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ScrewMoonshine
Adept
      
Date Joined Aug 2005
Total Posts : 871
| Posted 3/24/2006 2:15 PM (GMT -5) |   | I've received my third rejection for what I'd consider one of my finest stories so far. What's really got me frustrated is that, except for one magazine that has a strict no-constructive-criticism policy, all the markets I sent it to essentially said that my story was great but not right for them. That's nothing to complain about, of course; I'm always happy when my stories get unbiased praise. But the Garfield strip from January 16 keeps nagging at my brain...
The thing is, I really did take care which magazines I sent the story to, so their telling me the story isn't right for them rather discourages my hopes that a market does exist for this story. The story falls into a narrow niche; it's set in a milleu centered on both sci fi and fantasy elements, yet you hardly see any magic in the story, and the society is at a similar technology level to our own. So I'm sure that no literary mag would touch it, and at the same time it probably won't capture the imaginations of speculative fiction editors. That leaves only markets which accept a majority of genres, and I've already been rejected by three of those.
Anyway, this post does have a constructive purpose: I've scanned Duotrope Digest and come up with a list of five markets that sound like they could be interested in my story. However, before I start spending money and time on sample copies, does my (brief) description of my story suggest to anyone a good market to send it to?
Robert Orme | | Back to Top | | |
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Rob Santa
Sage
Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 1455
| Posted 3/24/2006 5:41 PM (GMT -5) | | | My reaction is the same: only five? I've only once sold a piece to a pro market the first time around, and yes, I did specifically write the story for that market. I've done the same with dozens of other stories and gotten rejections. Diligent mailing has gotten most of those pieces sold, but it was not on the first go around. Perhaps the second, perhaps the twelfth. I keep submitting them until they sell.
I feel "thank you for your great story, but it's just not right for our magazine" is a catch-all rejection. It sounds like it pertains to your piece, but it could apply to just about anything (like a horoscope). I feel it is a way of sounding better than a form letter while still being a form letter. Whenever I get a letter like that, even if it's hand written, I throw it away just like it said "Dear Author" at the top.
Unless it says "Robert, I found your story fascinating, but I just don't believe Frederick's tale of revenge would be suitable for our market" then the comments don't matter. It's generic, and that's the same rejection everybody gets.
My rule of thumb is that if it doesn't sell to the top ten markets I figure would buy it, nobody probably will. Then I file it for rewriting in a few years and move on. It's tough to be callous with your creations; sometimes it's just necessary.
I wish you the best of luck with this piece. Knowing nothing about the story, I say press on with a few more markets that you feel might be interested. If you get rejections then you're probably better off spending your energy on getting something else published. Best advice I can give from the guy who has well over one hundred unpublished stories under his belt.
Rob Santa | | Back to Top | | |
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ScrewMoonshine
Adept
Date Joined Aug 2005
Total Posts : 871
| Posted 3/26/2006 2:37 PM (GMT -5) | | Well, I was pretty stringent with my search on Duotrope, as I wasn't looking for a comprehensive list, just the next one or two places to send my story. I skipped over ones that offered professional rates(I assume my chances of getting accepted there are relatively small), or sounded like they were essentially literary markets trying to appear open-minded, or are published only electronically. (I know it sounds snooty, but I'm insistent on my first publication going to a print market. Electronic publication is too fleeting for my liking.) If I'd been going for quantity I'm sure I would have picked out a lot more markets.
It's 2,282 words long, so at least it's at a pretty ideal length. I should have mentioned that it's a Christianity-oriented story. The basic premise is that the ability to use magic becomes considered a sign of God's grace; the story is about how a child deals with the discovery that this is not the case. Social disillusionment isn't the most original of concepts, but I think the ending and strength in the writing more than make up for that.
Thanks for offering to look at my story, Mike, but I'd feel guilty about imposing on your time. Electric Velocipede seems like an interesting market - hadn't heard of it before. I might send the story their way.
Rob, I was just paraphrasing what the rejection letters said; they were fairly specific about why they felt it didn't fit with them. Thanks for all your advice though!
Robert Orme | | Back to Top | | |
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Rob Santa
Sage
Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 1455
| Posted 3/26/2006 8:45 PM (GMT -5) | | I can think of three markets right off the top of my head that will look at Christian-oriented speculative fiction: Dreams & Visions; Dragons, Knights & Angels, and Deep Magic. Add Amazing Journeys to that, I bet (Ed has often expressed his beliefs to the point that I believe Christian-oriented fiction would be welcome there).
I don't believe religious elements will get stories rejected out of hand. A good story with religious elements will still get published. I'm not Christian and don't write Christian-oriented fiction. But I've written two stories that, when viewed from a Christian perspective, could be interpretted that way (as in a significant presence of angels or God). Both stories sold to markets that were not Christian-oriented.
I've never run across a set of guidelines that said "we will not publish stories with a religious message." If you're concerned about being preachy, well, that's a whole different ball of wax. I don't feel the sledgehammer approach to writing ever works, regardless of the message. If after you read several stories from a few different issues of the market you're aiming at you still feel your story would be welcome, then by all means send it to them. The worst they can say is "no."
By the same token, if your story has a strong Christian message, what is stopping you from sending it to markets that specialize in that kind of fiction? Seems a perfect fit to me.
Rob Santa | | Back to Top | | |
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ScrewMoonshine
Adept
Date Joined Aug 2005
Total Posts : 871
| Posted 3/27/2006 2:42 PM (GMT -5) | | I agree that stories generally won't get rejected just for being Christianity-oriented. You can deny the existence of God, but you can't deny the existence of Christianity, and I think the vast majority of editors realize that. There are more than likely one or two editors out there who will rip to shreds anything that even mentions Christ, but since I don't feel my story is preachy, I doubt that many editors will turn it down due to the Christianity element.
I actually have tried a mag specializing in Christian fiction; Dreams & Visions was the second pub I sent it to. Wish I knew why they didn't want it.
I think I see what you mean now by it not being a small niche, David. Fact is, I've always hesitated to submit to markets which have a minimum of slots for my story. The way most mags emphasize reading sample copies has me terrified that any story that isn't compatible with most of what they publish will be returned with an angry demand that I read the magazine(or [shudder] the guidelines). Maybe it's high time I got some guts.
Robert Orme | | Back to Top | | |
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ScrewMoonshine
Adept
Date Joined Aug 2005
Total Posts : 871
| Posted 3/30/2006 12:34 PM (GMT -5) | | Well. Thanks for suggesting Neo-Opsis, Mike! I tried them first because I'd already read a sample copy of the magazine. I got a rejection back in less than six hours WITH helpful criticism and suggestions! Sheesh, I had no idea Neo-Opsis had response times like that. I'll have to send them something else sometime.
Of course, an acceptance would have been better, but one can't be picky. On to the next market!
Robert Orme | | Back to Top | | |
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