- Joined
- Feb 13, 2005
- Messages
- 81
- Reaction score
- 43
I get rejected all the time, but this one actually made me want to respond with something acerbic. Got the standard reject from a flash mag, then it was followed with the editors' comments. I'm going to respond to those comments because, if I don't vent, I'll embarrass myself in an acerbic email reply to them.
Then try reading it without moving your lips. I'm subtle but not obscure. It was 500 words long with a simple plot and a simple moral.
Well, I'm glad you at least understand it. Maybe you should explain it to editor 1, it makes no sense to him. "All the horrors"? It was 500 words, only one thing happened. Not emmotional enough? It's 500 word flash fic, that's only enough room for a single simple scene. How are you supposed to get to know a character wel enough to feel emmotional and still have enough words left to have a setting and make something happen? I think that expectation is a little high. Either that or you lack humanity. I don't have to know someone to feel bad for them if I see them in trouble. I can empathise. Yet these "horrors heaped upon them" evokes nothing from you....
For crap's sake its 500 words! Is your attention span that short? I do more reading off of billboards! I'll try to include more naked chicks and explosions next time...
Finally a fair statement! I can't argue with that. That's all I'd need to know. But your drama lama ding dong co-editors have me all rialed up!
They ended with "I hope you will consider us again in the future". Are they serious? Just be honest...You're editors had absolutly nothing positive or encouraging to say, so why would they "hope" to read more or for me to submit again. In following, having nothing positive whatsoever to say doesn't make me feel encouraged to resubmit.
The whole letter could have been summed up with "Your subject matter and style do not fit with our publication. Your submission didn't interest us." That wouldn't have offended me at all. I get those and deal fine.
EDITOR 1: No. This made no sense to me.
Then try reading it without moving your lips. I'm subtle but not obscure. It was 500 words long with a simple plot and a simple moral.
EDITOR 2: No. I understand what the writer is trying for but he/she fails to evoke an emotional response. I don't care for the characters, thus all the horrors heaped upon them seem petty and I don't feel anything for their plight.
Well, I'm glad you at least understand it. Maybe you should explain it to editor 1, it makes no sense to him. "All the horrors"? It was 500 words, only one thing happened. Not emmotional enough? It's 500 word flash fic, that's only enough room for a single simple scene. How are you supposed to get to know a character wel enough to feel emmotional and still have enough words left to have a setting and make something happen? I think that expectation is a little high. Either that or you lack humanity. I don't have to know someone to feel bad for them if I see them in trouble. I can empathise. Yet these "horrors heaped upon them" evokes nothing from you....
EDITOR 3: No. This comes across as contrived horror and I started skimming about halfway through.
For crap's sake its 500 words! Is your attention span that short? I do more reading off of billboards! I'll try to include more naked chicks and explosions next time...
EDITOR 4: No. This didn’t interest me.
Finally a fair statement! I can't argue with that. That's all I'd need to know. But your drama lama ding dong co-editors have me all rialed up!
They ended with "I hope you will consider us again in the future". Are they serious? Just be honest...You're editors had absolutly nothing positive or encouraging to say, so why would they "hope" to read more or for me to submit again. In following, having nothing positive whatsoever to say doesn't make me feel encouraged to resubmit.
The whole letter could have been summed up with "Your subject matter and style do not fit with our publication. Your submission didn't interest us." That wouldn't have offended me at all. I get those and deal fine.
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