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Home » Writing » First Rejection Messages in this topic - RSS
11/6/2009 9:50:53 PM
Jbarney
Jbarney
Posts 82
Hey, I thought I would report my first rejection letter. I got it back this week. Felt great. I already sorta asked this in a different post, but how often do others get stories rejected out of order? The first story I wrote and sent into Asimov's "Gone In A Flash" is apparently still out there. The 2nd story I sent in was the one that I got the rejection slip for. Does this happen often? Sorry to ask such a basic question, but I thought some people here might be able to help. Thanks in advance.

Jason
11/7/2009 6:11:52 PM
Madison
Madison
Posts 142
I could tell you, but I haven't gotten either a rejection or an acceptance back yet.

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The next statement is true.
The previous statement was false.
11/7/2009 8:52:01 PM
Bill Moonroe
Bill Moonroe
Posts 3308
Was the one that you got the rejection for submitted to the one of the Big Three not owned by Dell? That one is famous for its FTL responses.

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11/8/2009 10:34:44 AM
Jbarney
Jbarney
Posts 82
Both of the stories that I sent in were to Asimovs. I sent in "Gone in A Flash" in late August and I still have not heard back from them. I sent in "From Above" in mid August and got the rejection slip about a week ago now. So I thought I would ask others....does this sort of thing happen often? Or should I be concerned that Asimovs never got the "Gone In A Flash"?
11/8/2009 8:10:20 PM
WPreston
WPreston
Posts 651
You shouldn't have sent them—or anyone—two stories. One at a time, which means waiting for each rejection.

They moved their offices, so it may be that the stratification of your slushed stories ended up out of sequence.

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http://wmpreston.blogspot.com
11/8/2009 9:30:28 PM
Bill Moonroe
Bill Moonroe
Posts 3308
WPreston wrote:
You shouldn't have sent them—or anyone—two stories. One at a time, which means waiting for each rejection.

They moved their offices, so it may be that the stratification of your slushed stories ended up out of sequence.


That's not the advice TCO would give.

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11/8/2009 9:35:33 PM
Jbarney
Jbarney
Posts 82
Good point. I guess I never thought that even professional writers would wait on one story before sending the next to the very same magazine. This is a learning process....I am just now researching the other magazines enough to be familiar with their manuscript guidelines. The etiquette of sending one magazine only one story at a time seems like common sense now that you point it out. Thanks
11/8/2009 9:37:18 PM
Jbarney
Jbarney
Posts 82
Bill Moonroe wrote:
WPreston wrote:
You shouldn't have sent them—or anyone—two stories. One at a time, which means waiting for each rejection.

They moved their offices, so it may be that the stratification of your slushed stories ended up out of sequence.


That's not the advice TCO would give.


Forgive me, TCO?
11/8/2009 9:51:11 PM
Bill Moonroe
Bill Moonroe
Posts 3308
TCO.

He wasn't that bad, when the gin wasn't doing the talking.

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11/8/2009 11:37:03 PM
alastair_mayer
alastair_mayer
Posts 400
WPreston wrote:
You shouldn't have sent them—or anyone—two stories. One at a time, which means waiting for each rejection.

They moved their offices, so it may be that the stratification of your slushed stories ended up out of sequence.


I've heard both Sheila and Stan (at Analog) remark that that's not an inviolable rule, but you should wait at least four weeks between subs. Mind, that was over a year ago, things may have changed since then.

Mind, the thread linked above (TCO') seems to confuse multiple vs simultaneous submissions. Simultaneous subs means sending it out to more than one editor simultaneously. That is a definite no-no with short fiction. Multiple subs is sending more than one story to the same editor before hearing back on the previous one. It's a no-no to stuff them in the same envelope, it may be persmissable (as mentioned above) to spread them out over a few weeks.
edited by alastair_mayer on 11/8/2009

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- Alastair
11/9/2009 9:55:55 PM
WPreston
WPreston
Posts 651
alastair_mayer wrote:
Simultaneous subs means sending it out to more than one editor simultaneously. That is a definite no-no with short fiction.


While it's certainly the case with Asimov's (and most other magazines/journals), a fair number of publications do allow "simul-subs." Perhaps none in the sf world, but I also submit work to non-sf mags, and duotrope.com has helped me locate places that do take simul-subs. (This allows me to receive even more rejections . . . ) The etiquette there, Jason, is to inform the publications that you've also submitted elsewhere and, should your piece be accepted, to inform the other publications of that acceptance.

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http://wmpreston.blogspot.com
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