Rejectomancy

[pangalactic]

Originally Posted by JenWriter

Question for those who have subbed to Shimmer. Did you receive an email confirmation at all that they received the story? I haven't, I've been out there 13 days, and I'm seeing very recent responses on Duotrope for 1, 2, 4 and 7 day responses, just in the past few days. It's making me twitchy.

I've never received a confirmation email from Shimmer.

[alexshvartsman]

Nice personal R from Nature for me today... but on the bright side two of my buddies (Ken Liu and Anatoly Belilovsky) got acceptances from them today! Already sent my story to the next market on the list.

[Sai]

Got a personal R from Washington Pastime. They said they liked the concept but thought there was 'uneven prose.' Wha wha what? My prose is so even, you could use it as a leveler. My prose is so even, if you set a marble down on top of it, that mamma-jamma is not rolling anywhere. My prose is so even...okay, that's all I got. I do think it's funny in that this is the reverse of most of the Rs this story has got (usually editors have said that the writing is well done but the idea cliche. huh).

[Marzioli]

Originally Posted by Sai

Got a personal R from Washington Pastime. They said they liked the concept but thought there was 'uneven prose.' Wha wha what? My prose is so even, you could use it as a leveler.

That's the exact same rejection I got! And I too thought my prose had been chiseled into, if nothing else, evenness. I'll still give it another round of edits to make sure it flows well, and maybe hand it to a critter for further, objective evaluation. But now I'm not so sure how far to take the so-called personal note.

[Pemako]

Originally Posted by Sai

Got a personal R from Washington Pastime. They said they liked the concept but thought there was 'uneven prose.' Wha wha what? My prose is so even, you could use it as a leveler. My prose is so even, if you set a marble down on top of it, that mamma-jamma is not rolling anywhere. My prose is so even...okay, that's all I got. I do think it's funny in that this is the reverse of most of the Rs this story has got (usually editors have said that the writing is well done but the idea cliche. huh).

Yeah, the only time I submitted to Washington Pastime the R said "The premise of the piece was interesting, but it did not completely grab me. The prose style has potential, but it needs some fine-tuning." I got really worried. Fine-tuning? But I think it's just one of their form Rs....

[defcon6000]

Originally Posted by Pemako

Yeah, the only time I submitted to Washington Pastime the R said "The premise of the piece was interesting, but it did not completely grab me. The prose style has potential, but it needs some fine-tuning." I got really worried. Fine-tuning? But I think it's just one of their form Rs....

Hey! I've gotten that R before! Methinks they have a whole filing cabinet of different form R's and run a different version every a few weeks/months.

Originally Posted by GCU_Dramatic Exit

got a rejection from Flash Fiction Online

Curious, but how long did it take?

[Izz]

Originally Posted by defcon6000

Curious, but how long did it take?

I am also curious (*hugs* too).

Argh! The crickets are so loud!

[Sai]

Sneaky Washington Pastime! But I do feel strangely better knowing that it's a kind of form 'R.'

[MysteryRiter]

I got a rejection today from Eric's Hysterics and also from Untied Shoelaces (US said that my dialogue was too tight. Huh? I don't know what that even means, haha. ). At least the responses are coming.

[Marzioli]

I changed my Washington Pastime to a form R.

[Sai]

Originally Posted by Marzioli

I changed my Washington Pastime to a form R.

Yeah, I think that's a good idea. I like feedback, but I like it best when it's actually relevant to the story.

[Taylor V]

I feel as though structuring a form R in a way that makes it seem like it's real feedback is actually harmful. What if the "problem" they mention isn't a problem at all and by changing it you actually make things worse?

[Izz]

I agree completely, Taylor.

[GCU_Dramatic Exit]

It sounds like you have a good story, you just need to find the right editor (in the right mood, on the right day, while s/he is eating the right doughnut). Is it sci-fi or fantasy? Lots of mags are looking for flash fiction, even if they don't specialize in it. Good luck!

it's science fiction. the style of it is different from what I would normal write so I think that's why I'm having difficult with finding a home for it. I think the problem is that it's very much an intense character study. It does have a plot but the structure is not a traditional one, sort of experimental...perhaps I'll try more literary venues.

thanks!

defon & Izz -- the rejection took 16 days

[Project Deadlight]

I love you guys... was so depressed when I got that "prose is uneven" rejection this morning. Was set to ruin the weekend. Feel better now as it seems they were on autopilot. Still going to check that story over again though...

[JenWriter]

Form R from Clarkesworld. Ah well, long shot anyway.

[defcon6000]

*hugs for everyone*

Received an R from Untied Shoelaces. I dunno why I keep submitting to them, but oh well.

Originally Posted by Project Deadlight

I love you guys... was so depressed when I got that "prose is uneven" rejection this morning. Was set to ruin the weekend. Feel better now as it seems they were on autopilot. Still going to check that story over again though...

From the stuff I've seen of yours, I've never found the prose uneven, so I wouldn't worry about it.

As with rewriting based on R's, I'd only change a story if the editor had made a rewrite request, otherwise, they're not buying it so why change it?

[Lillie]

Oh! I got one from Untied Shoelaces as well.

They said the beginning was OK, but the end was crap.

Which is really weird, I thought the beginning was crap too.

(((((Huggles for everyone)))))

[defcon6000]

Originally Posted by Lillie

Oh! I got one from Untied Shoelaces as well.

They said the beginning was OK, but the end was crap.

Which is really weird, I thought the beginning was crap too.

Aww. *hugs*

That's why I opt out of their comments (there's a little box you can uncheck up top if you don't want comments). I find them more annoying than helpful.

[defcon6000]

46-day R from FFO. At least it was a personal R, made it to the final round, which is cool. I have to admit, it's more of a vignette than a full story, and I think it wants to be fleshed out.

[katsincommand]

Originally Posted by Taylor V

I feel as though structuring a form R in a way that makes it seem like it's real feedback is actually harmful. What if the "problem" they mention isn't a problem at all and by changing it you actually make things worse?

What was Heinlein's rule about not revising except to editorial order? Unless you STRONGLY agree with the criticism, seriously consider changing anything. What one editor has an issue with, might not bother another.

The other side of that, is if you get several editors citing the same issue, THEN you seriously weigh your options.

I wouldn't revise based on feedback from an editor unless (1) it struck me as dead-on, and/or (2) they offer to look at it again if it was rewritten.

Be careful. Feedback is a dangerous world without the right context.

[Izz]

Originally Posted by defcon6000

46-day R from FFO. At least it was a personal R, made it to the final round, which is cool. I have to admit, it's more of a vignette than a full story, and I think it wants to be fleshed out.

41-day R here. Made it to the final round, too, though i'm surprised, as all the comments seem to indicate that nobody really liked the story

[mhaynes]

Form R's today from F&SF, EQMM and Clarkesworld. No big surprises there, I've only come close once at those three combined. On to the next market for each story.

I'm still standing at 37 days at FFO with a story that apparently came sort of close at DSF. Looks like a lot of responses came in there recently -- six R's and one acceptance reported on Duotrope recently. I guess no news is sort of good news there.

[Aggy B.]

Crickets.

Aggy, telling herself it's better than "No, thanks." :P

[alexshvartsman]

Originally Posted by Izz

41-day R here. Made it to the final round, too, though i'm surprised, as all the comments seem to indicate that nobody really liked the story

My personal R from them kind of felt the same way. I'm guessing they're sending the criticism rather than the praise, to help us improve the stories perhaps?

Hugs for all the Rs, people. It's been quiet for me in the last couple of days, which is just as well since the conundrum on my blog has been sucking up some of my writing energy this weekend.