Almost Success - The "Mixed Feelings" Thread

[preston]

How's this for a personal rejection from a long-standing semi-pro mag:

I'm sorry to say that after a couple of reviews from others, we decided not to use [redacted]. Just don't have room for that story at the moment. However, it was impressive enough to go through 3 stages. We did like your writing and if you've got anything else to submit in the future, please consider us again.
Personally, I like your writing having read some of your work in other magazines.
All the best in the meantime...
That second to last line really got to me.

[liz]

How's this for a personal rejection from a long-standing semi-pro mag:

I'm sorry to say that after a couple of reviews from others, we decided not to use [redacted]. Just don't have room for that story at the moment. However, it was impressive enough to go through 3 stages. We did like your writing and if you've got anything else to submit in the future, please consider us again.
Personally, I like your writing having read some of your work in other magazines.
All the best in the meantime...
That second to last line really got to me.

Wow, that's a good sign. I'd definitely count it as a success of one kind or another!

[Ishmael]

That's very interesting as well as nice to hear.

[amoskalik]

Personally, I like your writing having read some of your work in other magazines.


Very very nice.

[bobsandiego]

How's this for a personal rejection from a long-standing semi-pro mag:

I'm sorry to say that after a couple of reviews from others, we decided not to use [redacted]. Just don't have room for that story at the moment. However, it was impressive enough to go through 3 stages. We did like your writing and if you've got anything else to submit in the future, please consider us again.
Personally, I like your writing having read some of your work in other magazines.
All the best in the meantime...
That second to last line really got to me.

pretty damn nice R

[storysinger]

Looks like it's a matter of time before they accept a story from you Preston.

[alpha]

Well, got the higher tier rejection letter from Sheila Williams at Asimov's.

"Thank you for letting me see [story]. The story is nicely done, but I'm afraid it's not quite right for me. I look forward to your next one, though."

Not quite a win, but my fragile psyche will chalk it up as a positive.

[preston]

Well, got the higher tier rejection letter from Sheila Williams at Asimov's.

"Thank you for letting me see [story]. The story is nicely done, but I'm afraid it's not quite right for me. I look forward to your next one, though."

Not quite a win, but my fragile psyche will chalk it up as a positive.

Nice! Send them the next one! I mean, since they're looking forward to it and all.

[george nik.]

I received a notice that I'm on hold for Futuristica I anthology - for a moment I actually thought it was my first "hold" at a pro market, but then I remembered my WOTF semi-finalist and then my Penumbra shortlists... oh well, it seems that being on hold is no guarantee for success.

Anyway, how about you? Are there any other forumites on hold or waiting for results on Futuristica I?

[Ishmael]

Alas no, George. I received two personals but no cigar...

However I am on hold for Myriad Lands anthology and received a very nice comment on my story already.

[amoskalik]

Unfortunately I had nothing available to send Furturistica before the deadline. But it is I so that implies there will be a II?

Anyway, I do have a story that has survived for over 30 days at Strange Horizons. I've checked and it's status is "Under consideration" so I take that as promising.

I also have a story in at Nature Futures that survived the latest round of rejections, but I worry because they do not send receipt confirmations, nor do they have a place to check status. Their guidelines do not indicate how long one should wait before querying. Any thoughts? How long should I wait before querying in this situation?

[alpha]

Had one go to round 2 at Futuristica. That was eventually rejected, so I sent a 2nd one. Rejected at the first tier. Oh well.

[preston]

I received a notice that I'm on hold for Futuristica I anthology - for a moment I actually thought it was my first "hold" at a pro market, but then I remembered my WOTF semi-finalist and then my Penumbra shortlists... oh well, it seems that being on hold is no guarantee for success.

Anyway, how about you? Are there any other forumites on hold or waiting for results on Futuristica I?

Yeah, I'm on hold too, after a minor re-write request. Good luck, George. I hope we get to be TOC-mates!

[george nik.]

Alas no, George. I received two personals but no cigar...

However I am on hold for Myriad Lands anthology and received a very nice comment on my story already.

Great! Good luck on that!

I have a story for them also, unless it fails to get rejected by another pro market in the meantime...

[george nik.]

Unfortunately I had nothing available to send Furturistica before the deadline. But it is I so that implies there will be a II?

Anyway, I do have a story that has survived for over 30 days at Strange Horizons. I've checked and it's status is "Under consideration" so I take that as promising.

I also have a story in at Nature Futures that survived the latest round of rejections, but I worry because they do not send receipt confirmations, nor do they have a place to check status. Their guidelines do not indicate how long one should wait before querying. Any thoughts? How long should I wait before querying in this situation?

Well, it probably implies that. But then again, who knows?

I've no idea about Nature's Futures. I've never managed to send them anything -- I don't think I have anything resembling hard SF at their required length.

30 days at Strange Horizons is great! You're certainly at a higher round than I've ever been with them, and believe me I've sent them a lot!

[george nik.]

Had one go to round 2 at Futuristica. That was eventually rejected, so I sent a 2nd one. Rejected at the first tier. Oh well.

Sorry to hear that. But you got the higher tier from Asimovs, so you've got something going on as well.

[george nik.]

I received a notice that I'm on hold for Futuristica I anthology - for a moment I actually thought it was my first "hold" at a pro market, but then I remembered my WOTF semi-finalist and then my Penumbra shortlists... oh well, it seems that being on hold is no guarantee for success.

Anyway, how about you? Are there any other forumites on hold or waiting for results on Futuristica I?

Yeah, I'm on hold too, after a minor re-write request. Good luck, George. I hope we get to be TOC-mates!

Good luck to you too, Preston. That would be great!

[alpha]

Sounds like several of us sitting on the cusp of making some good sales. Good luck all! What do you say we all go ahead and break through and do a forum sweep of the publishing world?

[george nik.]

Sounds like several of us sitting on the cusp of making some good sales. Good luck all! What do you say we all go ahead and break through and do a forum sweep of the publishing world?

My thoughts exactly. Many of us are almost there. We are the Writers of the Future, right? Now we just have to become the Writers of the Present!

[Ishmael]

Seven days to get a form R from Clarkesworld! I would have put that in for the world record had I not seen a 20 day form R go through yesterday. I am usually dispatched in one or two days at most.

This is the same story that went 107 days at ASIM and 189 days at Abyss and Apex. Oh, and 93 days at Tor. Publishers take longer to reject this one than is proper and decent!

So since I can't tell what I have to do to inch it over the finishing line, I have posted it for discussion in Baen's Bar. If anyone here is a member and would care to take a look I should appreciate it, because right now it beats me.

[rebeccy88]

Well I got this from a Horror mag:

"So you're story made the shortlist and that is awesome. We get a ton of submissions every day, and making it to the shortlist means you impressed three different editors.

I would love to be able to publish all the stories that get shortlisted, but unfortunately, I can't. There's this space constraint thing I have to deal with. Think about it, out of all the hundreds of stories we get, I can only take 12 every three months. That's like only accepting four stories out of 100 each month.

This time, it wasn't in the cards for this particular story. BUT, it doesn't mean that your story sucked. It obviously had to be good enough to get this far. I urge you to resubmit. I actually demand that you resubmit. Okay, I don't demand anything, but I would love to see more of your writing. "


I made sure to get that story back into the world. What's the rejection/acceptance rate? I figure I should expect like 18 rejections before someone bites.

I also got a nice letter from a Sci Fi editor...he said my writing was quality and I won't be unpublished long. I'd like it if that was TRUE!

[amoskalik]

Well I got this from a Horror mag:

"So you're story made the shortlist and that is awesome. We get a ton of submissions every day, and making it to the shortlist means you impressed three different editors.

I would love to be able to publish all the stories that get shortlisted, but unfortunately, I can't. There's this space constraint thing I have to deal with. Think about it, out of all the hundreds of stories we get, I can only take 12 every three months. That's like only accepting four stories out of 100 each month.

This time, it wasn't in the cards for this particular story. BUT, it doesn't mean that your story sucked. It obviously had to be good enough to get this far. I urge you to resubmit. I actually demand that you resubmit. Okay, I don't demand anything, but I would love to see more of your writing. "


I made sure to get that story back into the world. What's the rejection/acceptance rate? I figure I should expect like 18 rejections before someone bites.

I also got a nice letter from a Sci Fi editor...he said my writing was quality and I won't be unpublished long. I'd like it if that was TRUE!

It sounds like you are very close. Keep submitting. Keep writing.

[Ishmael]

But don't tell the editor that he can't spell your story.

[rebeccy88]

But don't tell the editor that he can't spell your story.

I know, right?

[bobsandiego]

But don't tell the editor that he can't spell your story.

too true.
I was once told I didn't get a job because in the interview I corrected the interviewer's pronunciation of my former firm.

[alpha]

Well, got a personalized R from Mr. Finlay at F&SF. I feel pretty good about that, I guess. I don't know about you, but I'm really ready to break out of this "almost there" spot I feel like I'm in.

[LDWriter2]

Well, got a personalized R from Mr. Finlay at F&SF. I feel pretty good about that, I guess. I don't know about you, but I'm really ready to break out of this "almost there" spot I feel like I'm in.

That's good--and from what I have heard from other writers you will go to the next level soon.


And it's good to know that he is still doing some after he said he cut back.

[Ishmael]

Aargh! 75 day personal (just) from Fantastic Stories of the Imagination. My previous best from them was 21 and the next best was 9.

This story deserves to catch a break in my (humble) opinion. 135 at AE, 95 at ASIM, 44 at Grimdark. Now 75 at FSI!

As I remarked in the 32/4 thread, this is another example of what we in Yorkshire call very adjacent.

[Dustin Adams]

I want to read it.

[LDWriter2]

I want to read it.

More than likely old chap it is good.