Rejections and Acceptences

I've been receiving a few rejections alongside a few acceptances. The rejections are getting steadily nicer, some even downright complimentary, and all of them always want more.

It's nice after years of "Thank you for submitting to SO&SO. But your submission isn't right for us." So, now even though I receive a rejection, many times, their notes tell me exactly what I need to submit next time (or an idea). Sometimes, they're basically saying, this is good, but it didn't quite knock our socks off, though parts did, so keep throwing your stuff our way and eventually we may find something we like. My submissions become feelers. And I think I'm starting to get a grasp on the kinds of poems/stories I am writing, and what certain kind of journals like.

Assignment idea (this would be an ongoing thing every couple weeks). Read a journal. Compose a piece that would fit with the journals taste. Submit what you write. Examples: Mud Luscious, Poetry, kill author, Ninth Letter, Pank. Not all journals have anything in mind, but they publish what strikes them. Kill Author publishes things that make their jaws drop or kick them in the gut, or both. I can't remember the quote with the editors, but it was pretty cool. Anyway. That's the assignment. Learn your markets. So many of us (ME) just submit to anything that sounds good...read a poem or two...part of a story...submit. Everything is scattered shot. Sure I know what goes to Ninth Letter, Puerto del Sol, Jeopardy (just kidding), all has to fit with that I think they publish (though I'm unsuccessful so far...except for Jeopardy). But it's a long process. I think that's one thing I'll tell my students one day. Submit till you drop, but know your journals. Sure, there is always scatter-shot, but that's how you learn.

Here are some examples of nice rejection letters:

Thank you for sending us “Afterwards”. We appreciate the chance to read it. We regret that we must decline it for the anthology, however.

This is nicely observed and feels more meaningful than its content, which is good. My issues resolve around the use of “false” mystery to sustain tension and the lack of traditional story elements. My reading notes, in case they help, are at http://wp.me/pBZsd-jU Story 117. It's a good story, just not for us, I'm afraid.

We would certainly consider other stories from you.

Thanks again. Best of luck with this.

(Triangulation)

Dear Joshua Young,

Thank you for sending us “A Woman Under Ice.” We appreciate the chance to read it. Unfortunately, the piece is not for us.Our editors like the eerie quality of the woman who emerges from the ice and her dialogue. We like the mysteriousness of never quite finding out what she is and why she is so disconnected to the city. We like the mysteriousness because it keeps us from asking logical questions about her being human and able to breath underwater. Her explananation, (true, anybody could drown, but not me), has a confident delivery, but we're not sure if it's enough to keep our questions at bay. The writing is clean and casual feeling,but could stand to be a little sharper.

Thanks again. Best of luck with this. Please try us again next year.

(Ghost Town)

Dark Sky loves you and wants you to keep trying, but this submission wasn't quite us.

All the best, and good luck taking over the world.

(Dark Sky Magazine)

Joshua:

This one's not right for us, but I certainly enjoyed reading it. Thanks for the look.

(Johnny America)

Dear Mr. Young,

Thank you for sending us “We Came from Railroad Men and Shadows”. We appreciate the chance to read your work. There were many things we liked about it. In particular, we thought your sentences were crisp and interesting. The lyric poem format worked well. What didn't work for us, though, was the ending. We weren't sure what to take away from it. There is an expectation of the unexpected that isn't fulfilled. We know about your family now, but what else? If you would like to revise and resubmit, we would be happy to look at it again.

Best of luck with this.

(Beechers)

Joshua:

Thanks for sending this our way, but we are going to pass. You're getting closer though, so please keep us in mind for others. You may want to try this one at PANK or Smokelong.

(Mud Luscious)

Dear Joshua Young,

Thank you for sending these poems. We appreciate the chance to read them. Unfortunately, they're not the right fit for us, but I enjoyed the energy of the voice. Please feel free to send more work in the future.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Mike Young (yeah, Ian, yeah)

(NOÖ Journal)

Dear Joshua,

Thanks for sending “How We Started Bumping” for LITnIMAGE's consideration.

We've decided to pass on this one, but I really liked the style and tone of the piece, as well as some of the details--for instance, the items given to Micah after his parents were killed. But the story seemed a bit unfinished, as though it were an excerpt rather a complete narrative in and of itself.

In any case, I'd enjoy seeing more of your work and invite you to submit again anytime.

(LITnIMAGE)

OK. I didn't post these to brag (even though, Em insists that this is what I'm doing...). I posted these because many of them provided details that I can use. If I don't use them for my stories that they are referring to, at least I know, what kind of stuff they don't like. The point is (going back to the assignment) that I after I get this, I continue to read the journal, then I resubmit with what I've learned in mind.

God, two years ago (hell, maybe a year ago), I would've shit a brick for reading that editors like my stuff but not enough. If you like it publish it bitches! But this is good. I like rejections of this kind--sure a pub would be better--because I know where to go from there. Even form rejections, I use to my betterment. If they don't like my aggressive shit, I send more personal shit, and sometimes, I'll go from a form letter to a personal one (New Madrid is one example--they hated my personal stuff, but enjoyed by prosey stuff).

Anyway, there's my blog.

Wait, no, I have so much new music on my ipod...but I'll blog about that soon. I promise.

Love and Vegan Cupcakes,

J.