I have a pretty much lifetime rejection from the Georgia Review, because I simultaneously submitted and then withdrew when the story was accepted elsewhere. Stephen Corey really tore me a new one.
I quickly sent them a different story, but they let me know it wasn't good enough, and no story ever would be...
This is a point worth raising: a lot of newer zines are fine with simultaneous subs, but the print ones will often say: "We do not read simultaneous submissions. Our response time is from six to nine months. Do not query until at least a year has passed," etc.
It's been pointed out that the average story is rejected 25 times before it's accepted, which is probably close enough, at least according to my experience. So if a review takes six months to reject, and gets all twisted up if you have the temerity to withdraw a simsub, they're expecting you to put up with waiting 12 years or so to see your work in print?
The narcissism is astonishing. This is actually an area where w,r could profitably play a role.
Given my feelings about Flannery O'Connor, you can understand my disappointment over this standard rejection. Bummer.
6 comments:
One more time from our collective mama: "It is not a good idea to enter a conest that charges an entry fee."
I think this must have been a typo: they meant Jacob Appell had won.
I have a pretty much lifetime rejection from the Georgia Review, because I simultaneously submitted and then withdrew when the story was accepted elsewhere. Stephen Corey really tore me a new one.
I quickly sent them a different story, but they let me know it wasn't good enough, and no story ever would be...
It's sad, because I admire that journal!
Oh, I meant the Georgia Review. Same university, but maybe they're not connected.
This is a point worth raising: a lot of newer zines are fine with simultaneous subs, but the print ones will often say: "We do not read simultaneous submissions. Our response time is from six to nine months. Do not query until at least a year has passed," etc.
It's been pointed out that the average story is rejected 25 times before it's accepted, which is probably close enough, at least according to my experience. So if a review takes six months to reject, and gets all twisted up if you have the temerity to withdraw a simsub, they're expecting you to put up with waiting 12 years or so to see your work in print?
The narcissism is astonishing. This is actually an area where w,r could profitably play a role.
Exactly. I probably would never have published the story if I hadn't simsubbed. So, a lifetime rejection from one journal is a small price to pay.
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