I've been so slow/low on submitting to short story markets that I should be over this already, but le sigh. Another rejection for my files. Tor.com (lengthy review cycle, FYI. I sent it on October 13ish.)

No encouraging reject, just a plain "didn't work for us."

I need to write some NEW short stories, as I think the ones I've been submitting (very sporadically, because I'm an extremely lazy submitter) are older works of mine and I could do so much better now. Right? So say we all...
 

I think that is why it's so hard for me to get back into the habit of sending out stories. One reason, anyway. You should see what I write on my blog at times.

But I hear Tor is very difficult to get into. I've never even tried them.

And "le sigh"...speaking french now are we ? You must really be down.

New stories would help, I think, if you have learned anything since you wrote the older ones. That usually works for writers...plus of course practicing, which does work for Most writers. Write ten stories this next month. What you like, don't worry about length , and don't worry about your "invisible" audience just write. One person left a note on my blog that I should check out Holly Lisle's page. No link so I'm not sure how to get there but probably isn't too hard to figure out.

And remember even the long time pros get a lot more rejections than sells.

[This message has been edited by LDWriter2 (edited May 03, 2011).]
 

especially after you waited for so long -- it would be nice to get just a sentence of encouragement.
 

But as for "writing new short stories" - yes. This. Once you have written short story and start it doing the rounds, there's no eason to spend more time on it (bar the very occasional look-over and polish), so what should you be spending your time doing? More writing.

Don't wait until something sells and then think "oh, I'd better write a new story now". When you have finished writing story A, start story B. When B is done, start C. And so on.

I fell foul of this during a long dry spell connected with my intercontinental move, and while I kept selling stories on and off, I wasn't replacing them. The end result is that the few stories I had left in inventory had been to pretty much every suitable market, and so my ability to sub, let alone sell, nose-dived.

Keeping a good inventory of stories is well-nigh essential. Unless you're Ted Chiang, of course.
 

The big thing is that once the rejection comes, send it out to another market the same day. I find by doing that I don't dwell on the rejection and I can't get lazy about submitting them.

Of couse this all came after other Hatrackers helped me start submitting in the first place. So I am new to this whole process. But I want to pay it forward, so to speak.

Keep writing too. After all you might wind up with several works published.

Edited because I always mess something up posting via my phone.

[This message has been edited by EVOC (edited May 03, 2011).]
 

I think it's easier to accept rejections on style/sub-genre issues (at least for me) but I think we don't get told as much when there are technical disqualifications and that's something we can improve and work to get better.
 

Just remember, rejection means you're working at it and that is a success in itself. A writer who never submits, and thus, never gets rejected, is a hobbyist. So good for you for taking the chance. Toast yourself and send it back out.

Damn the rejections - full speed ahead!
 

...is that even possible?
 

I hear a lot of horror stories about how TOR is like dropping your query into a black hole, but if it makes you guys feel better they do at least read your subscriptions. I sent in a query a few years ago and along with the form letter there was a handwritten note telling me they liked my writing but the story started slow and I should rework it and send it in again.

I never did (experience :/).
 

quote:

---

Duotrope lists an acceptance rate of 0.00%.

...is that even possible?

---

The problem with Doutrope is its based on user submissions. So if those accepted by Tor.com never report it then it is 0%. So basically 0% of reporting Doutrope members have been accepted.
 

Neither of which tells me anything...ah, well, I've got one more market for each of 'em...

(More on one of those rejections in another thread.)
 

After they're bounced again, I'll put 'em up on my website...shouldn't take more than a couple months either way...
 

At one time I was interested in the various ways they have to say no. Each one id different so I would say hey I haven't gotten a rejection form them yet I need to send one in to see how they say no.

Now, I feel like the bad thing about sending out a bunch of stories is that you get a bunch of rejections, sometimes starting immediately. Still hoping some day for another personal rejection but not expecting it either...I'm still stuck.

But Kay as I said learning and Practice works for most writers. If I recall correctly you have been to Dean Wesley Smith's blog. He almost guarantees that practice will get you somewhere. With his workshops etc he should know.
 

You have to know where you want to go with it. You focus on one thing at a time, and don't be afraid to break it down into the smallest piece possible. Don't feel embarassed about it, that's how the great writers get to be so great. I know it works like a charm because not only do I do it for myself (with music and writing), but everyone else I've seen that does it ultimately gets better.

Most of all, get independant opinions on it.

PS: It's really easy to overlook this method and the moment you get frustrated or anything just simply back off, find something else to fix, or break it down further.

Actually my private music teacher and all music teachers since taught me this, and I agree 100%.
 

I just hate the submissions process. I'm a far too lazy writer (keeping track of what's where ALONE is more work than I want to invest.) I'm starting to dribble drabble my stories up as ebooks online. (I'm a geek, so that kind of "work" isn't as bad to me as annoying clerical tracking that I'm terrible at because I lack a good attention to detail...) I'll make some money from them directly instead.
 

Then there are the editors who don't pull their punches.

"This is a 22-page story, and until page 10, it's just monotonous"

And Ideamancer said another story was sweet, but not enough character development for them.
 

I think this is for a different rejection thread: One for rough or bad rejections?

Anyway, I think when F&SF take a while longer then usual and its the same rejection should be included in the rough rejections. Not what they say but that they took so much longer then usual.
 

I thought I would ask my question here instead of starting a new thread for one question.

Has Analog changed their rejection E-mail?

My latest includes a list of reasons for rejections. I wonder if anyone else got this or if I missed it somehow. My story was SF so that wasn't it, I didn't ask for the reasons behind the rejection, my story did solve the problem.
 

I have gotten simpler, 'non-guideline' rejections. I think the guidelines are Stan's way of saying it either 'really isn't very good', or 'it's too far away from what I'm looking for'. After that, you have to figure it out for yourself.
 

That is what I was wondering. Come to think of it I think I used to get their guidelines back with a simple no thanks. On paper. I say I think because it's been a long time and I'm not sure if it was from them.

But I'm sure I have gotten just a simple no thanks via E-mail too, That's why I was wondering. And I have outside confirmation that it's one of my best stories- writing and story- these days. Which may not be saying much right now but still I thought it would get a slightly better reception.
 

Hello rejection, my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again
Because a form letter that I received
Left me sulking and extremely peeved
But the brilliance that had spilled out of my brain,
Still remains
Within my magnum opus

In restless dreams I typed alone,
On a keyboard made of stone
'Neath the halo of a desk light,
I forced my fingers through a tenth re-write
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a new insight,
That split the night
And touched my magnum opus

And in a stack of slush I saw,
Ten thousand stories, maybe more.
Stories telling without showing,
Stories slipping without streaming
Stories so damn bad, that no editor would dare,
Touch any there
Even my magnum opus

Fools, said I, you do not see,
The genius writer that is me
Read my words and you will surely know
Pay me for it 'cause I need the dough
But my plea, like a stream of water poured,
Was ignored,
Like my magnum opus

And the readers grabbed and shred
The insipid pulp they read
And while I waved both of my arms and cried
My long lost muse appeared right by my side
And my muse said the story you've written is a pile of steaming trite
Go back and write
A real magnum opus

- WolfCreature