, I was just feeling dejected about writing in general - which is why I'm back, and posting here. I guess if I realized there was a thread specifically for dejection... I might have stuck around! My mistake for only browsing the Novel and Science Fiction/Fantasy boards...

I've spent the last few years plugging away at my book. It's slow going - every time I start to gain traction, I just hit a wall of self-doubt and hide from the story. But I've been working at feeling more confident in my output, and I think getting back into the swing of talking to other writers - and writing about writing - might be just what I need to continue to come out of my shell.

Kudos to all of you that are currently sending stories out! I envy you!

VileZero said:

Hi everyone!

I have returned after taking a long leave from posting at AW. When I left, I was just feeling dejected about writing in general - which is why I'm back, and posting here. I guess if I realized there was a thread specifically for dejection... I might have stuck around! My mistake for only browsing the Novel and Science Fiction/Fantasy boards...

I've spent the last few years plugging away at my book. It's slow going - every time I start to gain traction, I just hit a wall of self-doubt and hide from the story. But I've been working at feeling more confident in my output, and I think getting back into the swing of talking to other writers - and writing about writing - might be just what I need to continue to come out of my shell.

Kudos to all of you that are currently sending stories out! I envy you!

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Welcome back, VileZero!

Just a question that I have wondered about every once in a while...

if a publsher's email is a hotmail address or a gmail address, or something along those lines...

Is that a red flag?

Do you still submit to them?

I am not really sure, one way or the other, but I was just wondering what others thought.

RLGreenleaf said:

Just a question that I have wondered about every once in a while...

if a publsher's email is a hotmail address or a gmail address, or something along those lines...

Is that a red flag?

Do you still submit to them?

I am not really sure, one way or the other, but I was just wondering what others thought.

Click to expand...

Not necessarily a red flag, but it's unlikely to be a pro-paying, SFWA qualifying market. One of my favorite mags takes gmail.com submissions.

Hello! I'm here because rejection is a daily part of my life. I sigh. I fling myself down on the couch. Alas, at the moment I can't revenge query if I'm being sensible because two rejecting agents gave me advice that has the brutal sting of truth and I need to revise but (*wails*) I don't WANNA.

Also, I'm a bit stuck so I'm letting the advice wash over me as I contemplate and setting up a critique group with some friends because I've identified problems but no solutions and UGH.

Anyway, a rejection after a full today, with compliments on the strength of the query and the writing but still a no-go for what are good reasons that I wish I had realized two months ago. And as Pitch Wars draws to a close I join the 0 requests club.

So, anyway, hi.

Collie:

You are in luck!

It just so happens that I am selling "Rejecto Shampoo".

Just take a nice warm shower and rub this shampoo all over your hair, and all your crippling feelings of Rejection will disappear like summer snow!

Only one-hundred dollars per two-ounce bottle.

Cash only. No checks or credit cards, please.

Also comes in small tablets, for your eating pleasure.

Supplies are limited, so place your order NOW!

Thank you.

Collie said:

Hello! I'm here because rejection is a daily part of my life. I sigh. I fling myself down on the couch. Alas, at the moment I can't revenge query if I'm being sensible because two rejecting agents gave me advice that has the brutal sting of truth and I need to revise but (*wails*) I don't WANNA.

Also, I'm a bit stuck so I'm letting the advice wash over me as I contemplate and setting up a critique group with some friends because I've identified problems but no solutions and UGH.

Anyway, a rejection after a full today, with compliments on the strength of the query and the writing but still a no-go for what are good reasons that I wish I had realized two months ago. And as Pitch Wars draws to a close I join the 0 requests club.

So, anyway, hi.

Click to expand...

W00t! I'm in the 0 requests club as well! I've also received 0 rejections! And 0 acceptances/requests for partials/fulls!

Um... Of course, it might help to submit something mightn't it? But that involves finishing my novel, doesn't it?

Speaking of rejections...

Form rejection this morning for my silly time travel story "The Walls of Elsinore."

RLGreenleaf said:

Collie:

You are in luck!

It just so happens that I am selling "Rejecto Shampoo".

Just take a nice warm shower and rub this shampoo all over your hair, and all your crippling feelings of Rejection will disappear like summer snow!

Only one-hundred dollars per two-ounce bottle.

Cash only. No checks or credit cards, please.

Also comes in small tablets, for your eating pleasure.

Supplies are limited, so place your order NOW!

Thank you.

Click to expand...

LOL. That sounds awesome. I think you have a winning product on your hand!

underpope said:

W00t! I'm in the 0 requests club as well! I've also received 0 rejections! And 0 acceptances/requests for partials/fulls!

Um... Of course, it might help to submit something mightn't it? But that involves finishing my novel, doesn't it?

Click to expand...

Finishing things is a killer, and there's tumblr/twitter/FB/forums with their endless lure of distractions. I should be writing RIGHT NOW.

I've gotten two rejection letters so far. I think I need to rework my opening chapters as my writing gets progressively better through the story. Moving about 100 copies a month so far on Amazon has kept my self esteem afloat, and I've gotten positive reviews from book bloggers. Here's to the future!

underpope said:

Speaking of rejections...

Form rejection this morning for my silly time travel story "The Walls of Elsinore."

Click to expand...

I'm sorry.

Collie said:

I'm sorry.

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Oh, it's okay. A wee bit of revision, then it's back out the door.

CJSimone said:

Welcome back, VileZero!

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Thanks, CJ! It's good to be back.

Got a detailed personal rejection on a short today. Can't decide if I agree with the criticism or not (basically he recommended cutting what is my favorite part of the story, but I can see his reasoning and I'm wondering if I'm falling into the "kill you darlings" territory) so haven't sent it back out right away yet.

Welcome to the new folks! Come wallow in dejection with us, we have cookies!

noranne said:

Got a detailed personal rejection on a short today. Can't decide if I agree with the criticism or not (basically he recommended cutting what is my favorite part of the story, but I can see his reasoning and I'm wondering if I'm falling into the "kill you darlings" territory) so haven't sent it back out right away yet.

Welcome to the new folks! Come wallow in dejection with us, we have cookies!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome, noranne! As much as I hate the idea of wallowing in dejection... gotta say, cookies certainly makes it a more welcome experience! I'm sorry about your rejection () but hopefully you can find some solace in the fact that it was personalized?

If someone recommended that I cut my favorite part of my story, and I understood their reasoning... I dunno, I feel like I'd probably keep it in. But as of now, I'm writing just to get my story out - I don't know if it'll ever get published. But I feel like I've lived with the story for so long that it'd be difficult for me to axe my favorite part. If my overarching goal was to get it published, and this was what stood in my way, I suppose I might be more malleable!

Another day, another form letter rejection.

Collie said:

Another day, another form letter rejection.

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That stinks. Sorry to hear it.