Outstanding Rejection Slip Orders

[BigTexan]

Today I ordered my latest rejection slip. In other words I submitted another story to a paying publisher

How many of you have outstanding rejection slip orders? If you have more than one, how many?

Just asking for grins.

BigTexan

 

[Quasimodem]

By "outstanding" do you mean pending, or unforgettable?

I have a rejection slip from George Scithers that cured me of submitting manuscripts for more than five years. Then, I read a collection of the Barry Longyear stories that he had accepted. Since then, I have considered Mr. Scithers to be a rotten judge.

 

[Whispersecret]

I've only got one pending. It's been pending since August. I emailed the editor last week and she said to keep waiting. Such is life without an agent. At least she didn't say, "Oh, yeah. I just looked at that. Nope. We don't want it."

 

[BigTexan]

By "outstanding" do you mean pending, or unforgettable?

Hmm, I guess pending is a better word.



BigTexan

 

[karmadog]

I have three out right now. I see no reason for an agent in my situation. I submit short stories only--the pay is pretty much set in stone, the agents that would take me on as an unknown author would be marginal at best, and most of the pubs I'm submitting to accept unsolicited manuscripts anyhow.

The most brutal rejection I got was for my first submission. It was an essay (very poorly constructed to be frank) that I knew wouldn't be accepted, but I was hoping for a vicious rejection. All I got was a form letter on a quarter sheet of paper. Since then, I've gotten personal rejections with editorial advice--often very helpful advice--and invitations to resubmit.

 

[BigTexan]

The worst rejection slip I ever received was from a magazine that is no longer in print. It said something about me sticking with my original language instead of writing English.

I have to agree, going back and re-reading the story, that is was poorly done and I shouldn't have submitted it in that form.

I really was just laughing to take the sting out of submitting once again. In many ways I think submitting stories to magazines is a lot like walking up to a Mike Tyson and asking him to bite your ear off.

Really, as hard as it is to actually submit a story, I'm surprised the magazines have enough to print.

BigTexan

 

[Quasimodem]

As long as an Editor, while rejecting my manuscript, sticks to criticising the work submitted, I figure he is within bounds.

When, as Mr. Scithers, the Editor ignores the manuscript submitted, to offer comments upon the personal habits, and possible parentage of the author - I feel - he is wandering outside his jurisdiction.

Of course, submitting a story that raised the subject of robotic sex to a journal, dedicated to the author who first devised the "Three Laws of Robotic," was - perhaps - not using my best judgement.

 

[wildsweetone]

Of course, submitting a story that raised the subject of robotic sex to a journal, dedicated to the author who first devised the "Three Laws of Robotic," was - perhaps - not using my best judgement.

it sounds like Mr Scithers just hasn't figured out the Fourth Law dear, and you have


hmm rejection slips. well i've had a couple from British magazines, does that count? i have yet to write anything long enough to ... okay i'm getting there

 

[Guest]

Rejections.......

Oh yeah....

About three maybe four years ago I wrote a book (Still think it's a great idea) got myself an editor....paid some fairly substantial $$$ for her to edit it for me. Submitted it to several publishers...all of which came back, said I needed a literary agent.

Yeah...tried that too. I did get one semi-bite, forget who it was that said they "liked" the story...but had too much in the works to do anything with it at this time.

So....that's about as close as I ever got.

Anyone know a good agent? LOL


I remain.....(unpublished). Not counting Lit of course........

 

[Un-registered]

The worst rejection slip I ever received was from a magazine that is no longer in print. It said something about me sticking with my original language instead of writing English.

You should worry. On one never to be forgotten occasion I asked an English technical author working in Belgium if I could borrow a copy of the French original of a paper he had passed to me, because "I'm finding it heavy going. The translation service are a pain."
It turned out he was the author and the English version was the original.
If you're reading this, "Sorry, Clive."

 

[Quasimodem]

Re: Rejections.......

...Anyone know a good agent? LOL ...

I understand that Agent Orange is good for eliminating those pesky editors who keep rejecting your manuscripts.

 

[karmadog]

Anyone know a good agent?

I'm told that is an oxymoron.

 

[Sabledrake]

I'm currently waiting on seven rejections, varying among magazines, anthologies, agents, and publishers.

Sabledrake

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Am I the only one who thinks he hasn't written anything worth being paid for?
If you were an editor, would you publish your own stuff in a magazine? Would you pay to read your stuff?
Just curious.

---dr.M.

 

[christo]

Just curious, but where are you guys trying to get published? Literary magazines, online publications, genre magazines...who, where, how?

 

[karmadog]

Literary mags. Occasionally an e-pub.

There's very little money in these types of pubs. I figured out once that if one of my short stories was accepted it would work out to around a dollar an hour, including writing, proofing, editing and rewrites. Sometimes less. Often less.

 

[BigTexan]

Am I the only one who thinks he hasn't written anything worth being paid for?
If you were an editor, would you publish your own stuff in a magazine? Would you pay to read your stuff?
Just curious.

---dr.M.

Dr. M.

I think my SF/F work is good enough to be published. My one story posted here, I wouldn't consider ready to be submitted to a paying magazine.

Just curious, but where are you guys trying to get published? Literary magazines, online publications, genre magazines...who, where, how?

I have received rejection slips from Asimov's Science Fiction, Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine, Challenging Destiny, Adventures of Sword and Sorcery, Dragon Magazine, and Black Gate.

I am currently waiting on rejection slips from Asimov's and Challenging Destiny.

Karmadog, you are right, there is very little money in the short fiction market. But there is the publication credit. I'm currently working on a novel, but I want to have six short fiction publishing credits before I begin to market my novel to an agent. It will help me get a better agent, at least I hope. Still, for unknown authors, there isn't a lot of money even in the novels. So I won't quit my day job, but I still love writing and I would write even if I never got paid a dime.

Still it doesn't hurt to try to get paid to do something you love, eh?

BigTexan

 

[jon.hayworth]

REJECTION SLIPS are hell. - Especially the Pro-Forma ones.

I am considering using them in a collage and in pride of place in the centre will be a photo-copy of the first CHECK I received for some work. Yes I keep a photo-copy, because when I get yet another rejection slip and feel like shit I can look at that copy and say someone other than myself values my work.

jon

 

[Quasimodem]

My Fave Rejection!

My favourite rejection came from a "Little (Literary) Magazine."

It was a mimeographed form rejection slip that included two typos and a spelling mistake.

That one is framed.

 

[Sabledrake]

I got a form letter photocopy with typo from TOR once. But my favorite is the "rejection fortune cookie." The SASE comes back, it seems empty, until I find a tiny slip of paper, maybe 1/2 inch high, in the corner. Single sentence. Not even a third of a sheet of paper, the cheapskates!

Sabledrake

 

[Quasimodem]

All-time worst was from 'Playboy.'

It came back with a thin slip of paper stapled to the first page, then written upon with a super drippy felt pen.

It informed me that they did not accept unsolicitated material.

The ink penetrated three pages deep.

This was back in the days before word processors, which meant I had to re-type the top three pages.

I checked Writer's Digest and their info said that, while Playboy usually worked by assignment, they were always open to good original unsolicited material.

Bunny shit!

 

[BigTexan]

I got a form letter photocopy with typo from TOR once. But my favorite is the "rejection fortune cookie." The SASE comes back, it seems empty, until I find a tiny slip of paper, maybe 1/2 inch high, in the corner. Single sentence. Not even a third of a sheet of paper, the cheapskates!

Sabledrake

Did it at least have your lucky lottery numbers on the back?

BigTexan

 

[Quasimodem]

Did it at least have your lucky lottery numbers on the back?

Say, that is a GREAT IDEA!

You get back your manuscript with a message that says:

"Your story is lousy. You will never be a writer.

"Rather than think of you starving to death, we are sending you a chance to win a million dollars, through a government-run lottery.

"As you are completely incompetent as a writer, perhaps you will prove to be lucky."

Would that make you feel better

 

[karmadog]

It would if I won.

I would send them back an unsolicited photocopy of the check.