tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post1089996184940191851..comments2024-03-28T05:59:52.454-07:00Comments on TalkToYoUniverse: Nice rejections count - for a lotJuliette Wadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-23195970258609805892011-10-10T07:11:54.680-07:002011-10-10T07:11:54.680-07:00Jenny, requests for resubmission are even one step...Jenny, requests for resubmission are even one step better than nice rejections! (Though in my experience it can sometimes be difficult to determine whether you've received one or the other.) Thanks for sharing your experience, and good luck with the resubmit!Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-61024543158971925802011-10-10T06:35:42.547-07:002011-10-10T06:35:42.547-07:00Juliette, you hit the nail on the head. Cliche...Juliette, you hit the nail on the head. Cliche', I know, but you did.<br /><br />I recently got a 'request for resubmission' from a publisher. I don't like to think of these as rejections because they would have said, 'No, absolutely not', if it was rejected. Instead, I got pages upon pages of information, red-lines, suggestions and ideas on how to improve. At the end, there was a request to re-submit if I decided to take them up on their suggestions.<br /><br />I, of course, said yes, and am in the middle of the biggest edit I've done on my novel. This was a goldmine of information and I cherish every word, every strike-through, every idea, every suggestion. Authors can't buy this sort of information and I am very, very lucky to have received such interest.<br /><br />It has brought out the best in me and my writing. The editor was amazing and I hope they like my edited story so much that they'll want to publish. Whether they do or not, I learned a lot and consider it an honor that I got the feedback I did.Jennyhttp://jennykellerford.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-13680542949587788652011-10-08T00:27:08.525-07:002011-10-08T00:27:08.525-07:00Chiming in late, but I agree nice rejects are impo...Chiming in late, but I agree nice rejects are important. They give you a sense that you're getting somewhere, and when the comment clicks, a revision may be in order.Margaret M. Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00537558539259791284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-86077175050944881192011-10-07T06:20:49.133-07:002011-10-07T06:20:49.133-07:00Thanks for commenting, Jamie! What an interesting ...Thanks for commenting, Jamie! What an interesting story about Stan - congratulations again on your story at Analog. And thanks for the tip about Edmund Schubert, as I hope to "see" his desk before long.Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-33261458536167038792011-10-07T05:17:23.524-07:002011-10-07T05:17:23.524-07:00I think Juliette is spot on with this post. I am a...I think Juliette is spot on with this post. I am always trying to learn how to improve and I trust that editors know what they are talking about. My experience is that following their advice works. After years of form letter rejections from Analog, I sent them a story in 2008 and got a page-long rejection from Stan, telling me he liked me writing and explaining what was wrong with the story I'd sent him. I took that to heart, wrote another story trying to avoid those mistakes, and sent it to him. He sent it back with another page-long letter, this time with some different advice. So I wrote a third story trying to incorporate what I learned, and I sent him another story. That story was "Take One For the Road" and Stan bought it. It appeared in the June 2011 issue.<br /><br />I've had similar experience with other editors, most notably Edmund Schubert at InterGalactic Medicine Show. Getting this kind of feedback, in my mind, is invaluable.Jamie Todd Rubinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07366011989002014748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-42542066129637915572011-10-06T16:30:26.029-07:002011-10-06T16:30:26.029-07:00I agree, Calvin. I often find myself saying, "...I agree, Calvin. I often find myself saying, "That's an excellent point!" and it's then that I go back and start rewriting.Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-14102536493462349202011-10-06T16:25:01.307-07:002011-10-06T16:25:01.307-07:00Like you I value substantive comments from editors...Like you I value substantive comments from editors. In most cases where I've had rewrite requests I've been willing to; even though I like to think myself a brilliant writer who needs no editing, the reality for me is different: if the story isn't working it isn't working. Furthermore, in most cases I can see the editor has an excellent point.Calvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10558762473911106563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-74280785112904864332011-10-06T09:27:27.030-07:002011-10-06T09:27:27.030-07:00*laughs* I should do a doctorate in short story su...*laughs* I should do a doctorate in short story submissions. I've put in my three years. Now I just need to find my supervisor.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-52385253603611113522011-10-06T09:21:43.218-07:002011-10-06T09:21:43.218-07:00Indeed, that is another possibility. Selling to a ...Indeed, that is another possibility. Selling to a pro market is more than just being "good enough," it's also about appealing to the individual who happens to be the editor! Sometimes I compare it to looking for a Ph.D. advisor. :)Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-82635689193128546942011-10-06T09:17:46.325-07:002011-10-06T09:17:46.325-07:00That would be great, Juliette. Of course, like you...That would be great, Juliette. Of course, like you I'm sure, I've had the experience of receiving editorial comments, and then gone on to sell the story to another (pro) market without change. Editorial taste is variable. <br /><br />I think the venue counts for a lot. If the comments came from a very experienced editor from one of my dream markets I would be inclined to pay them more mind.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-50507342497319522472011-10-06T09:07:08.506-07:002011-10-06T09:07:08.506-07:00Deborah, thanks for the comment! Heinlein Rules is...Deborah, thanks for the comment! Heinlein Rules is up to you, but if I'd taken that route I would not be published now, which is why I'm an advocate for rewriting. Mind you, I would say that you should only rewrite when a comment speaks to you and to your goal for the story. Maybe it's time for me to do another post on how I plan rewrites based on critiques - but suffice it to say for now that I don't just take advice at face value.Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-25600432942797611442011-10-06T09:04:39.303-07:002011-10-06T09:04:39.303-07:00Hi, Juliette, I love nice rejections, too. And I a...Hi, Juliette, I love nice rejections, too. And I agree that the close but no cigar-types are great, but very frustrating. <br /><br />Where we differ is the rewriting, I'm a Heinlein Rules kinda woman.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.com