Jibber Jabber - Q4 - Volume 33

[Randy Hulshizer]

Congrats to [you know who you are]!

[Serrain]

HM here too. Was for a new story I'd wrote that was kinda long and experimental-ish in nature, so I'm pretty happy with that. I sure seem to have the HMs down now, haha. Consistency I guess? xD

And congrats to all other placers. :D

[Dustan Moon]

Dancing conga rats to all the nods from Dave that you are writing at a professional level! Special "Attaboy" to Ishmael since I feel like I know you a bit, we've been hanging around here awhile. Semis are way cool, because it means it was a toss up as to whether you were finalist or not, and it's usually some fine point of margin. And you get a critique, which may help with future submissions, certainly with strengthening that story for sale elsewhere.

Still deafening silence for me. If I hadn't gotten a Wizehive acknowledgement, I'd be even more worried.

Best wishes to the last ones standing! Maybe this one is it! If not, enjoy the screaming crash to the jagged bottom of the precipice before it ends. : )

Cheers,

~Moon~ ...in all his various incarnations.

[disgruntledpeony]

So, I have kind of a weird question regarding my entry for this quarter and I'd like some feedback from other writers on the subject. I submitted a *very* different version of this story to IGMS last year and it got rejected (rightfully so, in retrospect). The magazine has since had a change in editors, and my story has also been through significant edits including a change in tense and viewpoint.

Basically, what I'm trying to figure out is whether or not it would be a good idea to submit it there again. I don't want to commit a faux paus, and it seems like a serious gray area to me. Any feedback on the subject would be appreciated.

[rharp]

Congrats to all the HMs, Silvers, and Semis!! Awesome!!

[Ishmael]

So, I have kind of a weird question regarding my entry for this quarter and I'd like some feedback from other writers on the subject. I submitted a *very* different version of this story to IGMS last year and it got rejected (rightfully so, in retrospect). The magazine has since had a change in editors, and my story has also been through significant edits including a change in tense and viewpoint.

Basically, what I'm trying to figure out is whether or not it would be a good idea to submit it there again. I don't want to commit a faux paus, and it seems like a serious gray area to me. Any feedback on the subject would be appreciated.

A lot of publishers say the only rewrites they want to see are ones they ask for. Given the size of many slush piles, I can appreciate that.

To my knowledge I only deliberately broke the rule once, when a magazine in the same stable as one that had already rejected a (since rewritten) story, sent me a personal saying it really should go to first one, which it might suit. I acknowledged this in my resubmission cover letter. The result was the first publisher took a lot longer and still rejected it.

Not having cracked IGMS, I can't offer specific advice. All I can say is my latest submission to them is not much more than a week short of the previous five added together and is now the fourth longest on The Grinder at 106 days. Am I nervous? Who me?

[Ishmael]

Dancing conga rats to all the nods from Dave that you are writing at a professional level! Special "Attaboy" to Ishmael since I feel like I know you a bit, we've been hanging around here awhile. Semis are way cool, because it means it was a toss up as to whether you were finalist or not, and it's usually some fine point of margin. And you get a critique, which may help with future submissions, certainly with strengthening that story for sale elsewhere.

Still deafening silence for me. If I hadn't gotten a Wizehive acknowledgement, I'd be even more worried.

Best wishes to the last ones standing! Maybe this one is it! If not, enjoy the screaming crash to the jagged bottom of the precipice before it ends. : )

Cheers,

~Moon~ ...in all his various incarnations.

Thanks and best of luck to you too.

There are acceptances appearing on The Grinder. The problem is not knowing whether they are actual finalists. Unfortunately Grinder subscribers apply different standards to the same results. I found persuasive the arguments of a fellow forum member that only a story appearing in the anthology is an acceptance. Semis are personal rejections and everything from SHM on down are forms. However I know others treat HM as personal, which means they might be treating above HM as acceptance.

Until the Oracle speaks, we mortals wait....

[morshana]

Well, I did not win... just got that call, but I get to use this!

[morshana]

Congratulations to all the HMs and SHMs and SFs and other Finalists and to the Winners, whoever you are!

[J'nae Rae]

Well, I did not win... just got that call, but I get to use this!

Congratulations!!! Well done.

[disgruntledpeony]

Well, I did not win... just got that call, but I get to use this!

Congratulations!

[Ishmael]

Hey Jeanette, well done!

[amoskalik]

Congrats Jeanette! So did you get two calls or just one saying you were finalist but not the winner?

[morshana]

Thank you, everyone!

Congrats Jeanette! So did you get two calls or just one saying you were finalist but not the winner?

I got two calls. One two days ago, and one earlier this afternoon. I was told this quarter was unusual in its speed (fastest quarter in history), and I wasn't allowed to say anything until final judging. They want to have the book edited and published before the awards ceremony. Crazy fast!

[emilymccosh]

Congrats morshana!!

[morshana]

Congrats morshana!!

Thanks! Love the dancing bananas.

[morshana]

I had thought this story was going to get a rejection. I almost didn't submit it, because I thought it was too dark. I suspect its subject matter might not have sat well with the judges?

[Dustan Moon]

Well, I did not win... just got that call, but I get to use this!

Dancing conga rats for you, Morshana! Great sign, and highly coveted!

Cheers!

~Moon~

[morshana]

Published finalists - just wondering how that works? Joni asked if I wanted them to hold my story for consideration for a published finalist, and I said of course. I didn't ask her for any details about the process, though, if my story's selected. You just get published, right? No payment for the story? And you get to go to the workshop?

Thanks, Dustan!

ETA: Looked it up elsewhere on the forum. Yep, as I remembered. If selected as the published finalist, you get to go to the workshop. Are all non-winning stories up for selection, so long as author agrees to the hold?

[Rebecca Birch]

Published finalists - just wondering how that works? Joni asked if I wanted them to hold my story for consideration for a published finalist, and I said of course. I didn't ask her for any details about the process, though, if my story's selected. You just get published, right? No payment for the story? And you get to go to the workshop?

Thanks, Dustan!

ETA: Looked it up elsewhere on the forum. Yep, as I remembered. If selected as the published finalist, you get to go to the workshop. Are all non-winning stories up for selection, so long as author agrees to the hold?

Hi, Jeanette. Selected non-winning stories go to the workshop and are paid for the publication, but no extra prize money. Not all non-winning stories get held, but I believe most do. (My first finalist was not held. My second is being held.) I actually asked Joni if she has any idea when the selection for this volume might be, in my HM response email, but haven't heard anything back as yet.

Good luck!

[morshana]

Hi, Jeanette. Selected non-winning stories go to the workshop and are paid for the publication, but no extra prize money. Not all non-winning stories get held, but I believe most do. (My first finalist was not held. My second is being held.) I actually asked Joni if she has any idea when the selection for this volume might be, in my HM response email, but haven't heard anything back as yet.

Good luck!

Thanks, Rebecca!

Good luck to you, too! And all other Finalists being considered.

[Tamlyn]

Congrats, morshana!

[Ishmael]

And, back in the real world, it took all of two days for Interzone to spin my current semi-finalist (form) but it appears The Grinder is down so I can't record it.

I can also report that my last HM (as amended) had the unusual distinction of being personally rejected twice by Cosmic Roots, who first rejected it from Eldritch, as correctly submitted, but then transferred it to Myths, from which it was rejected as insufficiently mythical. Ahem.

As the first snow of the winter falls and the year ages swiftly, I'm uncertain whether 2016 represents real or merely illusory progress. I may have been published six times in the year to date but acceptances are down. I know I'm writing better (and DF possibly agrees) but does any other editor?


Never mind. "Happy are they who (write) for their own pleasure and not to astonish others!"

[amoskalik]

And, back in the real world, it took all of two days for Interzone to spin my current semi-finalist (form) but it appears The Grinder is down so I can't record it.

I can also report that my last HM (as amended) had the unusual distinction of being personally rejected twice by Cosmic Roots, who first rejected it from Eldritch, as correctly submitted, but then transferred it to Myths, from which it was rejected as insufficiently mythical. Ahem.

As the first snow of the winter falls and the year ages swiftly, I'm uncertain whether 2016 represents real or merely illusory progress. I may have been published six times in the year to date but acceptances are down. I know I'm writing better (and DF possibly agrees) but does any other editor?


Never mind. "Happy are they who (write) for their own pleasure and not to astonish others!"

It's dangerous to read too much into small sample sizes for comparative purposes, especially when each positive event (acceptance) is fundamentally a black swan. I would say a better metric than total acceptances would be quality of acceptances (Pro, semi, token, nonpaying, not sold) for pieces written in a given year, but you'd have to wait for a minimum number of submissions for each pieces (say 25) before any conclusions could be drawn.

[Dustan Moon]

And I'm out as of today. I figured it was time to write Joni when Finalists were posting results. First time my results got lost in the system.

There's always the next quarter.

Keep writing. Keep sending.

~Moon~

[MattDovey]

I think KD got the news they were the published finalist around January this year, though the Q4 winners were also only announced in January, so they're well ahead of schedule here. Dunno why the sudden rush--our book was ready for the gala

[MattDovey]

So, I have kind of a weird question regarding my entry for this quarter and I'd like some feedback from other writers on the subject. I submitted a *very* different version of this story to IGMS last year and it got rejected (rightfully so, in retrospect). The magazine has since had a change in editors, and my story has also been through significant edits including a change in tense and viewpoint.

Basically, what I'm trying to figure out is whether or not it would be a good idea to submit it there again. I don't want to commit a faux paus, and it seems like a serious gray area to me. Any feedback on the subject would be appreciated.

I have heard of people doing it with a query--basically saying "you rejected this story long ago but it's since undergone significant revisions and is fundamentally a new story, can I resub?"--and being told yes. I'd only do it very rarely, though, and only if I felt the market was the absolute right fit for the story, because although the editor has changed, the slush team probably hasn't, and the editorial vision of somewhere like IGMS won't change very much--it's still OSC's market, after all, tuned to his ideals (e.g. no profanity).

Have you exhausted all other markets for it?

[KD Julicher]

I think KD got the news they were the published finalist around January this year, though the Q4 winners were also only announced in January, so they're well ahead of schedule here. Dunno why the sudden rush--our book was ready for the gala

February 2nd is when I got the call, but that was about 6 weeks after finding out I hadn't won Q4. Q4 was really late last year, most of the finalists found out they were in the running on Christmas Eve. The PF decision involves multiple people and factors so it does take a while. they look for something that compliments the rest of the book - maybe a lighter story if the overall tone is dark, or a fantasy piece if it's heavily SF, or something that goes with the cover art theme. If you don't get selected, it's not because your story is bad; they just wanted a different fit for the volume.

[disgruntledpeony]

I have heard of people doing it with a query--basically saying "you rejected this story long ago but it's since undergone significant revisions and is fundamentally a new story, can I resub?"--and being told yes. I'd only do it very rarely, though, and only if I felt the market was the absolute right fit for the story, because although the editor has changed, the slush team probably hasn't, and the editorial vision of somewhere like IGMS won't change very much--it's still OSC's market, after all, tuned to his ideals (e.g. no profanity).

Have you exhausted all other markets for it?

There are probably other markets I can submit it to; I'll look into that first. I do remember having exhausted a lot of the major markets back in the day, but there may be others I've discovered since.

[Ishmael]

Just in case any other semi-finalists happen to see this post, I was wondering whether anyone has received DF's crit yet?

I've been holding off re-submitting in case any helpful changes were suggested, but it's nearly a month now and I've not received mine. I also already made what I consider might have been one critical change.

Can any previous semi-finalists say how long it takes?