Five Minute Rant

I would think there would be a few new posts here but so far only one.

Of course like the last one they may think five minutes is way too short.

This video seems so right for this thread...

http://youtu.be/7zwh18gVBck

I thought I'd come in and rant about my Q1 rejection. Going from Finalist to rejected is a long way to fall, but not without precedent.

But at this point I'm glad for the opportunity to re-sub. Could be my ego talking, but given some of DW's comments regarding what he rejects and why, "#7, There simply isn't a story. You would be surprised at how many pieces come in that are philosophical diatribes, or letters, or reminiscences. Those are rejected instantly."

The word instantly is what grabs my attention. Instantly? Really?

My love for the contest hasn't changed over these long months, but my urgency to submit has waned. I'd already decided to sub to Q4 then take a break, so my placement doesn't have anything to do with that decision. At my age, I'm pretty much done flying off the handle. Well, except when one of my cats starts to hurl on the couch. Then, watch me fly.

So in the end, getting a straight reject, with what might be a rules violation or an "instantly" rejection, is actually better than an HM because having not planned to sub to Q1 next year, I now can.

DW didn't read my story. Probably didn't get past the first page.

Good.

Thanks for the free quarter.

D

This video seems so right for this thread...

http://youtu.be/7zwh18gVBck

Perfect!

This video seems so right for this thread...

http://youtu.be/7zwh18gVBck

This one is one of my rare short works (3,750 words). It's a dual POV piece, told from the POV of the evil wizard overlord and that of the the brave young hero leading the army that storms his castle.

Oh, I guess it's really triple POV: one scene is told through the eyes of the evil wizard's cat.

Not even having read it, I detect the hand of Evil Martin...

I have a rant as well incidentally. My semi-finalist has been rejected by nearly every pro market now, and I wouldn't mind, but after my early glowing personal "send me more" rejections from Asimov's and Lightspeed, in addition to the WotF semi, it's been form rejected everywhere! So what's with that? It's not so much that I expected to sell it , I just would have expected a few more personals...
One thing I do know about Asimov's and Lightspeed and WotF: a top editor gets to read the slush in each case. Namely Sheila Williams; JJA and the late KDW. And at this point I shall say no more.

May I ask the Gator a question? In your submission cover letters, did you mention you let them know that you are a semi-finalist, or that the story was? Not sure if an HM is worth bragging in a cover letter, but a semi might be.
Preston Dennett
(HM x 2)

This one is one of my rare short works (3,750 words). It's a dual POV piece, told from the POV of the evil wizard overlord and that of the the brave young hero leading the army that storms his castle.

Oh, I guess it's really triple POV: one scene is told through the eyes of the evil wizard's cat.

Not even having read it, I detect the hand of Evil Martin...

I have a rant as well incidentally. My semi-finalist has been rejected by nearly every pro market now, and I wouldn't mind, but after my early glowing personal "send me more" rejections from Asimov's and Lightspeed, in addition to the WotF semi, it's been form rejected everywhere! So what's with that? It's not so much that I expected to sell it , I just would have expected a few more personals...
One thing I do know about Asimov's and Lightspeed and WotF: a top editor gets to read the slush in each case. Namely Sheila Williams; JJA and the late KDW. And at this point I shall say no more.

May I ask the Gator a question? In your submission cover letters, did you mention you let them know that you are a semi-finalist, or that the story was? Not sure if an HM is worth bragging in a cover letter, but a semi might be.
Preston Dennett
(HM x 2)

I've been saying: "I have one Semi-Finalist place and two Honorable Mentions from the most recent quarters of the Writers of the Future Contest." Following my Q1 form rejection though I've dropped "the most recent quarters."
I'm not convinced any of it helps, maybe I'll stop sending even that. Better to go in with a blank sheet perhaps.

Anyway, must hit "submit" before the electricity goes off again, it's been going on and off all morning like the Eddystone lighthouse.

A couple of years agao in a party at Loscon I was speaking with an agent from an fairly well known agency that reps SF and Fantasy writers. I was just being social and I mentioned that I had 2 semis and 2 HM from writers fon the future and her response was quate 'Why aren't you sellin?"
So I have always incldued them in my query letter and I would advise others to do so.

That's an interesting idea! I mentioned it with my story that was a semi-finalist, but it seemed to do nothing (and thinking on it more, that's kind of like saying "This story is flawed--would you like it?").

However, including that as general information... It's certainly better than the current "I have been published in several vanishingly small online magazines, some of which embarrass me with their continued existence."

That may have been more of him saying that your stories were obviously of a certain quality, so you should be able to sell them rather than him saying you should include that in the query letter. I think Sheila Williams has said that she would rather have nothing on the query letter and just let the story speak for itself.

Yeah, putting 'triple finalist' on things doesn't seem to help any, so...

Indeed. With my latest submission I've said nothing at all. No mention of Wotf, no mention of previous publishing work, nothing, nada, zilch. <img src="

In the end, it's the story that matters. Qualifications only make the slush reader pay attention just "slightly more". In my experience, anyway.

In the end, it's the story that matters. Qualifications only make the slush reader pay attention just "slightly more". In my experience, anyway.

That's true about the story but I've heard that certain editors will look at writers with credits more closely than those without. In other words its rare when they buy a story from a writer without credits.

Oh I may be ranting here in a week or three. I recently sent out ten stories and if I get to it I have another five to go out. Some of those take barely anytime at all to respond.

Not to mention a letter to the editor to my local paper I sent today.

Surprised mine is still the last one. With those of us here dropping like fur from a dog on a hot day I expected more.

But Mine is about my latest from F&SF.

That story had all types of help with the writing, even expert help--it has to be one of my better written stories but not even a "couldn't keep my interest".

But than again basically it is still my writing.

Got one from Stanley Schmidt too--that one scared me for a second until I saw it wasn't from Joni--but I expected it more. Even though for him it was way fast and not as blunt sounding as some of his have been. Most have redone his rejection E-mails.

No Martin here? Hmmm. How strange. And no Q2 form rejectees? (Well, apart from me.) Don't let it beat you guys! Let it all out. Like this.

Raaaawwwwwwwrrrrrrrrr!!!!
Raaaawwwwwwwrrrrrrrrr!!!!

Raaaawwwwwwwrrrrrrrrr!!!!

STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

Don't rant for me, Argentinaaaaaaa...

I will have a decidedly non-rant on the Q1 thread; but I want to give the winners their day in the sun before I unveil my Evil Plan. Plus I want to make sure Brad's OK with it. (Talk about building suspense in a short story!)

In the meantime... Any suggestions for a market for a 17,000 word Haitian Vodoun zombie story? I have it on good authority that it's a decent story...

No Martin here? Hmmm. How strange. And no Q2 form rejectees? (Well, apart from me.) Don't let it beat you guys! Let it all out. Like this.

Raaaawwwwwwwrrrrrrrrr!!!!
Raaaawwwwwwwrrrrrrrrr!!!!

Raaaawwwwwwwrrrrrrrrr!!!!

STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

Now that is a proper rant.

And thank you, Elinor. I've been waiting all day for a chance to use that Argentina line.

Haitian Vodoun zombie story?

Ah! So that's the mystery slightly-used-good-as-new-premise!

Haitian Vodoun zombie story?

Ah! So that's the mystery slightly-used-good-as-new-premise!

Bonus points for a great memory for cryptic comments!

Haitian Vodoun zombie story?

Ah! So that's the mystery slightly-used-good-as-new-premise!

Bonus points for a great memory for cryptic comments!

I am an expert Rejectomancer! (And no, this has not helped me win or finish my Q4 entry.)

Don't rant for me, Argentinaaaaaaa...

I will have a decidedly non-rant on the Q1 thread; but I want to give the winners their day in the sun before I unveil my Evil Plan. Plus I want to make sure Brad's OK with it. (Talk about building suspense in a short story!)

In the meantime... Any suggestions for a market for a 17,000 word Haitian Vodoun zombie story? I have it on good authority that it's a decent story...

An evil plan... Now I like the sound of that! *Gator rubs her claws together*

As for your story, that's a tricky one. As you know I don't write fantasy very often either and I'm not very familiar with the markets. I'm having enough trouble trying to figure out where to send my little funny horror stories. I know Penumbra laugh at them, but I'm also pretty sure they only laugh at short ones. You'll have to Duotrope, though I expect you can send it to IGMS and F&SF (if it's not too long for the latter, not sure what their upper limit is.) Same with Beneath Ceaseless Skies. From the title it sounds horror to me, so look at places like ChiZine too I guess.

F&SF already gave it a personal rejection. It's too long for every place else on Duotrope except IGMS, Tor.com, and Universe Annex. So it's one of those, or self pub.

F&SF already gave it a personal rejection. It's too long for every place else on Duotrope except IGMS, Tor.com, and Universe Annex. So it's one of those, or self pub.

That's the problem with writing long. Now that we have a new judge, and things aren't looking promising for me here, I've revised my previous plan to write something longer. At least it's no longer a priority for me.

I'm so incredibly mad at myself!! ERG. I was up last night past midnight trying to formulate a blog post and also sending out my Q2/3 stories (I know, I know....what a problem to have *sigh*). I misspelled the magazines name on my cover letter in one of them.

I MISSPELLED THE MAGAZINE'S NAME!!

I forgot a "c" in Intergalactic. I was staring at the damn thing typing it onto the cover letter and I rechecked it twice...found all the naughty and nice. I hit send all happy with myself and take a look to see the misspelling.

do you think they'll notice?

I feel like a cheerleader who spilled water on her uniform before the big game. MY WORLD IS OVER!

Also Martin, what genre is your story? Is it loosely science fiction? Can you give Asimov's a try? Otherwise I say IGMS, Universe Annex, and self-pub.

F&SF already gave it a personal rejection. It's too long for every place else on Duotrope except IGMS, Tor.com, and Universe Annex. So it's one of those, or self pub.

I was going to suggest Subterranean Press Magazine (because I think it'd be a good fit), but they don't seem to accept unsolicited submissions and I have no idea what their wordcount limits are.

I'm so incredibly mad at myself!! ERG. I was up last night past midnight trying to formulate a blog post and also sending out my Q2/3 stories (I know, I know....what a problem to have *sigh*). I misspelled the magazines name on my cover letter in one of them.

I MISSPELLED THE MAGAZINE'S NAME!!

I forgot a "c" in Intergalactic. I was staring at the damn thing typing it onto the cover letter and I rechecked it twice...found all the naughty and nice. I hit send all happy with myself and take a look to see the misspelling.

do you think they'll notice?

I feel like a cheerleader who spilled water on her uniform before the big game. MY WORLD IS OVER!

Also Martin, what genre is your story? Is it loosely science fiction? Can you give Asimov's a try? Otherwise I say IGMS, Universe Annex, and self-pub.

Asimov's guidelines say "Borderline fantasy is okay, but no sword and sorcery." The fact that I have that line memorized should tell you how hard I've been trying to convince myself that a Vodoun story is only "borderline". Asimov's was the first magazine I ever subscribed to, so I have a nostalgic desire to sell there. But no matter how hard I try, I can't see this story as SF. Fantasy or horror, maybe, but not SF.

I'm so incredibly mad at myself!! ERG. I was up last night past midnight trying to formulate a blog post and also sending out my Q2/3 stories (I know, I know....what a problem to have *sigh*). I misspelled the magazines name on my cover letter in one of them.

I MISSPELLED THE MAGAZINE'S NAME!!

I forgot a "c" in Intergalactic. I was staring at the damn thing typing it onto the cover letter and I rechecked it twice...found all the naughty and nice. I hit send all happy with myself and take a look to see the misspelling.

do you think they'll notice?

I feel like a cheerleader who spilled water on her uniform before the big game. MY WORLD IS OVER!

Also Martin, what genre is your story? Is it loosely science fiction? Can you give Asimov's a try? Otherwise I say IGMS, Universe Annex, and self-pub.

Asimov's guidelines say "Borderline fantasy is okay, but no sword and sorcery." The fact that I have that line memorized should tell you how hard I've been trying to convince myself that a Vodoun story is only "borderline". Asimov's was the first magazine I ever subscribed to, so I have a nostalgic desire to sell there. But no matter how hard I try, I can't see this story as SF. Fantasy or horror, maybe, but not SF.

I have had no luck with my Voodoo first date story from the Character Voices workshop. I'm going to try a few more places and then I'm gonna say eff it and publish it.