Editors who don't know what they want

After nearly two years of burn-out, I'm finally submitting work again. There was a pub that took reprints and I noted their word count and sent them an appropriate piece. They returned it, and I sent another, and well....

Here's the reject I got today.

"Once again, we're going to have to take a pass. This piece comes across as more of a personal essay and
we really don't use those. We're a strictly "how-to" operation!"


Huh? With my first sub, they said they only took work that came from personal experience. Got out some pieces that came from personal experience. Sent one that combined how to keep track of manuscripts (wait! Did I just say, How To??) with how not to piss off editors (that part came from my experience as a poetry and newsletter editor).

Double huh.

Ta!

School's Out

Editor's daughter is there working as an intern for college credit...a psych major...pregnant from a smooth-tongued writer she had a brief fling with at a toga party...father doesn't know...daughter thinks all male scribes are pigs.

Editorial changes?

Wait a sec, Sailor. Was it two years ago that they wanted personal experience? And now, when you sent this essay to them now, was it the same editor and same editorial policy? The same set of guidelines? Did you see their recent issues, was it the same kind of content?

Because it's not unknown of pubs to change their preferences all of a sudden. If you relied on the info you got two years ago, it's possible they've just moved on. On the contrary, if nothing changed, just relax and take it easy--**** happens!

Re: Editorial changes?

Wait a sec, Sailor. Was it two years ago that they wanted personal experience? And now, when you sent this essay to them now, was it the same editor and same editorial policy? The same set of guidelines? Did you see their recent issues, was it the same kind of content?

Click to expand...

Got it online, from their current web site, a day before I sent the manuscript.

I think the first reply fits!

Been there, done that. (See my post in Freelance Writing: "Must restrain urge to bang forehead.")

With that kind of feedback, I don't think you should put up with the headache of dealing with them. Besides, that editor sounds rude.

You got a canned answer. Maybe you were supposed to get #3 and a computer fairly accidently typed #5.

Or worse...you got the reply another writer was supposed to get, as a mistake....Don't think about it.

<img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/image/posticons/pi_geek.gif" />

Or worse...you got the reply another writer was supposed to get, as a mistake

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's happened a few times!


(Not in this case, though. The editor just had a lobotomy and apparently needed more recovery time....):grin

Hang in there, SK.

Hey, Arr!

Welcome 'ee aboard!

Did I mention in the thread that another editor bought the piece? Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk....