I decided to give non and token-paying magazines a miss this year and try damned hard to get into the biggies. So I wrote a short science fiction story for Interzone. It’s been through two critique groups, reworked and polished. I’m not saying it is perfect but I believe fellow editors would see its worthiness.
I’ve bought and noted the changes in story styles in Interzone over the decades. I said this in
my cover. However, once again Andy sends me the standard form
reject letter with no hint at why rejection but including a tip to
read Interzone along with a flyer to order it! Does he never read the
cover notes sent with submissions? I get hundreds of subs for EV too
but I always say a brief why for rejections. I don’t think I’ll be
subbing to Interzone again – though I said that last time 🙂
Even if an acquisition editor receives hundreds of submissions IMO he or she should at least give a hint why a piece is rejected – it’s only good manners and part of the culture of helping writers. If there are too many then close subs for a while. Am I asking too much?
I bet that felt good to get off your chest. Now put your armor back on and continue the fight. A writer’s greatest ally is persistence.
Cheers,
Maria
Thanks, Maria. Good to hear from you and your boostering encouragement. All power to your writing elbow too!
Geoff xx
I have spent some time thinking about this issue, Geoff.
I have come to several conclusions (borne out to a certain extent on personal experience) that some editors (especially if they have a share or whatever in the product) are more concerned to boost the sales, not just by getting good stories — they likely get a stream of good yarns in the morning mail — but also by selling more magazines (or whatever). They prefer to keep you dangling rather than cutting you out. Maybe one day the author will strike gold simply because the editor is on the right wavelength on that particular day to receive the offering, meanwhile keep taking the ‘The Sci-fi Tablets.’ Or an I being cynical?
I admire Maria’s perception of persistence in this matter. If it is the same Maria who won out and gained a contract or two, then she obviously know a thing or two.
For myself, I came to the conclusion (as far as novels are concerned) that what I write does not have sufficient wide appeal to be blockbusters – a publisher would need to take a risk on both a nobody and subject matter. (An agent once said that Blazing Embers could be a top seller with certain changes. I made the changes but the agent had an accident and went out of business.) I was asked by Richard and Judy producers if I could get my granddaughter to the studio to discuss the ‘then and now’ attitudes (not sure if it was for Red Boxes or Blazing Embers — they were sent both) but no could do, Holly was in Germany. That’s life!
I can only write what comes into my head – not to order. I have accepted this. But YOU can write and it is wrong of editors to turn you into reader fodder!