Almost Success - The "Mixed Feelings" Thread

[DaneCurley]

I didn't. Looking at my old emails, looks like they don't use one of those submission systems. You just email your story.

Appreciate knowing that. Feel less like my work is floating in limbo, now.

[chuckt]

Man! Got a "Didn't quite grab me" from F&FS along with a couple of tips on the story. Close but no cigar?

[RSchibler]

Man! Got a "Didn't quite grab me" from F&FS along with a couple of tips on the story. Close but no cigar?

I count those as wins.

[DaneCurley]

Man! Got a "Didn't quite grab me" from F&FS along with a couple of tips on the story. Close but no cigar?

Free Feedback from a Professional Editor = Good stuff!

[DaneCurley]

After 80 days, I heard back from GE:

"...We’re overflowing with submissions right now, and so I must be extra-picky. Your* writing is strong, but not quite up to the other pieces I’m passing... Wish I had better news. Good fortune on submitting to another market..."

Never made it to Mike's desk. On the bright side, nice to hear the rejection was due to a seasonal need to be "extra-picky." And I guess that keeps the submission alive as a "blind" submission to WotF!

[chuckt]

After 80 days, I heard back from GE:

"...We’re overflowing with submissions right now, and so I must be extra-picky. Your* writing is strong, but not quite up to the other pieces I’m passing... Wish I had better news. Good fortune on submitting to another market..."

Never made it to Mike's desk. On the bright side, nice to hear the rejection was due to a seasonal need to be "extra-picky." And I guess that keeps the submission alive as a "blind" submission to WotF!

Hey! Personal notes are great. On the right track. Good job.

[disgruntledpeony]

I got a Charlie from F&SF today.

[Thomas Woodward]

I just got the following rejection letter from F&SF on a previous HM of mine:

From: CC Finlay <notify@moksha.io>
Date: Mon, Apr 29, 2019 at 1:37 PM
Subject: "[my Story Title]" / F&SF
To: Thomas C Woodward <[my email address]>


Dear Tom,

Thank you for giving me a chance to read "[my Story Title]." Unfortunately, this story didn't win me over for Fantasy & Science Fiction and I'm going to pass. But I wish you best of luck finding the right market for it and hope that you'll keep us in mind in the future.

Best regards,

Charlie
--
C.C. Finlay, Editor
Fantasy & Science Fiction

fandsf.com | @fandsf


Can anyone confirm if this is a form or personal? (I checked the rejection wiki and it didn't quite fit any of the templates listed)

[Helge Mahrt]

I got a similar rejection for my HM today. I'd say these are personal :)
"
Dear Helge,

Thank you for giving me a chance to read "<story title>." I liked the quality of the prose and I liked the beginning of the story, but the narrative lost momentum for me and overall the story didn't quite grab me. I'm going to pass on this one for Fantasy & Science Fiction, but I wish you best of luck finding the right market for it and hope that you'll keep us in mind in the future.

Best regards,

Charlie
"

[Helge Mahrt]

I read some more on this. Looks like Finlay uses 3 tiers of templates, according to this blog post: http://www.ccfinlay.com/blog/nectar-for-rejectomancers.html
Mine would be the lowest tier rejection and yours the highest.

[DaneCurley]

I just got the following rejection letter from F&SF on a previous HM of mine:

From: CC Finlay <notify@moksha.io>
Date: Mon, Apr 29, 2019 at 1:37 PM
Subject: "[my Story Title]" / F&SF
To: Thomas C Woodward <[my email address]>


Dear Tom,

Thank you for giving me a chance to read "[my Story Title]." Unfortunately, this story didn't win me over for Fantasy & Science Fiction and I'm going to pass. But I wish you best of luck finding the right market for it and hope that you'll keep us in mind in the future.

Best regards,

Charlie
--
C.C. Finlay, Editor
Fantasy & Science Fiction

fandsf.com | @fandsf


Can anyone confirm if this is a form or personal? (I checked the rejection wiki and it didn't quite fit any of the templates listed)

High tier Form, according to his blog.
I got one myself from him recently.

It seems the absence of criticism or comment in this form reply is meant as a compliment. As in, we didn't win HIM over, but he read it through, recognized it was high level writing, that there were no glaring problems, and that we should move onto the next editor who might really enjoy our work, unchanged.

Good luck with yours! Unfortunately, mine is super niche. I don't think anyone wants it. DM me for conversation about our stories and markets we can try for.

Dane

[Thomas Woodward]

I did some digging and found an interesting post on the subject on the absolutewrite forums:

https://absolutewrite.com/forums/archiv ... -p-33.html

*********************************
JJ Litke
07-23-2015, 07:23 PM
Here they are: https://twitter.com/ccfinlay/status/622077408154222593
https://twitter.com/ccfinlay/status/622077808525729792

He says: "Didn't grab me" - opening hook didn't grab me "Lost momentum" - middle didn't hold me
and
"Didn't win me over" - ending didn't work for me "Pieces didn't come together" - story didn't feel cohesive to me

I've gotten the "didn't win me over" one, and I started working on a new ending for that story.

Oh oh, and to get a direct link to a tweet, click on the time stamp for that tweet. I had to look it up some time ago when I was trying to do that, it's really not intuitive at all.

*****************************************

I sent my HM out to Clarkesworld (form R), Asimov's (form R), F&SF (form tier 3 template - see above post), and now sending to BCS.

this post, if true, is very helpful - this means I can work on my ending :)

[disgruntledpeony]

TFW you scroll back through old F&SF rejections and realize that half your stories have received Charlies, actually.

[chuckt]

TFW you scroll back through old F&SF rejections and realize that half your stories have received Charlies, actually.

He seems like a nice guy. I'm sure that takes a lot of time.

What does an acceptance note look like? I'm beginning to think I will never learn the answer from first-hand experience.

[disgruntledpeony]

TFW you scroll back through old F&SF rejections and realize that half your stories have received Charlies, actually.

He seems like a nice guy. I'm sure that takes a lot of time.

What does an acceptance note look like? I'm beginning to think I will never learn the answer from first-hand experience.

Couldn't tell you yet. Keep trying, though! Write what you care about, and sooner or later someone else will care too.