Musing on Rejection After Acceptance

Don't be fooled. Just because one nice publisher recognizes the merit of your project and chooses to publish it, doesn't mean others will feel the same.  It's easy to be lulled into a false sense of optimism, but it is not recommended. I can only imagine how devastating it must be to get bad reviews. It certainly isn't very nice when the accepted manuscript continues to get rejected elsewhere. But such is life. Here's the latest:

Dear WR: Thank you for submitting [Title of Novel] for the 2014 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, founded by Barbara Kingsolver. After a careful review of more than 150 qualifying manuscripts, we have selected this year's 10 finalists. We have now moved on to the next phase of judging.

We are sorry that your novel was not among the finalists. With this letter, we release you from any further obligation to this year's competition, you should feel free to submit the manuscript elsewhere. If you plan to revise your novel significantly, we invite you to resubmit it for a future prize cycle.

Thank you again for your interest in this prize and best wishes for your work in the future.

Best regards,
Arielle Anema
Literary Awards Associate
PEN American Center
Awards@pen.org

I hadn't really felt under any obligation to not submit my manuscript elsewhere (obv.). But I have been released  from it nonetheless.

So Many Conclusion from So Few Pages

Not long ago, I entered a novel contest and received some comments from the judges.  There were three judges offering critiques.  Above is some of what the third judge had to say. Here's my question:Whatever happened to settling in and letting things evolve? Do you really need to know everything on the first few pages...this isn't facebook, is it? Oy.

Somewhat Intriguing, But Not Really

Last Spring, I submitted 25 pages of my novel to a contest where the perk was to get direct feedback from three readers who are "industry insiders."  Here's a smattering of what I got back:

• There are a lot of unnecessary and misused colons. En dashes were used where em dashes were needed
• This novel will be very difficult to place
• Lots of good detail of the snow, clothing, hair movements, etc
• The first chapter is very long
• The first line is somewhat intriguing, but not really fascinating
• It is definitely original. I saw no cliches
• Writer has a very unique voice
• Main character seems dark, trapped in a horrible world
• I don't see any conflict. The mother is too domineering to allow it.
• The children talked in a manner appropriate for unsupervised, uncared for children of the era.
• Narrative vastly overwhelmed the dialogue.

From an LROD Reader

On Jan. 4, 2012, I submitted a short story to Boulevard. More than seven months later on Aug. 18, 2012, I received the following e-mail. I clicked the provided link and received the message "Status: Declined." The word Declined was emphatically (and one must assume lovingly) printed in red typeface.

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NOTE: Do not reply to this email. This address is used for notifications only. If you need help, contact Submittable Support:xxxxxxxx
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The status of this submission has changed.

You can go here to view the submission:

 

http://www.xxxxxxxxxx/

Television Rejection, Just for Fun

Is no one exempt from the opinion of fools?

Conjunctions, Close Up The Gap!

Why such a large space in the middle of your form rejection?  Maybe you want to write something nice to the writer who received this in the mail?  Maybe you don't.  You know about conjunctions and run-ons, right? At least put a smilie or frownie in there, man.

Nauseated Penguins

Here's one for the books. An LROD reader sent in this rejection in which the editor found the actions of character "almost too outrageous, and sometimes even nauseating. For this reason, I cannot see this as a Viking title and so I will pass."  Click on the rejection to make it bigger for easier reading.  In the meantime, all best and alas and cheers.

An Irritated Dame

FROM AN LROD MOUSE: Background on this rejection: I sent the submission in on November 7, 2011. Notre Dame Review doesn't allow for simultaneous submissions (which I totally ignore) and they didn't have a way to withdraw the story online or email an editor when the story in question was accepted elsewhere. So, I decided to try to do the right thing anyway, called their office directly, and spoke to an extremely irritated man who snapped that they'd rummage through the pile for my work throw it out. Well, I guess not, since today - over five months later - I got this:

Rejection: Dear Author, Thank you for your contribution to The Notre Dame Review. We regret that we are unable to use it for our publication. We are pleased that you chose to send your work to us for consideration. Best of luck to you in your writing.Sincerely, The Editors

If you've ever been in one of those review offices, you know they are a total mouse's nest of unread stories, envelopes piled to the ceiling, though know is it email piled to the cyber-ceiling?  I'm not sure. 

Sign Your Name, Sirs

Have some respect for the dying art of the paper rejection, please.  Is it too difficult to put your name to paper?  Ah, I'm just yanking your chain. It really doesn't matter, does it?

The Rejection that Dare Not Utter its Purpose

The person receiving this cryptic rejection from the Santa Monica Review writes: This one really bugs me.. because, as you'll notice, they never actually get around to rejecting me.

Dear Writer: We don't know of anyone who hasn't had work returned at one time or another, but that certainly doesn't make it easier. We hope you will find consolation in the individuality of editorial tastes and in the assurance that with persistence, good work will be recognized as such. Thank you for trying us. The Editors

Hill of Salt, Pile of Beans

This writer had recently gotten her story accepted elsewhere, and had written politely to withdraw said story from Salt Hill, where it was still under simultaneous consideration.  Apparently, however, Salt Hill prefers not to miss an opportunity to reject, so they sent a rejection out anyway a few weeks later.

Thank you very much for your recent submission to Salt Hill. Regrettably, we are unable to publish it at this time. Please know that we take very seriously the job of reading all submissions that come our way, and we’re grateful that you would consider our journal when sending your writing out for publication. We remain thankful for your support and wish you the best of luck placing this work elsewhere. All the best, The Editors

Translation: Back at you, baby; we didn't want it anyway.

CAPS-FLATTERY-BEFORE-SALES-MESSAGE REJECTION

This fresh rejection is from AGNI:

Dear Writer: Thank you for giving AGNI the opportunity to read your work. We found the writing lively and interesting and enjoyed reading it. After careful consideration, we've decided that this manuscript isn't right for us, but please consider sending other work in the future. THIS IS NOT OUR CUSTOMARY REJECTION SLIP. Kind regards, The Editors PS: Without submissions like yours, we'd lose the sense of discovery that keeps AGNI fresh. Please see the other side for a discounted subscription rate offered as a thank-you to our submitters.

Funny, I'm Always Thinking of Opium

Thank you for sending us "Title of Story." Sorry to disappoint--as we really enjoyed this piece--but we didn't feel it was quite right for Opium Magazine. Do send us your next, best work. Thanks for thinking of Opium, (Editors)

Your next, best? Why yes, by all means, do.
BTW, headquarters location is in Brooklyn.
The very, very formal part of Brooklyn.

And By "Editors," We Mean "Summer Interns"

Dear Writer:

The editors of Esquire appreciated the opportunity to read your work. We’re sorry to tell you that it does not fit our needs at this time. For future submissions, please keep the following in mind:

•Esquire is no longer accepting paper submissions. If you would like to submit a story for publication, please go to Esquiresubmissions.com and do so electronically.

•We want stories that feel especially timely and urgent and speak to current events and the state of the world around us.

•We cannot consider stories longer than 5,000 words.

•We ask that you use 12-point font, double-spaced. Verdana or Times New Roman preferred. Be sure your name, contact information, story title, and word count are at the top of your document and please remember to number your pages.

•Please direct any questions to fictioneditor@hearst.com.

Best,

The Editors

At Ploughshares We Enjoy You, But Not Enough

Thanks very much for submitting your work to Ploughshares. Although we regret that your manuscript does not fit our current editorial needs, we enjoyed it and hope you'll consider us again. Sincerely, The Editors

I'm convinced you need to know someone at Ploughshares (in that insular New England way of Boston) to get published there. Or maybe that's just my own personal delusion about the place.

Remember This: Not All Rejections Are Correct

After listening to a little musical group called The Beatles in 1962, the Decca Recording Company wrote the following rejection:

We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out.

"I Love Your Writing"

This is what I call a personalized rejection. I mean, the editor LOVED so much about the submitted poems, and they even made it to the "second cut." But ultimately it's a no go. It makes you see how random it is when you get this close.

Hope Springs Eternal

A Facebook Page where agents can meet new writers? I suspect that is an agent's worst nightmare! Confession: I only ever "unfriended" one person and that was an agent who quit the business on me. I used to hate to see her all chummy with other clients and with me not so much.

In the Fantasy Version, Mazur Says "Yes"

Dear Author: Thank you for submitting your story to the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, but I’m going to pass on it. This story couldn’t hold my interest, I’m afraid. Good luck to you with this one, and thanks again for sending it our way. Sincerely, Stephen Mazur, Assistant Editor                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Bedford Hills Is Not Where It's At, Dude

It begs the question: what business does Mr. Morrison of Bedford Hills have in the movies if he claims the game is in L.A.?