Five Minute Rant

I have forgotten how to write decent fiction.

Again.

/endrant

I have forgotten how to write decent fiction.

Again.

/endrant

Something like this doesn't get forgotten. It might get rusty or hard to reach, but it comes back. It always does.

I have forgotten how to write decent fiction.

Again.

/endrant

Minus the last two words I've been saying that for five years--after a too short period of time when I did better.

This makes me want to tear my hair out...

"This was a fascinating story, very well-written and enjoyable, with
complex characters and a mysterious back story that made me want to
know more, even though it took the background with respect to
interpersonal relationships. Although we didn't think it was a fit for
*** in the end, I did want to say that I'm glad I had the opportunity
to read it, and I hope you'll consider sending us more of your work
some time."

WHYYYYY?!??! Mind you, I get this sort of response about this story quite often. It got an HM last year in WotF. I'm going to re-title this story "Close, but No Cigar." Was considering sending it back to WotF to see what DW thinks...

End rant.

This makes me want to tear my hair out...

"This was a fascinating story, very well-written and enjoyable, with
complex characters and a mysterious back story that made me want to
know more, even though it took the background with respect to
interpersonal relationships. Although we didn't think it was a fit for
*** in the end, I did want to say that I'm glad I had the opportunity
to read it, and I hope you'll consider sending us more of your work
some time."

WHYYYYY?!??! Mind you, I get this sort of response about this story quite often. It got an HM last year in WotF. I'm going to re-title this story "Close, but No Cigar." Was considering sending it back to WotF to see what DW thinks...

End rant.

Evidently you would not be the only one. About sending it in again, renaming a story to "Close, but No Cigar" and ranting after getting a bunch of personal comments.

Bah. A close, but no thanks from Redstone Science Fiction. This makes three in a row from them. Grrr.

Bah. A close, but no thanks from Redstone Science Fiction. This makes three in a row from them. Grrr.

Bummer. That's a nice market. You definitely have my rant-sympathy.

Bah. A close, but no thanks from Redstone Science Fiction. This makes three in a row from them. Grrr.

Bummer. That's a nice market. You definitely have my rant-sympathy.

Frustrating but at the same time one of these times it will be it.

And you're doing better than at least one of the comrades here.

Based off the recent Topanga Canyon incident, that may be slightly less bad news than one would think.

Still rant-worthy, but - you know.

Based off the recent Topanga Canyon incident, that may be slightly less bad news than one would think.

Still rant-worthy, but - you know.

You're right. But still makes me bang my head on the keyboard.

I don't blame you!! Dang!

Bah. A close, but no thanks from Redstone Science Fiction. This makes three in a row from them. Grrr.

You ain't the only one. I've had two since my personal there.

Good thing about smartphones, I csn submit to some publishers.

Bad news, you get rejections a lot faster.

Drat and rats and blast it and Dast--ardly.

Again thought there would be more people here by now.

Just a straight rejection on Q2. From my gut reaction I obviously didn't expect it to go higher but I was feeling that it looked like a HM even though I knew he did less of them then usual. Not unusual for my feelings to be wrong but still...

This time though probably with so many others who got the same along with a couple of HMs, I don't feel like saying of course. But at the same time in the middle of a bunch of rejections again, I could use some good News about my writing.

But I know which story is going to F&SF this week.

RANT!!

Kindle Singles does not want my semi-finalist story. Said it was not the droid they were looking for.

RazzleSnappaFritznJack!!

*shakes her fist at the 'Zons*

Ok, back to normal.

RANT!!

Kindle Singles does not want my semi-finalist story. Said it was not the droid they were looking for.

RazzleSnappaFritznJack!!

*shakes her fist at the 'Zons*

Ok, back to normal.

Curious. What are their criteria for accepting/rejecting? I don't know anything about e-book publishing.

Curious. What are their criteria for accepting/rejecting? I don't know anything about e-book publishing.

Well, Kindle Singles is a very select program. They've published only 215 titles so far. Out of those, only 37 are fiction; and among those, at least 11 are by big bestsellers: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, etc. (Probably more than 11, but my net connection is too slow for me to count more.) I applaud Kary's chutzpah in trying there, but it's not a market I expect many people to crack.

Yes, it *is* very selective. only 15% of the titles are fiction - the program is geared toward non-fic and journalism, 5k - 30k words. Of the 15% of the titles that are fiction, only one is fantasy, and I think it's a vampire thing.

Also, if you do get in, they don't become your publisher. They just promote you.

I see, thanks for explaining.
No great shame in getting rejected from there then!

I just checked up on my recent sub to Clarkesworld and noticed that my submission is entitled "Neil Clarke."

Head, meet desk.

I just checked up on my recent sub to Clarkesworld and noticed that my submission is entitled "Neil Clarke."

Head, meet desk.

Heh. Well, look on the bright side. You spelt his name right!

*Elinor slaps evil, mean alligator.*

I just checked up on my recent sub to Clarkesworld and noticed that my submission is entitled "Neil Clarke."

Head, meet desk.

On Facebook, Neil posted today that he's in the hospital from a heart attack suffered at a convention. So he may not notice your submission title.

I just checked up on my recent sub to Clarkesworld and noticed that my submission is entitled "Neil Clarke."

Head, meet desk.

On Facebook, Neil posted today that he's in the hospital from a heart attack suffered at a convention. So he may not notice your submission title.

That's some scary shite, sir.

Holy Toledo. Hope he's ok. Yikes.

Yikes indeed but if he posted it, that would seem to mean he is doing not too badly.

Back to my Rant.

All the markets I sent stories to are all getting back to me quicker than usual, even Analog took two weeks instead of two plus months. That can't be good. That's what's wrong with sending out a bunch of stories. Rs start coming in but as I said this time it's even quicker. Of course all are No. Not even my stories that have been critted by writers are doing good. Not even a note.

F&SF is two days late this week but that doesn't mean anything even I wish they would stop doing it. Over two days and I start hoping it might go further.

I'm going to totally recognize the ranty-ness of this thread - having exercised its power numerous times - but I wanted to pose a less discouraging view of receiving rejections quickly. I believe that with most slush stories, the editor doesn't need to think about the story before rejecting it. This isn't true of all stories, of course, but I think that (and this comes after some Duotropery) editors have crap that comes up, whether in life or pertaining to their job, and the slush pile doesn't move along at the same rate. There's just no accounting for the mad methods that editors employ to reject/accept.

Besides, I tend to focus less on how long it took to read (unless it's a place like Clakesworld or Lightspeed, then you KNOW that two weeks is unusual) and more on what level of rejection it got - 'what tier?' 'was it a personal rejection?'

You can slap me on the wrist for engaging in such time-wasting activities.

I just checked up on my recent sub to Clarkesworld and noticed that my submission is entitled "Neil Clarke."

Head, meet desk.

On Facebook, Neil posted today that he's in the hospital from a heart attack suffered at a convention. So he may not notice your submission title.

Ow! No way! I thought he was quite young too. Hope he gets better soon.

I'm going to totally recognize the ranty-ness of this thread - having exercised its power numerous times - but I wanted to pose a less discouraging view of receiving rejections quickly. I believe that with most slush stories, the editor doesn't need to think about the story before rejecting it. This isn't true of all stories, of course, but I think that (and this comes after some Duotropery) editors have crap that comes up, whether in life or pertaining to their job, and the slush pile doesn't move along at the same rate. There's just no accounting for the mad methods that editors employ to reject/accept.

Besides, I tend to focus less on how long it took to read (unless it's a place like Clakesworld or Lightspeed, then you KNOW that two weeks is unusual) and more on what level of rejection it got - 'what tier?' 'was it a personal rejection?'

You can slap me on the wrist for engaging in such time-wasting activities.

You have a point. But I don't get personal rejections--unless they always send one out like BCS--so all I can do is look for any sign that they at least read all of my story. That could be one reason why I notice a change in the rejection form like the last Analog one.

You forgot Fantasy and Science Fiction---just got my latest rejection from them. The envelope looked a bit mangled so in this case it could have gotten lost for a day.

I've never sent anything to Clarksworld. Well, maybe one thing a while back.

This contest wears me out some days. I'm not giving up, but it sure wears on a person.

That is all, please move along, nothing to see here...

This contest wears me out some days. I'm not giving up, but it sure wears on a person.

That is all, please move along, nothing to see here...

Tell me about it. Some days I just want to cry.

Need to have a Long Time Losers Lounge for us. I'm sure there are many with more consequitive entries than us but I'm sure feeling like an old timer.