That's funny, Cyber, because I have a story at Analog I'm waiting to hear about. If that one gets rejected I could frame it beside my Asimov's R.
Asimovs ....wow they're holding it!
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Oh, I forgot to follow-up this. I recently recieved a rejection from Sheila simply because my manuscript wasn't in Standard manuscript format. Usually, I'd have my work done correctly....but this was the one time I FORGOT to double check and make sure it was in SMF. ;_; I middle-fingered her in thoughts when I was like "well, damn. Request a revision." But of course, QUICKLY returned to myself, and realized that its just my own damn fault for not nick-picking things like this ;_; So yeah, I ruined my only chance to finally get a manuscript published. (And the reason I say this is my only chance is because I'm not submitting to asimov's again >_>. The first time I was rejected, the editor sent me a rejection that was 100% not form. As in, she told me the problems with the manuscript and that it had potential, blah blah. [a different story. Still sitting in my short stories folder unpublished.] And now this time, its formatting. I know I know, don't give up, but I'd rather suffering 500 rejections from Clarkesworld's speed or lightspeed's speed, rather than waiting 3 months for a pityful rejection ._.)
Luckily, this is yet but another rejection and so they really don't both me :/ Although, I just wish I can get at least 1 foot through the door. But damn, its extremely tough these days as a first time author o_o.
Luckily, this is yet but another rejection and so they really don't both me :/ Although, I just wish I can get at least 1 foot through the door. But damn, its extremely tough these days as a first time author o_o.
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alvin, sympathies on the R, but I'm going to be very blunt here (highlighting mine):
Asimov's ends you a personal, helpful, encouraging R with suggestions on how to improve the ms--and your reaction is "blah, blah"?
Maybe you would lessen your chances for a "pitiful rejection" if you took an experienced editor's suggestions to heart and used them to improve your ms.
And unpublished writers improve their chances of acceptance when they work to improve their craft, listen to the suggestions of experienced editors, and don't use the transparent excuse of "[rejections] don't really bother me" (Rs bother EVERYONE. They suck. That's the truth.).
Of course it's tough. That's why we work hard to get our writing above the level of slush, then above the level of "almost but not quite", then above the level of "not bad, but it's like too much else out there"--all the way to the level of "now this is what we're looking for."
If it wasn't tough, anyone could do it. You want my stats? Five years. 3 books. 185 Rs. One agent Yes. A bunch of editor passes. One editor Yes. I took those Rs and ground them up and chewed on them till I made my writing rise to the top of all those levels.
You can do it too. If you want it bad enough to work at it.
Good luck.
Asimov's ends you a personal, helpful, encouraging R with suggestions on how to improve the ms--and your reaction is "blah, blah"?
Maybe you would lessen your chances for a "pitiful rejection" if you took an experienced editor's suggestions to heart and used them to improve your ms.
And unpublished writers improve their chances of acceptance when they work to improve their craft, listen to the suggestions of experienced editors, and don't use the transparent excuse of "[rejections] don't really bother me" (Rs bother EVERYONE. They suck. That's the truth.).
Of course it's tough. That's why we work hard to get our writing above the level of slush, then above the level of "almost but not quite", then above the level of "not bad, but it's like too much else out there"--all the way to the level of "now this is what we're looking for."
If it wasn't tough, anyone could do it. You want my stats? Five years. 3 books. 185 Rs. One agent Yes. A bunch of editor passes. One editor Yes. I took those Rs and ground them up and chewed on them till I made my writing rise to the top of all those levels.
You can do it too. If you want it bad enough to work at it.
Good luck.
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alvin, sympathies on the R, but I'm going to be very blunt here (highlighting mine):
Asimov's ends you a personal, helpful, encouraging R with suggestions on how to improve the ms--and your reaction is "blah, blah"?
Maybe you would lessen your chances for a "pitiful rejection" if you took an experienced editor's suggestions to heart and used them to improve your ms.
And unpublished writers improve their chances of acceptance when they work to improve their craft, listen to the suggestions of experienced editors, and don't use the transparent excuse of "[rejections] don't really bother me" (Rs bother EVERYONE. They suck. That's the truth.).
Of course it's tough. That's why we work hard to get our writing above the level of slush, then above the level of "almost but not quite", then above the level of "not bad, but it's like too much else out there"--all the way to the level of "now this is what we're looking for."
If it wasn't tough, anyone could do it. You want my stats? Five years. 3 books. 185 Rs. One agent Yes. A bunch of editor passes. One editor Yes. I took those Rs and ground them up and chewed on them till I made my writing rise to the top of all those levels.
You can do it too. If you want it bad enough to work at it.
Good luck.
You're definitely right.
"Blah blah" meaning as in "fill in the lines or something like that." That wasn't my reaction the rejection itself. My reaction on the rejection back then was:
"Shit! I better fix this up, just like the editor says, and give it another go."
Ultimately, I did fix it up, but just didn't bother submitting it again o_o (I think I did once to Light speed and got rejected in 1 day xD)
By the way, I've been at this for five years. (I'm 20, about to be 21. Have been trying to get something since I was 16.)
But I won't give up that easily though.
I submitted my first SS to Asimov's and its been there a mere 26 days. Its been "under review" for 10. However, I have also read up and scanned Duortrope to realize that Asimov's sends out their rejections in batches (A chart of their responses looks like the classic mountain/valley if you chart it in your head). Whats killing me is that they haven't sent any responses out for the last 8 days according to recent reponses. I have decide that I need to spend way more time playing mine sweeper and a lot less time hitting the refresh key.
I think your problem is that you're so preoccupied with getting published that you neglect to polish your own craft. You've admitted this by stating you didn't diligently proofread your manuscript, or even submit it in the requested standard format. Not to be disrespectful, but if you showed more care of your story and guidelines the publishing part will take care of itself.
MA_Kowalski
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My rejection (R) from Analog
I'm pretty new here but I wanted to add to a very interesting thread.
I've only submitted 12 - 15 ss, all to the top 4 or 5 Sci-Fi periodicals and I'm still unpublished. But my most treasured soon-to-be pro artifact is the rejection I got from Stan Schmidt. In the R, he told me he "rather liked my writing style" and though of course he didn't take the ss for unstated reasons (I think he didn't state why, I'll have to take another look at his signed letter) that one statement has dragged my illiterate behind through more grinding, crawling study, than absolutely anything else.
It's been hard to overcome my own internal critic but that letter has done more for my hopes than all the fantasies could ever have done.
Thank you Dr. Schmidt. And thanks to all the other editors that have taken the time to be just, slightly nice when some of us new writers haven't been nice enough to follow basic professional conventions.
Maybe someday soon, I'll get it right.
I'm pretty new here but I wanted to add to a very interesting thread.
I've only submitted 12 - 15 ss, all to the top 4 or 5 Sci-Fi periodicals and I'm still unpublished. But my most treasured soon-to-be pro artifact is the rejection I got from Stan Schmidt. In the R, he told me he "rather liked my writing style" and though of course he didn't take the ss for unstated reasons (I think he didn't state why, I'll have to take another look at his signed letter) that one statement has dragged my illiterate behind through more grinding, crawling study, than absolutely anything else.
It's been hard to overcome my own internal critic but that letter has done more for my hopes than all the fantasies could ever have done.
Thank you Dr. Schmidt. And thanks to all the other editors that have taken the time to be just, slightly nice when some of us new writers haven't been nice enough to follow basic professional conventions.
Maybe someday soon, I'll get it right.
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