Almost Success - The "Mixed Feelings" Thread

[jkenton]

Thanks, all. :)


I'd still shiv a panda for more details on the rejection, but I understand how busy these folks are.

Now where did I put that old toothbrush...

[LDWriter2]

And the Penumbra Near Miss is now a Clarke'sworld Near Miss. Still, knowing that my first submission anywhere ever (outside the pending WoTF submission) is some quality work does wonders for me. Knowing the story hit the top 6% of their current crop sweetens the brew considerably. It's nice to know I'm on the write...er, right track at least.

So that makes two near miss for the same story. That's good. Makes it sound like it will get picked soon.

[jkenton]

And the Penumbra Near Miss is now a Clarke'sworld Near Miss. Still, knowing that my first submission anywhere ever (outside the pending WoTF submission) is some quality work does wonders for me. Knowing the story hit the top 6% of their current crop sweetens the brew considerably. It's nice to know I'm on the write...er, right track at least.

So that makes two near miss for the same story. That's good. Makes it sound like it will get picked soon.

Yup. I'm hitting magazines based on their turn-around time really rather than rates. Thinking of Daily SF next. I'd still make things go poorly for Ling Ling to find out for certain if there was a simple technical burr (say a bad transition or rough, clunky spot of dialogue that soured an otherwise printable story, or simply a case where I didn't quite meet the intersection of content/editor desire.

C'mon Ling Ling, back to your box...

[Dustin Adams]

So I've reached DSF's 2nd round for the 3rd time. 2nd in a row.
Sure there are folks who have 3 or more publications with them, but I'm glad to know I'm at least doing something right. Now - if they'd just buy one...

[liz]

So I've reached DSF's 2nd round for the 3rd time. 2nd in a row.
Sure there are folks who have 3 or more publications with them, but I'm glad to know I'm at least doing something right. Now - if they'd just buy one...

Sounds like your on the right track! A promising track, in any case

[hazlett]

So I've reached DSF's 2nd round for the 3rd time. 2nd in a row.
Sure there are folks who have 3 or more publications with them, but I'm glad to know I'm at least doing something right. Now - if they'd just buy one...

Congrats!

How many days does it usually take to get the notification for the 2nd round?

Just curious, because I obviously haven't been as successful there.

[Rebecca Birch]

So I've reached DSF's 2nd round for the 3rd time. 2nd in a row.
Sure there are folks who have 3 or more publications with them, but I'm glad to know I'm at least doing something right. Now - if they'd just buy one...

Good luck, Dustin! I haven't managed to crack the second round there yet.

[Rebecca Birch]

Got my first personal rejection from Gordon Van Gelder at F&SF. I've been looking forward to this since the day I started submitting fiction. Woot!

[hazlett]

Got my first personal rejection from Gordon Van Gelder at F&SF. I've been looking forward to this since the day I started submitting fiction. Woot!

Congrats!

[preston]

So I've reached DSF's 2nd round for the 3rd time. 2nd in a row.
Sure there are folks who have 3 or more publications with them, but I'm glad to know I'm at least doing something right. Now - if they'd just buy one...

Good luck, Dustin! I haven't managed to crack the second round there yet.

Yay, Dustin! So far I've sent 7 stories to them. Only one has second-rounded. With three under your belt, they've got to recognize you by now. Sounds like you're in the door at least! The longest they've ever taken to respond for me is 21 days. My current submission is now at 22, so...fingers crossed!
Good luck with your story, Dustin.
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

[preston]

Got my first personal rejection from Gordon Van Gelder at F&SF. I've been looking forward to this since the day I started submitting fiction. Woot!

Congratulations, Rebecca. Second rounding is so inspiring. Can't say I'm surprised though. From what I've read of your stuff, you'll be pro-ing out soon enough. You better win this contest soon! Just saying!
Hope your story finds a nice expensive home.
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

[austinDm]

Got my first personal rejection from Gordon Van Gelder at F&SF. I've been looking forward to this since the day I started submitting fiction. Woot!

Congrats!

[LDWriter2]

Got my first personal rejection from Gordon Van Gelder at F&SF. I've been looking forward to this since the day I started submitting fiction. Woot!

Did he say anything different then the usual rejection?

Oh and Niiice.

[LDWriter2]

So I've reached DSF's 2nd round for the 3rd time. 2nd in a row.
Sure there are folks who have 3 or more publications with them, but I'm glad to know I'm at least doing something right. Now - if they'd just buy one...

That's sounds good to me...since I've never gotten past the first stage there. I tried again tonight with my 300 word story but I don't expect much.

So good going to you.

[morshana]

Congrats, Dustin! Hope you make it in soon!

And congrats to you, too, Rebecca! I'm sure my rejection will be following soon. So glad it was a personal!

[E.CaimanSands]

Got my first personal rejection from Gordon Van Gelder at F&SF. I've been looking forward to this since the day I started submitting fiction. Woot!

Gratz! Bucket list tick!

I think I'm gonna send 'em my first Gator story soon. I hope their first reader has sturdy ankles.

[preston]

I got a nice email today. I've made it to the final round at Andromeda! Somehow my story got past the first two rounds of readers and now it has, I'm told, a "1 in 20 chance" of getting published. I'm getting close! I sooo want to post on that darn success thread!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

PS: Sorry about all the smilies. Couldn't help it.

[morshana]

Woo-hoo! Good luck!!

[geoedwar]

I got a nice email today. I've made it to the final round at Andromeda! Somehow my story got past the first two rounds of readers and now it has, I'm told, a "1 in 20 chance" of getting published. I'm getting close! I sooo want to post on that darn success thread!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

PS: Sorry about all the smilies. Couldn't help it.

I went to look up Andromeda because I'd never heard of it (I'm new to all of this) and I found this gem-

.We're just not the best market for doom-laden go-nowhere stories which push the boundaries of the English language into new and unfortunate places.

Sounds like a fun magazine!

[Rebecca Birch]

I got a nice email today. I've made it to the final round at Andromeda! Somehow my story got past the first two rounds of readers and now it has, I'm told, a "1 in 20 chance" of getting published. I'm getting close! I sooo want to post on that darn success thread!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

PS: Sorry about all the smilies. Couldn't help it.

Woohoo! Good luck to you!

[bobsandiego]

I got a nice email today. I've made it to the final round at Andromeda! Somehow my story got past the first two rounds of readers and now it has, I'm told, a "1 in 20 chance" of getting published. I'm getting close! I sooo want to post on that darn success thread!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

PS: Sorry about all the smilies. Couldn't help it.

Great news! I've made it past the first round a few times, but that was years and years ago.

[austinDm]

I got a nice email today. I've made it to the final round at Andromeda! Somehow my story got past the first two rounds of readers and now it has, I'm told, a "1 in 20 chance" of getting published. I'm getting close! I sooo want to post on that darn success thread!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

PS: Sorry about all the smilies. Couldn't help it.

Good luck Preston!

[dantzel]

Woot Preston! Good luck!

[preston]

Thanks everyone!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

[LDWriter2]

I got a nice email today. I've made it to the final round at Andromeda! Somehow my story got past the first two rounds of readers and now it has, I'm told, a "1 in 20 chance" of getting published. I'm getting close! I sooo want to post on that darn success thread!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

PS: Sorry about all the smilies. Couldn't help it.

That sounds good, a congrats is in order. Save the E-mail.


Hopefully a very large Congratulation will be in order.

[Kary English]

Go, Preston!!

This isn't an "almost success" but I don't know where else to put it. I got a 54-day form rejection from Tor.com today. The important part of that isn't the form reject; it's the 54 days. Tor.com used to have response time better measured in YEARS than days, and anything under 300 days was considered fast for them.

Their slush team has been hard at it, and response times are under two months now. They say their goal is to have an average response time somewhere around 30 - 45 days. I'll confess that I didn't believe a word of it until I saw the steady downward spiral on Duo (yes, I subscribed).

So - form reject - Boo! BOO!

54 days? Woo hoo!

And, as further proof that the Mayans were right, Tor.com now has a shorter average response time than Analog. About half. :D

[jkenton]

Go, Preston!!

This isn't an "almost success" but I don't know where else to put it. I got a 54-day form rejection from Tor.com today. The important part of that isn't the form reject; it's the 54 days. Tor.com used to have response time better measures in YEARS than days, and anything under 300 days was considered fast for them.

Their slush team has been hard at it, and response times are under two months now. They say their goal is to have an average response time somewhere around 30 - 45 days. I'll confess that I didn't believe a word of it until I saw the steady downward spiral on Duo (yes, I subscribed).

So - form reject - Boo! BOO!

54 days? Woo hoo!

And, as further proof that the Mayans were right, Tor.com now has a shorter average response time than Analog. About half. :D

Thanks for sharing that! Tor was one of many places I wanted to submit material to, but the response time left me shaking my head sadly and looking elsewhere. (Not so much the need for instant gratification so much as the need to get my work generating feedback for me sooner, rather than later so I can learn. The "Near Miss" rejections such as those I've gotten from Clarkesworld and Penumbra" at least tell me I'm on the right track, vs the "not what we're looking for" which could mean "Not what we're looking for" or "Please die in a fire before submitting again." So any place with a reasonable turn-around time is

And the fact that they've bought more slush monkeys suggests some good things on the horizon for our niche in the industry in general.

[E.CaimanSands]

Go, Preston!!

This isn't an "almost success" but I don't know where else to put it. I got a 54-day form rejection from Tor.com today. The important part of that isn't the form reject; it's the 54 days. Tor.com used to have response time better measured in YEARS than days, and anything under 300 days was considered fast for them.

Their slush team has been hard at it, and response times are under two months now. They say their goal is to have an average response time somewhere around 30 - 45 days. I'll confess that I didn't believe a word of it until I saw the steady downward spiral on Duo (yes, I subscribed).

So - form reject - Boo! BOO!

54 days? Woo hoo!

And, as further proof that the Mayans were right, Tor.com now has a shorter average response time than Analog. About half. :D

Good news indeed! I think that settles it. Tor is going to go on my magic list, probably above Analog too!

[morshana]

Got another personal from Gordon today. Woo-hoo on the personal!

No idea what to send next. His assistant clearly likes my sense of humor, but not so sure about Gordon. Perhaps a black knight with no arms and legs would suit his tastes better?

[geoedwar]

My story to Asimov's is going on 37 days out and the status has changed to "under review" at least two days ago. I'm just happy it's not an immediate reject!!