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| Posted By : darkbow - 5/9/2008 11:27 AM | | Got a story rejection today, and reached a new first. The editor thought my story was "too literary." First time I've ever heard that.
I thought it was funny. 
"Beneath a Persian Sun" upcoming in Carnivah House's "Infinity Swords" anthology |
| Posted By : J Erwine - 5/9/2008 2:29 PM | I had a story that got that rejection twice...kind of cracked me up at the time. I did eventually sell it to a small on-line zine.
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| Posted By : RHFay - 5/9/2008 3:05 PM | Congrats on joining the literary ranks! Now you can go publish your stories in those lofty literary journals and leave the rest of us in the dust.
Seriously, I would take it as a compliment.
"I'm going to do what the warriors of old did. I'm going to recite poetry!"
Richard H. Fay - Azure Lion Productions
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| Posted By : darkbow - 5/9/2008 7:54 PM | I'm starting to think melo-dramatic means "a story in which people get killed" and literary means "a story in which no one gets killed." Not an exact definition of course, but close enough, in my opinion. And yes, I realize their are always exceptions. I'm not setting down some rule here, just how I tend to see things.
"Beneath a Persian Sun" upcoming in Carnivah House's "Infinity Swords" anthology
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| Posted By : R. L. Copple - 5/11/2008 9:30 PM | "Literary" could mean a lot of different things. On one hand, the point to a literary piece is poetic usage, and frequently not a plot driven piece, more aiming for a message. So, it could mean anything from "this didn't have a plot and we don't do plotless stories," or the language was too flowery for them, or they don't care for stories focused on a message.
On the other hand, literary tends to be experimental, out on the edge in terms of format and method of telling a story, often breaking several conventional rules as to how one would normally tell a story. It's like being a designated hitter, attempting to hit home runs all the time. You know 80% or more you'll probably just strike out, but when you connect and it flies over the fence, people go "Wow, that was great!"
So it could be they felt it was on the edge, but just didn't work for them.
Or, for some people, literary is associated with "ivory tower" language and style, and they look down on that. Who knows.
R. L. Copple
blog.rlcopple.com
www.raygunradio.com
www.haruah.com
Infinite Realities available at Amazon.com |
| Posted By : von Darkmoor - 5/12/2008 11:38 PM | I just think you're lit and too airy.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jason M. Waltz
Managing Editor, Flashing Swords Press (site soon to come)
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| Posted By : John M. Whalen - 5/13/2008 9:47 AM | So send it to a literary market. If they reject it saying it's too pulpy, just think what that will do to your head! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Don't rewrite. Just resubmit. Elsewhere.  |
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