The story was sent back with the exact same reason.

[nothingtolike]

Hello, this is my first time posting, so I don't know whether it is the correct way to do it. I recently submitted my first story, but it was sent back because a character was a minor during a flashback. I edited the story and changed the character's age to 21, with the flashback taking place when they were 20.

However, the story was rejected again with the same exact reason.

I am confused about why it was rejected, since all characters are now over 18, both in the present and in the past. Am I missing something obvious?

Also, my other stories are still pending. Is it normal for the "pending" date to change automatically without me editing the story?I really need your help, guys. I tried the volunteer editor program, but there's still no response.

 

[StillStunned]

The entire process is shrouded in mystery, but here's some of what we've inferred.

The date change in Pending (assuming that the label hasn't changed from the grey "Pending" to the orange "New") is thought to indicate that the story has passed through some kind of automated check and is waiting for human eyes on it. Don't touch it.

With your rejection: go through your story to make sure that there's nothing to imply that the character is, in practice, underage. So no references to them still being in school or whatever. Make sure you've changed the age consistently. Then resubmit the story, and in the Notes to the Admin field explain about the rejection and what you've done to solve it. Perhaps send Laurel (the site owner and story review editor) a polite DM as well.

Good luck!

 

[LittleGreene]

I’ve had a story in never ending cycle of pending/rejection/ editing/ pending/ rejection. I’ve checked it, double checked it, had someone else read it and we still can’t understand where the issue is.
I’m actually going to give up on that story and just move on.
Good luck - sorry, I haven’t helped

 

[ElectricBlue]

Hello, this is my first time posting, so I don't know whether it is the correct way to do it. I recently submitted my first story, but it was sent back because a character was a minor during a flashback. I edited the story and changed the character's age to 21, with the flashback taking place when they were 20.

However, the story was rejected again with the same exact reason.

I am confused about why it was rejected, since all characters are now over 18, both in the present and in the past. Am I missing something obvious?

When you resubmitted it, did you add a Note to the Editor? It's always a good idea to state what you've done to fix the issue.

Read your text carefully - sometimes it can be a single phrase that triggers a word bot - especially anything that could be construed as age related (under age related...)

Also, my other stories are still pending. Is it normal for the "pending" date to change automatically without me editing the story?I really need your help, guys. I tried the volunteer editor program, but there's still no response.

If a story is Pending, that means it's not been processed yet. Once it's been vetted, the status either changes to New with a publication date, or you get a rejection notice.

 

[challenger69]

Hello, this is my first time posting, so I don't know whether it is the correct way to do it. I recently submitted my first story, but it was sent back because a character was a minor during a flashback. I edited the story and changed the character's age to 21, with the flashback taking place when they were 20.

However, the story was rejected again with the same exact reason.

I am confused about why it was rejected, since all characters are now over 18, both in the present and in the past. Am I missing something obvious?

Also, my other stories are still pending. Is it normal for the "pending" date to change automatically without me editing the story?I really need your help, guys. I tried the volunteer editor program, but there's still no response.

If your story has not been published yet, I would like you to send it to me. I like a challenge. You can DM me.

 

[SissyBrandi19]

Hello, this is my first time posting, so I don't know whether it is the correct way to do it. I recently submitted my first story, but it was sent back because a character was a minor during a flashback. I edited the story and changed the character's age to 21, with the flashback taking place when they were 20.

However, the story was rejected again with the same exact reason.

I am confused about why it was rejected, since all characters are now over 18, both in the present and in the past. Am I missing something obvious?

Also, my other stories are still pending. Is it normal for the "pending" date to change automatically without me editing the story?I really need your help, guys. I tried the volunteer editor program, but there's still no response.

I had a similar thing happen on a story and I was confused because nowhere did I say anything that would imply any character was under 18 and in fact specified 19...and I don't recall the exact explanation but...it was something to do with a vague type of..."implied" thing like...using a word like "kids" which grown-ups like us use "kids" for anyone less than 30 or anyone still living at home or in college. So I guess maybe just read your entire piece for anything that might vaguely or otherwise give an IMPRESSION...I don't know that I've been clear enough but remember YOU are reading it like the author and take yourself out of that and read it "fresh" and for the purpose of would someone ever interpret the character etc as younger...remember the vast variation in people and what they bring to reading a story re: their culture personal history - not saying you're "triggering" but ...6 people can interpret a single sentence 6 different ways.