Okay, I've been nursing a bruised ego today as I've received two rejections in the last two days. Sigh. Both of these stories are ones I love and both have been rejected twice before. Yeah, I could stuff them in a drawer, but I love them. So, I'll go over them again, see what I can do to make them more editor friendly then find a couple more markets. I always have to keep reminding myself that rejection is part of the job.
And because you've been kind enough to listen to my whine, here's a call for submissions to a fantasy anthology. It's called Scheherazade's Facade - fantastical tales of gender bending, cross-dressing and transformation. The submission period is November 1 to February 28, 2010 and they're accepting stories up to 10,000 words. The pay is two cents a word. You can find the details here http://michaelmjones.com/facade
7 comments:
Two in a day is tough but I've had it happen too. The ones I hate most are the ones that never reply.
Yeah, I'd just as soon get a rejection as to never hear from a market. And I've had a few of those too! The funny thing is, while I love when a story gets accepted that bite of rejection tends to keep me humble. Besides, I'd get exhausted Snoopy Dancing if they took everything I sent out :-)
That's a tough break, Sandra. Hang in there. One thing to consider is one of the Robert Heinlein Rules of Writing, as modified by Dean Wesley Smith. In the link below, Smith writes how he wrote a short story per week. Rule #4: When the story comes back with a rejection, send it to the second best market without looking at the story again. Keep all the stories in the mail. It's at least one way of assuaging the pain of rejection: thumb your nose at the one editor and send it on to the next.
Here's the link: http://deanwesleysmith.com/index.php/2008/06/01/a-short-story-per-week/
Thanks for the link, Scott! I've read Heinlein's rules before, can't say that I agree with the non-rewriting part, but in general they're pretty good rules to follow. And a short story a week is very doable. Even more if you're not writing a novel in between stories.
I've had some acceptances in with the rejections as I always try to keep stories out there on submission. I just hate when I really like a story and can't find a home for them, like with these two. And every once in a while it's nice to whine. :-)
It's all so subjective, Sandra. I wouldn't give up on the stories and take Scott's advice--I've sold un-rewritten short stories to bigger (but new) markets before. Unless the rejecting editor says something about the story that resonates with me.
Just my opinion, and yeah, I have my whines too!
Sometimes you've just got to whine with someone who actually understands, Conda. Dumping your sorrows on other writers brings out the been there, done that, time to move on kick in the butt we all need.
Mostly, when going back over a story, I look for language that might be offensive in a new market that was okay for another, things like that. Not every story fits every market, sad to say.
Good points, Sandra, and good luck with your new submissions!
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