Rejectomancy

Aggy B.

Not as sweet as you think
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 28, 2008
Messages
11,882
Reaction score
1,557
Location
Just north of the Deep South
REJECT: to refuse to accept, consider, submit to, take for some purpose, or use

-MANCY : divination

I'd never heard this term before, but lo and behold, Google had. For those who are neophytes to this art like myself here are a few articles to help explain and discuss.

- Abyss and Apex
- Wyrdsmiths
- Urban Dictionary

With these thoughts in mind, why don't we have our own thread to practice this divination?

(Izz put me up to this. Throw rocks at him. Send him virtual hugs.)
 

Aggy B.

Not as sweet as you think
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 28, 2008
Messages
11,882
Reaction score
1,557
Location
Just north of the Deep South
I'll start. Subbed a short story entitled The Vampire's Ward to an anthology of steampunk erotica.

This is the rejection I got.

Hi Aggy,

Thanks so much for letting me consider your story for my steampunk erotic romance collection. While I enjoyed it very much, it isn't quite what I'm looking for in this collection. Best of luck to you in placing it elsewhere!


Kind regards,


Editor

*personal details such as editor's name and my name have been removed

What do you think? My guess is that "vampire" didn't equal steampunk in the editor's book o' rules.
 

Izz

Doing the Space Operatic
Staff member
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
8,248
Reaction score
2,543
Location
NZ
Website
www.justgoodfiction.com
This looks like a nice form R to me, Aggy. Probably made it to the editor's 'consider' pile.

ETA: it's possible the editor didn't like the vampire aspect of it, or it could be that the other stories they've bought are trending towards a certain theme and they want to go with that, or something else.

Conclusion: get it back out into the ethers!

(and :hooray: for being the first person other than me to start a thread in our shiny subforum)
 
Last edited:

AnnieColleen

Invisible Writer
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
4,355
Reaction score
1,391
Location
Texas
:)

I don't have enough Rs yet to do much of this. More cricketomancy, recently. (Ooh, they've rejected stories more recent than mine! Hey, mine's been there right about their average time for acceptances...:rolleyes: )

Glad to see the thread, though.
 

Nathaniel Katz

The Evil Hat
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
414
Reaction score
50
I got rejected by F&SF in five days. Counting shipping on both ends. And one of those days was sunday. I don't think they liked it...
 

Izz

Doing the Space Operatic
Staff member
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
8,248
Reaction score
2,543
Location
NZ
Website
www.justgoodfiction.com
Got a personalized R back this morning (i know it was personal rather than nice form because they referenced specific aspects of the story). It was a nice R, but still an R. The point they raised re why they didn't take the story was very valid (ofc), but i don't feel like rewriting. :tongue

That was its 10th R, and it's been close at several venues (was held by one pro-paying mag for over 300 days). If it hasn't sold after 10 more markets i may think about retiring it :D
 

Nathaniel Katz

The Evil Hat
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
414
Reaction score
50
Got a personalized R back this morning (i know it was personal rather than nice form because they referenced specific aspects of the story). It was a nice R, but still an R. The point they raised re why they didn't take the story was very valid (ofc), but i don't feel like rewriting. :tongue

That was its 10th R, and it's been close at several venues (was held by one pro-paying mag for over 300 days). If it hasn't sold after 10 more markets i may think about retiring it :D

Damn, what venue? That's a bit much. Did you at least get a personal rejection after all that time?
 

Izz

Doing the Space Operatic
Staff member
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
8,248
Reaction score
2,543
Location
NZ
Website
www.justgoodfiction.com
Damn, what venue? That's a bit much. Did you at least get a personal rejection after all that time?
Yeah, got a personal R. The editor was very apologetic. Basically it boiled down to the length of the story versus space in the mag.
 

cathyfreeze

I lost my fever! I need it back!
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
1,170
Reaction score
348
Location
South TX
Aggy,

Rejectomancy! A long and honored waste of time tradition.

"it isn't quite what I'm looking" is standard-reject #1, i fear. Could be anything. Second cousin to "Doesn't quite fit our mag."

cat
 

NicoleMD

Onomatopotamus
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 4, 2007
Messages
1,661
Reaction score
365
I've gotten 11 rejections this month, which works out to one pretty much every other day. It's been tough, but I guess that means I've got a lot of stories out there. So maybe it's a good thing?

Nicole
 

cathyfreeze

I lost my fever! I need it back!
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
1,170
Reaction score
348
Location
South TX
Yes, Nicole! You should always be like that and never, ever like me, who hasn't subbed anything until now for 2 yrs!
 

Sagana

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
625
Reaction score
81
Location
Kentucky
I have now discovered that markets hold twitter fic as long as anything else. That seems wild, but actually they probably get much, much more of it so the slush piles are just as high.

I know this is the cricketomancy kind, but it's what I've got right now. Maybe it fits the genre if you look at it sideways?

If I *had* eleven stories, I'm sure I'd have more to say in this thread. So far, I have three and working on four, not counting the twitter ones. Yes, I'd say that's a very good thing :)
 

AnnieColleen

Invisible Writer
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
4,355
Reaction score
1,391
Location
Texas
I think it fits here -- or else we should go start our own thread! (One of my stories is right in the market's "average acceptance" zone, & duotrope has responses -- ok, rejections -- coming for older & newer submissions...the crickets are having a field day.)
 

Izz

Doing the Space Operatic
Staff member
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
8,248
Reaction score
2,543
Location
NZ
Website
www.justgoodfiction.com
(One of my stories is right in the market's "average acceptance" zone, & duotrope has responses -- ok, rejections -- coming for older & newer submissions...the crickets are having a field day.)
Oh, i hate that. Invariably i get my hopes up, only to have them shattered a week or so later.
 

AnnieColleen

Invisible Writer
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
4,355
Reaction score
1,391
Location
Texas
Yep. I'm trying to focus on those "older" rejections to keep the hopes in check.

Or focus on new stuff. Not working so well.
 

AlwaysJuly

slugging through
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 24, 2009
Messages
1,296
Reaction score
159
Location
Washington, D.C.
Website
thisisnotnotmydayjob.blogspot.com
Here's my rejectomancy topic of the day. I'm at about 10% personalized rejections. I know some people say if you aren't getting personalized rejections, it might be time to revisit the story in edits, maybe get some new crits, because you're possibly well off the mark.

But, erm, I'm subbing to pro markets with no short story credis to my name. Well, and non-pro literary mags that are swamped. So I don't know how meaningful those form r's are.

What to do, what to do?
 

shelleyo

Just another face in a red jumpsuit
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 9, 2010
Messages
2,126
Reaction score
342
I'm at 11 rejections for the month (though 9 if you count that 3 were in one poetry batch--I count it as 11). That number will undoubtably get higher. The only other rejection this year was in February. Of course, I've made 23 submissions just this month compared to 4 each for Jan and Feb, so it makes sense the number's going to be higher.

Right now I have 15 things out, though a few are at the same place, and there are a couple of poems in there, as well as some micro stuff and the longest original story I've done to date. It's quite a mix.

I have several submissions planned this week. I just need to recheck guidelines and organize everything. I'm also hoping to have everything written so far in W1S1 out by the end of the month, as I still have two in revision stages from February, both of last week's stories in revision, and one that did get submitted but was rejected, and I decided it's actually two stories instead of one. Got a two-fer that week and didn't even know it. ;)

I'd sure like to be able to write a story at the beginning of the week, revise, and send it out that same week. I have done it, but if I tried to do that every week, it would result in me sending an awful lot of stuff out that's just not ready. I'm thinking that might change as the year goes on, and it'll get easier to get things revised a little faster. But if not, that's okay with me, too.

Shelley
 
Last edited:

NicoleMD

Onomatopotamus
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 4, 2007
Messages
1,661
Reaction score
365
Wow, Shelly! 11 Rejections in one month is great! (See, we need to reclaim the word "rejection", since it means we are one step closer to that acceptance!)

I just got another today. If I manage to get 200 rejections this year, I'm going to do something really nice for myself.

Nicole
 

Izz

Doing the Space Operatic
Staff member
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
8,248
Reaction score
2,543
Location
NZ
Website
www.justgoodfiction.com
Here's my rejectomancy topic of the day. I'm at about 10% personalized rejections. I know some people say if you aren't getting personalized rejections, it might be time to revisit the story in edits, maybe get some new crits, because you're possibly well off the mark.

But, erm, I'm subbing to pro markets with no short story credis to my name. Well, and non-pro literary mags that are swamped. So I don't know how meaningful those form r's are.

What to do, what to do?
I wouldn't read too much into the form Rs, AJ. As you say, you're subbing to top-end markets. The likelihood of getting a personal R is slim. Most pro markets (genre, anyway, not so sure of literary) have different level form Rs. Typical, good, close, etc.

Personally, i don't read too much into personal v form Rs. I tend to look more at whether the story's getting past slush (often you can tell by wait time, or who signs off on the R) after a half-dozen markets before considering whether to rewrite/get crit. But, that's just me. :)

I'm at 11 rejections for the month (though 9 if you count that 3 were in one poetry batch--I count it as 11). That number will undoubtably get higher. The only other rejection this year was in February. Of course, I've made 23 submissions just this month compared to 4 each for Jan and Feb, so it makes sense the number's going to be higher.

Right now I have 15 things out, though a few are at the same place, and there are a couple of poems in there, as well as some micro stuff and the longest original story I've done to date. It's quite a mix.

I have several submissions planned this week. I just need to recheck guidelines and organize everything. I'm also hoping to have everything written so far in W1S1 out by the end of the month, as I still have two in revision stages from February, both of last week's stories in revision, and one that did get submitted but was rejected, and I decided it's actually two stories instead of one. Got a two-fer that week and didn't even know it. ;)

I'd sure like to be able to write a story at the beginning of the week, revise, and send it out that same week. I have done it, but if I tried to do that every week, it would result in me sending an awful lot of stuff out that's just not ready. I'm thinking that might change as the year goes on, and it'll get easier to get things revised a little faster. But if not, that's okay with me, too.

Shelley
Go Shelley! Keep that momentum going.

Wow, Shelly! 11 Rejections in one month is great! (See, we need to reclaim the word "rejection", since it means we are one step closer to that acceptance!)

I just got another today. If I manage to get 200 rejections this year, I'm going to do something really nice for myself.

Nicole
I've had 8 Rs so far this month (18 for the year to date), and am expecting number 9 today (a contest where the organizers have said they've decided the winners, and seeing as i haven't heard i'm expecting i'm not one, :D but i'll wait until they announce before chalking up another R).

200 rejections. There's a good goal. And yes, you'd better do something nice for yourself if you get there, Nicole (hell, even if you 'only' get 150). :)
 
Last edited:

JennyCP

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
153
Reaction score
10
Location
Denver, CO
Website
jennycoonpeterson.com
I currently have four short stories subbed and just got my second rejection yesterday. But both rejections have been personal, not form, so that's good. (I guess?) Good luck to everyone on staying positive through rejections -- it's something I'm definitely still working on.
 

Nathaniel Katz

The Evil Hat
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
414
Reaction score
50
I just got the rejection from SH that I've been waiting for. It was personal, so I'm not bummed out, and it gave me a good idea for a few tweaks I can do before I send it on. So far, this story's managed to far exceed the guidelines at DSF, Pedestal, and (now) SH, but no takers. Fourth time's the charm?
 

Izz

Doing the Space Operatic
Staff member
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
8,248
Reaction score
2,543
Location
NZ
Website
www.justgoodfiction.com
Yay for personal Rs from SH, Nathaniel! And getting to final consideration at three pro-paying markets in a row is very good indeed.

And go, Jenny! Staying positive can be hard, but it's worth it. :)
 
Last edited:

MattJ

Publish or Die Trying
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
279
Reaction score
23
Location
FWB, FL, USA
Website
wayofthewriter.blogspot.com
That's a great comment on your writing.

I just got the rejection from SH that I've been waiting for. It was personal, so I'm not bummed out, and it gave me a good idea for a few tweaks I can do before I send it on. So far, this story's managed to far exceed the guidelines at DSF, Pedestal, and (now) SH, but no takers. Fourth time's the charm?
 

Gray Rose

Beware of the Thorns!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 8, 2007
Messages
1,741
Reaction score
647
Location
in the hands of the night
Website
roselemberg.net
I just got the rejection from SH that I've been waiting for. It was personal, so I'm not bummed out, and it gave me a good idea for a few tweaks I can do before I send it on. So far, this story's managed to far exceed the guidelines at DSF, Pedestal, and (now) SH, but no takers. Fourth time's the charm?

Congrats on the personal rejection from SH. These are quite rare, and mean that your story was seriously considered. Best of luck with the next market!