First Rejection help please

[RonanJWilkerson]

So, I submitted my first story and recieved a rejection on two counts. The second I half expected. The story I submitted is chapter three of a series. I don't know why that chapter popped out of my head first. I have specific plans for the first two chapters, but that one started flowing out first.
The other reason for rejection was a question regarding the age of my characters. There were only two characters in the chapter, one is a widow with three kids the other is a college professor. In what universe is it even possible for either of those two to be under age? The MC's assessment of the lady is that she's late-20's. In the last line, the MC states he is 50. Is it absolutely necessary to make an obvious statement of over 18 in every submission?

 

[djrip]

Shouldn't be. Maybe check for numbers under 18 in the story that could be triggering software. Like "my car was 14 years old" or something.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Chapter order: yes, out-of-order submissions will be rejected, and that's doing you a favour. People aren't going to read Chapter 3 when Chapters 1 and 2 haven't even been posted.

Under-age: Laurel skims when moderating and that leads to a lot of false positives. Just resubmit, and use the Notes field to say that there are no under-age characters present, and she will read more closely.

 

[EmilyMiller]

The other reason for rejection was a question regarding the age of my characters.

I can hardly credit it!

If the ages are as you say, then you will have some probably innocent phrase in there which got picked up on.

Re-read, looking for words like “young”, “tiny”, “baby”, “child” (childlike can be problematic). “Smooth as a baby’s bottom” could get pinged for example.

Worst case, PM @Laurel and ask her. She’s busy, but tries to be helpful.

Em

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'd write and submit the early chapters first, or turn the current piece into a standalone story. A chapter three by itself makes no sense.

And yes, the underage ping - as said above, check for innocuous phrases a word bot might pick up on, that's always the first thing to look for.

 

[RonanJWilkerson]

Shouldn't be. Maybe check for numbers under 18 in the story that could be triggering software. Like "my car was 14 years old" or something.

Oh. I did list the ages of her kids. Is there a way to phrase that that won't trigger a reject? Are they usingan AI? The sentence is clear to a person reading it.

 

[RonanJWilkerson]

If there are under-age characters present (mother with three kids), double-check if those get nowhere near anything sex-related, and stress that out in the Notes field.

So if I mention that her kids ages' are listed, but they are in *no* way present or involved in the sexual encounter, that would fix it?

 

[RonanJWilkerson]

Ok, wow. Thank you all for your responses. I'll use the notes to line out the problem sentence. And I'll hold off re-submission until I can kick ch 1 & 2 out of my brain. So, Christmas.

 

[alohadave]

So if I mention that her kids ages' are listed, but they are in *no* way present or involved in the sexual encounter, that would fix it?

In one of mine, I put a note in that there was a child, but that they weren't in the room when anything happened, besides the parents kissing.

 

[ElectricBlue]

In one of mine, I put a note in that there was a child, but that they weren't in the room when anything happened, besides the parents kissing.

Yes, this is wise. I have a breast-feeding story with a long first meeting scene set in a cafe, where the mother feeds her baby, just as you'd see any breast-feeding mother. Later, when she's a lover not a mother, she's left the child with grandma, well out of sight, out of mind. A Note to the Editor highlighted this, no issues at all.

As an aside, it's my most viewed, most voted on story, and my sixth highest rated, so there's a message in there somewhere...

 

[Bramblethorn]

So if I mention that her kids ages' are listed, but they are in *no* way present or involved in the sexual encounter, that would fix it?

Should do. Be aware that witnessing, fantasising etc. count as "involved" here.