Almost Success - The "Mixed Feelings" Thread

[MattDovey]

Thanks, Matt. And congrats on your acceptance at FFO. Saw it on the Grinder.

Thanks not posted anything about it yet as I haven't yet signed a contract (and I only logged it on the Grinder for my own stats), but I'm delighted as (a) first magazine sale (WotF was my first ever sale) (b) FFO were the first place I submitted to, so I'd made it a point of honour to get published there!

[Dustin Adams]

Hey!

Top 3 markets I want to crack:
WotF
IGMS
FFO

You've got two of three!
Seems my tweet yesterday was well timed.

[amoskalik]

Pretty darn impressive for your first two sales, Matt.

Randy, that is definitely something to be excited about. Congrats on reaching the top 90% in that market. I haven't come close yet at DSF.

[Dustin Adams]

Amos,

Was it you that noted you write a lot of flash?

If so, I'm happy to swap with you some time. I write flash and WotF stories exclusively.

[amoskalik]

Amos,

Was it you that noted you write a lot of flash?

If so, I'm happy to swap with you some time. I write flash and WotF stories exclusively.

I do. I haven't written any lately though. I do have an 1800 word story though that could use another pair of eyes if you want to swap.

[Randy Hulshizer]

Received a personal rejection from FFO last night, but I thought this was interesting:

Your story did, however, reach the final stage of our selection process--one among an elite group. Less than 5% of stories make it this far. That is no small feat.

In winnowing, stories are discussed and vetted before I make my final selections. If you are interested in receiving feedback based on those discussions you are welcome to email me at [removed for privacy]. Please use the following subject line: FEEDBACK REQUEST: [Story Title].

Does anyone know if FFO always offers feedback for Personal-R stories?

[MattDovey]

Does anyone know if FFO always offers feedback for Personal-R stories?

I believe they do if they make it to that final roundtable discussion. Stewart can tell you more, he reads slush there.

[Dustin Adams]

Amos,

Was it you that noted you write a lot of flash?

If so, I'm happy to swap with you some time. I write flash and WotF stories exclusively.

I do. I haven't written any lately though. I do have an 1800 word story though that could use another pair of eyes if you want to swap.

Hey Amos,
I kinda specialize in flash and WotF. 1800 is like a no-man's land for me. :(

[amoskalik]

Amos,

Was it you that noted you write a lot of flash?

If so, I'm happy to swap with you some time. I write flash and WotF stories exclusively.

I do. I haven't written any lately though. I do have an 1800 word story though that could use another pair of eyes if you want to swap.

Hey Amos,
I kinda specialize in flash and WotF. 1800 is like a no-man's land for me. :(

Me too, This is the first story I've written between 1000 and 6000 words. I'd be willing to do a two for one if you have a couple of flash pieces.

[Dustin Adams]

Sent a PM.

[emilymccosh]

Does anyone know if FFO always offers feedback for Personal-R stories?

I believe they do if they make it to that final roundtable discussion. Stewart can tell you more, he reads slush there.

Okay, I'm going to sound a little bit blonde here, and most likely go "Oh yeah!" when you tell me...

But what is FFO?

[amoskalik]

Flash Fiction Online

[emilymccosh]

Flash Fiction Online

Oh, of course! Thanks!

[Randy Hulshizer]

Flash Fiction Online

Oh, of course! Thanks!

Yep, sorry. I should have spelled that out.

[jeeohn]

Had a story kicked up to Mr. Lapine at Fantastic Stories, but it ultimately got rejected.

It's nice to know, however, that I'm starting to get past the first stage. Was pretty hangdog that morning, but, as always, you just have to keep at it.

[Ishmael]

I had a personal rejection that falls into the interesting end of the 'not a good fit' class:

We LOVED this story, it had fantastic atmosphere and was a new and interesting twist on the story of (redacted)....We'd like to STRONGLY recommend you submit this story to ( a redacted related outlet.) Thank you again for sending us the story. We wish you the best of luck, and please consider submitting again

Now if I can just figure out what this publisher wants me to write about!

[Muri McCage]

Thanks to Matt, for very good advice some time ago. I was trying to figure out how to approach a top editor who suddenly went informal in a personal, then back to formal next time. I followed Matt's suggestion to stick with informal on my end, assuming it was a matter of expediency on their part on a sub by sub basis.

That time I got a very nice personal, signed by first name. The next sub got a personalized form, but it was also on a first name basis. So the first reversion to formal was a fluke or the editor remembered me next time. Regardless, I would probably still be trying to figure it out, if Matt hadn't managed to knock me out of dither mode.

[MattDovey]

Thanks to Matt, for very good advice some time ago. I was trying to figure out how to approach a top editor who suddenly went informal in a personal, then back to formal next time. I followed Matt's suggestion to stick with informal on my end, assuming it was a matter of expediency on their part on a sub by sub basis.

That time I got a very nice personal, signed by first name. The next sub got a personalized form, but it was also on a first name basis. So the first reversion to formal was a fluke or the editor remembered me next time. Regardless, I would probably still be trying to figure it out, if Matt hadn't managed to knock me out of dither mode.

Woot!

I think it is a writer's curse to overthink everything. That's how we fill our stories with character and ideas and observation; we couldn't write without overthinking the world, but it has its price!

(Going to guess: F&SF? Always my favourite market to submit to, and top of my wish list now I've ticked WotF off )

[morshana]

Submitting short stories again (and by that I mean opening up the stables and sending those ponies out again). Haven't written any new ones yet (focus has been on my current book series), but I have been pulling the stories out one by one with a fresh pair of eyes and tweaking where necessary before send-off.

One of the later stories I wrote (from two years ago), I sent to Clarkesworld and earned a "Close but not quite" rejection. I was elated to have made it to second round with them. Hard not to feel discouraged, though, and tempted to let the ponies earn some more dust in their stables and just focus on my books.

But I am determined to run these ponies for all they're worth, until they run those little hooves deep into the dirt and fall flat on their faces and force me to turn them into glue. They will run far and wide before they hit retirement, and I will keep writing and ignore the wretched shadows of doubt and fear.

And take some joy and hope in the fact that some of my submissions this past month have made it to second round and hold piles, with some nice personals, and it's just a matter of time before a pony earns a medal.

Uh, yeah... *glances wearily at Kitty, who isn't so sleepy anymore and has been eyeing the chocolate again*

[LDWriter2]

Woot!

I think it is a writer's curse to overthink everything. That's how we fill our stories with character and ideas and observation; we couldn't write without overthinking the world, but it has its price!

(Going to guess: F&SF? Always my favourite market to submit to, and top of my wish list now I've ticked WotF off )

Part of the reason for overthinking is that as writers we are told Not To Do Somethings. Sending back a comment is one of the really big No No-s. Some of those Somethings would give us a bad rep that the editor will think on that first before they even read our story.

[morshana]

I had a personal rejection that falls into the interesting end of the 'not a good fit' class:

We LOVED this story, it had fantastic atmosphere and was a new and interesting twist on the story of (redacted)....We'd like to STRONGLY recommend you submit this story to ( a redacted related outlet.) Thank you again for sending us the story. We wish you the best of luck, and please consider submitting again

Now if I can just figure out what this publisher wants me to write about!

Hey Ishmael,

That's awesome!

It's been so long since I was on here. Hope you're well!

[Ishmael]

I had a personal rejection that falls into the interesting end of the 'not a good fit' class:

We LOVED this story, it had fantastic atmosphere and was a new and interesting twist on the story of (redacted)....We'd like to STRONGLY recommend you submit this story to ( a redacted related outlet.) Thank you again for sending us the story. We wish you the best of luck, and please consider submitting again

Now if I can just figure out what this publisher wants me to write about!

Hey Ishmael,

That's awesome!

It's been so long since I was on here. Hope you're well!

Thank you, I did enjoy that one. By the way, the capitalization was theirs, not mine.

There is a minor problem, in that the recommended market had already rejected a much earlier version of the story that bore remarkably little resemblance to this one. Like quite a bit of my stuff it was sent before its time. Into this breathing world, scarce half made up.

But if an editor says send it to them, who am I to argue?

[alpha]

Hey folks,

Got a personal R today, and I'm not quite sure how to interpret it. Some of you who have more experience with the editorial side of things might be able to help me. Here's the text of the e-mail:

I really did like this, just not quite enough to buy it. My main problem was that the opening scene, while in media res, is not the sort of hook our readers seem to respond to. I strongly encourage you to submit again, but only after looking at the opening lines of our published stories to get a sense of what I mean by an [NAME OF PUBLICATION] story hook.

Thanks for submitting and best of luck in placing this elsewhere.

So, do you think this is a request for me to resubmit that story with a rewritten opening, or a general request for me to submit another story? Either way, I'll be happy to oblige them.

[amoskalik]

Hey folks,

Got a personal R today, and I'm not quite sure how to interpret it. Some of you who have more experience with the editorial side of things might be able to help me. Here's the text of the e-mail:

I really did like this, just not quite enough to buy it. My main problem was that the opening scene, while in media res, is not the sort of hook our readers seem to respond to. I strongly encourage you to submit again, but only after looking at the opening lines of our published stories to get a sense of what I mean by an [NAME OF PUBLICATION] story hook.

Thanks for submitting and best of luck in placing this elsewhere.

So, do you think this is a request for me to resubmit that story with a rewritten opening, or a general request for me to submit another story? Either way, I'll be happy to oblige them.

My interpretation is submit a new story because of the last line "best of luck in placing this elsewhere".

[disgruntledpeony]

My interpretation is submit a new story because of the last line "best of luck in placing this elsewhere".

That's what I'd be thinking too, under the circumstances.

[MattDovey]

Yeah, I think that's a "submit new stuff to us please" but not a rewrite on this one. Could be clearer, though!

[emilymccosh]

Hi everyone, I have a question for anyone who might have advice for such a thing.

On April 6th, I received this email from a place I submitted to:

Emily,

We have good news and we have bad news. The good news is that your story has made our second round, rarified company that more than 90% of submissions do not reach. While half or more of our second round stories will not ultimately see publication under [name of publication], this story has reached the final go/no-go...

The bad news--and I promised you some bad news--is that it will take us time to make that final decision. Expect an additional two weeks or so, but don't be surprised if it's a month from today. Thanks for your continued patience, and thanks for sending us this worthy submission.

Yesterday was the 30 day mark from when they sent this email, (yes, I am counting the days, don't judge), so I guess I'm wondering how I should handle this. They specifically said "a month from today"... How long should I wait before I query? And what do I even say without sounding too much like: I'm-a-nervous-impatient-obsessive-and-slightly-buggy-writer-oh-my-gosh-why-have-you-not-emailed-me-back-yet!!!! Nobody wants that...

I really appreciate any advice you can give, and thanks ahead of time.

[preston]

Hi everyone, I have a question for anyone who might have advice for such a thing.

On April 6th, I received this email from a place I submitted to:

Emily,

We have good news and we have bad news. The good news is that your story has made our second round, rarified company that more than 90% of submissions do not reach. While half or more of our second round stories will not ultimately see publication under [name of publication], this story has reached the final go/no-go...

The bad news--and I promised you some bad news--is that it will take us time to make that final decision. Expect an additional two weeks or so, but don't be surprised if it's a month from today. Thanks for your continued patience, and thanks for sending us this worthy submission.

Yesterday was the 30 day mark from when they sent this email, (yes, I am counting the days, don't judge), so I guess I'm wondering how I should handle this. They specifically said "a month from today"... How long should I wait before I query? And what do I even say without sounding too much like: I'm-a-nervous-impatient-obsessive-and-slightly-buggy-writer-oh-my-gosh-why-have-you-not-emailed-me-back-yet!!!! Nobody wants that...

I really appreciate any advice you can give, and thanks ahead of time.

He-he! I know who sent you this. I wouldn't query. I would just cross your fingers and wait. Can't be too much longer, right? I'm sure they haven't forgotten.

[emilymccosh]

He-he! I know who sent you this. I wouldn't query. I would just cross your fingers and wait. Can't be too much longer, right? I'm sure they haven't forgotten.

Ha! I knew somebody would recognize it.

Ahh, crossing my fingers and waiting. The writers life. Thanks Preston.

[Dustin Adams]

Emily,
Looking at my post 30 day history for that market, I have a 44 day acceptance, a 49 day rejection, and a 50 day acceptance after having received a similar e-mail.
I've got nothing between 30 and 44 days.
Read: Hang in there!