Right here, knitting! And crocheting. A couple of weeks ago some friends had a baby and I crocheted him a sweater. My older son saw this and was very upset that the sweater wasn't for him, so I crocheted him one too and am now knitting one for my younger son, just to be fair. I knit and crochet the same way I write, which is to say I've unravelled the pieces multiple times to start again once I find a flaw or a better way to do the final piece. I'll even unravel the sweater I made for my first son and redo it as knit - because I'm getting very into no-seam raglan sweaters and figuring out how to put designs on them. It's right brain exercise :-)
Things have been exciting around here, though. I'm also in the process of getting ready to sell my book jewelry on Amazon. They approved my application! I'll take a couple of months to get everything all set up the way I want, but in the meantime, the jewelry is for sale at www.bookjewelry.artfire.com - and closer to Christmas shopping time I'll hold a sale through Artfire, as one last hurrah before we move onto Amazon.
That, and I've been reading a book I am about to resort to the nuclear option on. I will not finish it. That's really saying something because I read a lot, of all sorts of quality. I spent ten years in Critical Mass reading rough drafts of books - though I have to admit most of those were better than my final drafts. Unfortunately, I put this book down about a week ago and haven't had the slightest impulse to pick it up again and find out what happens. Oh well.
And I got a rejection letter the other day. I won't bother to list whom I'm getting them from anymore, but this was on a novella. Those are not easy to sell because they're long and I'm not enough of a name to pull readers into a magazine just because I've got 12k words in it, so this one might get me a stack of rejection letters. We'll see, though. Once I get new toner for the printer I'll send it out again.
Now back to this sweater. I've been watching Youtube videos to learn tricks to speed up my knitting speed, switched my technique from American to Continental and... yes, I'm just babbling now, aren't I? ;-)
Showing posts with label reject-o-meter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reject-o-meter. Show all posts
Monday, October 24, 2011
Friday, November 5, 2010
Was going to blog about another rejection, but guess what???
I did get another rejection, this one from The Leading Edge. The great thing about this market is that they provide at least two sets of comments from two different readers when they send a rejection. My sets of comments were actually pretty positive, positive enough that I don't feel inclined to make any drastic changes to the story. It, ultimately, just isn't the kind of thing they publish as it's for too young an audience.
So I was all set to work up some blog post about finding your voice and deciding whether a story is broken, or just not right for the market you sent it to and I'm sure I had some other deep and insightful thoughts (well, no I'm not, but I can dream, right?)
Anyway, I didn't get around to making such post before yesterday, and yesterday, when I got home for jewelry class, I had an email from Analog with a contract for another story. Analog is a big deal market for a science fiction writer. It's one of the premier magazines in speculative fiction, and arguably the premier magazine for hard science fiction. For me, who writes everything from science fiction to fantasy to romance, this was quite a stretch, especially given the only hard science fiction I write is for young adults and middle grade readers (tweens and teens), while Analog is, for the most part, for an adult audience.
And FINALLY, I have my three pro sales for SFWA, the speculative fiction writing guild! It only took ten years, lol (yeah, that is a really, really long time.) Even though I've sold more than three stories to pro markets recognized by SFWA, several were too long for me to earn enough per word to meet their criteria. My novel, SFWA wasn't sure about (only one novel sale is required for membership) given it was romance and to a small press. The last president actually had me email him personally with all my data, and then he went on vacation before he had a chance to decide whether I was eligible, and I never heard. I didn't bother to pursue it, though, because I'd much rather have three sales that clearly qualify rather than try to get in on a technicality.
I don't think I'm the very last person from my Clarion West class to qualify for SFWA, but I'm close. I was the last one to get published, but hey, we all got there in the end.
So I was all set to work up some blog post about finding your voice and deciding whether a story is broken, or just not right for the market you sent it to and I'm sure I had some other deep and insightful thoughts (well, no I'm not, but I can dream, right?)
Anyway, I didn't get around to making such post before yesterday, and yesterday, when I got home for jewelry class, I had an email from Analog with a contract for another story. Analog is a big deal market for a science fiction writer. It's one of the premier magazines in speculative fiction, and arguably the premier magazine for hard science fiction. For me, who writes everything from science fiction to fantasy to romance, this was quite a stretch, especially given the only hard science fiction I write is for young adults and middle grade readers (tweens and teens), while Analog is, for the most part, for an adult audience.
And FINALLY, I have my three pro sales for SFWA, the speculative fiction writing guild! It only took ten years, lol (yeah, that is a really, really long time.) Even though I've sold more than three stories to pro markets recognized by SFWA, several were too long for me to earn enough per word to meet their criteria. My novel, SFWA wasn't sure about (only one novel sale is required for membership) given it was romance and to a small press. The last president actually had me email him personally with all my data, and then he went on vacation before he had a chance to decide whether I was eligible, and I never heard. I didn't bother to pursue it, though, because I'd much rather have three sales that clearly qualify rather than try to get in on a technicality.
I don't think I'm the very last person from my Clarion West class to qualify for SFWA, but I'm close. I was the last one to get published, but hey, we all got there in the end.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Still more rejections, but I feel loved
A couple of rejections from agents for both novels I have out have trickled in, but that's the way that process goes. Meanwhile, I told Deseret Book/Shadow Mountain what books I have in my trunk. Given this is me, and I've been at this for a while, I've got quite a few, but the ones that are worth looking at, in my opinion, are the women's fiction/contemporary romance that I've got out to agents and a middle grade, hard science fiction novel. Not exactly a normal mix to come from one author.
They asked for both of them.
I feel loved. This is not a typical response, especially not with two books so entirely different in genre and target audience. I sent the romance to them and will take a couple of weeks to revise my science fiction, then send it as well. When I told some friends about possibly sending the romance to them, a common reaction was to say, "But wait! Don't you want to go for a bigger publisher? Don't you want an agent?" These are what we writers call the problems you dream of having. If you're really worried that the publisher who wants to publish your book might not promote it as well as another, well, you're still way better off than someone with no publishers interested.
Should this actually become an issue, here's how I'd deal with it: 1) I'd get in touch with agents who've given me personal responses and ask if they'd be willing to either represent this project, or at least give me some advice on how to proceed. 2) I'd do my market research into the national romance market and see if I should have any "concerns". If so, I explain them using numbers and market data to Deseret Book. As long as you're talking business and not being an emotional diva, the publisher should respond in an equally businesslike manner. I.e. say things like: "I notice most romance sales are through x distribution channel, whereas most of your sales are through y. What would be your marketing strategy for this?" Not "This book is the best thing ever written and I fully expect a seven figure advance. You'll earn it back when I hit the New York Times Bestseller list the day the book hits stores." If they don't respond to your businesslike questions in a businesslike manner, run, do not walk, away. Publishing is, in the end of the day, a business, and if the publisher isn't run like a business, then you are wasting your time. Both you and your publisher should have the same end goal in mind, selling as many books as possible and keeping the book in print as long as possible. That and forming a relationship based on trust and mutual respect that ideally leads to more books coming out from said publisher.
This is why agents are so important, because it is much better to have someone else hash out the contract details and business matters without it souring your relationship with your editor. But absent an agent, turn to other writers (offer is open to anyone reading this - I have seen quite a few publishing contracts and can put you in touch with more successful writers who know them even better) and, if that fails, an attorney who does entertainment law. Authors have been able to see success without an agent. Last I knew, L.E. Modesitt did not have one. However, having one is definitely the norm. It is still my primary goal, but if editors would like to review my manuscripts in the meantime, I will definitely take advantage of the opportunity.
They asked for both of them.
I feel loved. This is not a typical response, especially not with two books so entirely different in genre and target audience. I sent the romance to them and will take a couple of weeks to revise my science fiction, then send it as well. When I told some friends about possibly sending the romance to them, a common reaction was to say, "But wait! Don't you want to go for a bigger publisher? Don't you want an agent?" These are what we writers call the problems you dream of having. If you're really worried that the publisher who wants to publish your book might not promote it as well as another, well, you're still way better off than someone with no publishers interested.
Should this actually become an issue, here's how I'd deal with it: 1) I'd get in touch with agents who've given me personal responses and ask if they'd be willing to either represent this project, or at least give me some advice on how to proceed. 2) I'd do my market research into the national romance market and see if I should have any "concerns". If so, I explain them using numbers and market data to Deseret Book. As long as you're talking business and not being an emotional diva, the publisher should respond in an equally businesslike manner. I.e. say things like: "I notice most romance sales are through x distribution channel, whereas most of your sales are through y. What would be your marketing strategy for this?" Not "This book is the best thing ever written and I fully expect a seven figure advance. You'll earn it back when I hit the New York Times Bestseller list the day the book hits stores." If they don't respond to your businesslike questions in a businesslike manner, run, do not walk, away. Publishing is, in the end of the day, a business, and if the publisher isn't run like a business, then you are wasting your time. Both you and your publisher should have the same end goal in mind, selling as many books as possible and keeping the book in print as long as possible. That and forming a relationship based on trust and mutual respect that ideally leads to more books coming out from said publisher.
This is why agents are so important, because it is much better to have someone else hash out the contract details and business matters without it souring your relationship with your editor. But absent an agent, turn to other writers (offer is open to anyone reading this - I have seen quite a few publishing contracts and can put you in touch with more successful writers who know them even better) and, if that fails, an attorney who does entertainment law. Authors have been able to see success without an agent. Last I knew, L.E. Modesitt did not have one. However, having one is definitely the norm. It is still my primary goal, but if editors would like to review my manuscripts in the meantime, I will definitely take advantage of the opportunity.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
More rejections
But all in all a good day. Deseret Book/Shadow Mountain rejected my YA fantasy with a very kind, personal note in which the editor said that they, personally, really enjoyed the book. This rejection came after only a month, when the previous manuscript they looked at took a year (quite typical in the publishing industry if you have no agent). I sent an email back to see if anything else I have in my trunk might be a good match for them, and we'll see.
I also got another personalized rejection from an agent for my contemporary romance/women's fiction. To be honest, I was a little surprised to get any response as it was an email query and I suspect most of those will not net replies. Agents receive 300 or more queries a week, and one way to get through those while also representing their clients is to not bother with responses. But I did get a response and it was typed by the agent herself. Now, one agent I spoke to warned me that she doesn't know of any editors looking for this kind of project, so I am expecting a slew of rejections here. Having said that, I have received only one form rejection and two personalized ones so far. That is very, very positive.
It's interesting when I show people my submissions/rejection list. Quite a few non-writers get indignant and think that the industry is "not fair". Well, the problem is, it's brutally fair. Agents need to sell books to make a living, and editors need to buy books that they can sell at a profit. The average book sells 3,300 copies. People are working on very narrow margins and can't afford to be charitable, even if they love a book.
So rather than be shocked at how hard this is, may I encourage you to head to your local bookstore and buy some books?
I also got another personalized rejection from an agent for my contemporary romance/women's fiction. To be honest, I was a little surprised to get any response as it was an email query and I suspect most of those will not net replies. Agents receive 300 or more queries a week, and one way to get through those while also representing their clients is to not bother with responses. But I did get a response and it was typed by the agent herself. Now, one agent I spoke to warned me that she doesn't know of any editors looking for this kind of project, so I am expecting a slew of rejections here. Having said that, I have received only one form rejection and two personalized ones so far. That is very, very positive.
It's interesting when I show people my submissions/rejection list. Quite a few non-writers get indignant and think that the industry is "not fair". Well, the problem is, it's brutally fair. Agents need to sell books to make a living, and editors need to buy books that they can sell at a profit. The average book sells 3,300 copies. People are working on very narrow margins and can't afford to be charitable, even if they love a book.
So rather than be shocked at how hard this is, may I encourage you to head to your local bookstore and buy some books?
Monday, September 13, 2010
Home, briefly
We just got back from Scotland, Saturday night, and fly out to Spain tomorrow. This'll be our last chance to fly with just the three of us. In a few months, there will be four!
While I was out, the rejection letters piled up in my email. Actually, I only got two. One was for my novel from Deseret Book, the other was the reply to a query from an agent (one collects a lot of those, quite often). Now I need to decide whether I keep subbing to the LDS market, or retune the novel for the national market. I am leaning towards the latter, as the LDS market is quite small and the publishing practices well out of sync with the national market. Many publishers seem used to dealing with starry eyed newbies who are so excited to get published they'll sign any contract, and while I don't have an enormous list of publishing credits, I've been at this long enough that I just don't fall into that category. And I've seen enough good publishing contracts to not have much time for bad ones.
But now I need to also prepare my chick lit novel for agent subs. My trunk of novels is getting rather full here, due to the fact that I despise writing query letters. It's an art in and of itself, and I don't feel all that good at it, so it's always a letdown after I've written a novel to have to work on selling it. At times like this, it's healthy to tell yourself all of the reasons why it might not sell, but that's depressing too!
This time around, I'm taking several weeks to work just on the query letter, and Trevor will be helping me out. We took a good long look at my writing and decided that this is the main roadblock I need to clear, right now. I could just wait for lightning to strike and an agent to pick me up with a so-so query letter, but that's not the smart way to proceed.
So, here we go...
While I was out, the rejection letters piled up in my email. Actually, I only got two. One was for my novel from Deseret Book, the other was the reply to a query from an agent (one collects a lot of those, quite often). Now I need to decide whether I keep subbing to the LDS market, or retune the novel for the national market. I am leaning towards the latter, as the LDS market is quite small and the publishing practices well out of sync with the national market. Many publishers seem used to dealing with starry eyed newbies who are so excited to get published they'll sign any contract, and while I don't have an enormous list of publishing credits, I've been at this long enough that I just don't fall into that category. And I've seen enough good publishing contracts to not have much time for bad ones.
But now I need to also prepare my chick lit novel for agent subs. My trunk of novels is getting rather full here, due to the fact that I despise writing query letters. It's an art in and of itself, and I don't feel all that good at it, so it's always a letdown after I've written a novel to have to work on selling it. At times like this, it's healthy to tell yourself all of the reasons why it might not sell, but that's depressing too!
This time around, I'm taking several weeks to work just on the query letter, and Trevor will be helping me out. We took a good long look at my writing and decided that this is the main roadblock I need to clear, right now. I could just wait for lightning to strike and an agent to pick me up with a so-so query letter, but that's not the smart way to proceed.
So, here we go...
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The Leading Edge
Okay, I lied. Actually, I just need to get my files back in order. I had another story out to The Leading Edge, that I just got the rejection for. The thing about this market, though, is they send back critiques with their rejections, and those are incredibly useful and helpful. This was also one of the nicest rejections I've ever gotten, and after eight years at this, that's saying something. I've had so many editors take the time to handwrite notes to me encouraging me to keep at my writing.
This letter was all handwritten - which has often been the case from Leading Edge - and very encouraging, almost apologetic for rejecting the story. So, needless to say, I'll be subbing to them again very soon. As soon as I get my submission to that agent together - this tail-end part of the novel editing process is killer. It just takes so much longer than it feels like it should. I need to go make sure the chapter breaks are right, and the chapter numbers, and then I need to prepare the submission package which requires doing a synopsis of the whole novel and then I need to get to the post office, etc. etc. I aim to have it out this week, but this'll be a hectic week, so realistically, it'll go out next week.
This letter was all handwritten - which has often been the case from Leading Edge - and very encouraging, almost apologetic for rejecting the story. So, needless to say, I'll be subbing to them again very soon. As soon as I get my submission to that agent together - this tail-end part of the novel editing process is killer. It just takes so much longer than it feels like it should. I need to go make sure the chapter breaks are right, and the chapter numbers, and then I need to prepare the submission package which requires doing a synopsis of the whole novel and then I need to get to the post office, etc. etc. I aim to have it out this week, but this'll be a hectic week, so realistically, it'll go out next week.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Escape Pod
I haven't kept up with posting my rejections, but here I'll try to get back on the wagon. Escape Pod - which is a great podcast market - sent a rejection a few days ago. This marks the last of my stories that was out in circulation coming back. I've been so tired during my pregnancy that I've let them all come back without sending them out again. It'll be a little while before I get back the energy to get them all in the mail, but that's all right.
Had another doctor's appointment today. Today was also my initial due date. My first OBGYN kept shifting the due date around, then this one that I'm seeing went back to my original records and set the due date for next Wednesday. The doctor asked if I wanted to be induced or if I was still doing okay. I feel my body being stretched to its limits; I now have a hard time lying down for more than a couple of hours and my ribs ache all the time, but that, I gather, is how it goes. I am going to wait until the due date to decide whether to keep waiting or not.
Had another doctor's appointment today. Today was also my initial due date. My first OBGYN kept shifting the due date around, then this one that I'm seeing went back to my original records and set the due date for next Wednesday. The doctor asked if I wanted to be induced or if I was still doing okay. I feel my body being stretched to its limits; I now have a hard time lying down for more than a couple of hours and my ribs ache all the time, but that, I gather, is how it goes. I am going to wait until the due date to decide whether to keep waiting or not.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Talebones
I first met Patrick Swenson, the editor of Talebones, when I was at Clarion West. He himself is a graduate from another year. Over the years he's given me a lot of supportive rejection letters, which I'm always grateful for. Editors rarely have the time to jot personal notes, but he nearly always does to me, and this last time was no exception.
hismarket is truly wonderful. Patrick's got a good eye for quirky stories that get overlooked by the other mags, and among my writer friends, Talebones is known as a place to send the stories you love but just cannot sell.
hismarket is truly wonderful. Patrick's got a good eye for quirky stories that get overlooked by the other mags, and among my writer friends, Talebones is known as a place to send the stories you love but just cannot sell.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Beneath Ceaseless Skies and Lone Star Stories
Beneath Ceaseless Skies is a new pro market that just started up, and I know they've got excellent taste because they just bought something from Stephanie Burgis, my Clarion West classmate. My story wasn't up to snuff for them, but they were kind enough to give me a personalized rejection.
Lone Star Stories is a rather impressive market with an editor who'll reply within a matter of days, if not hours. That's one dedicated editor!
Lone Star Stories is a rather impressive market with an editor who'll reply within a matter of days, if not hours. That's one dedicated editor!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Weird Tales and Leading Edge
Not really a rejection entry. Weird Tales did reject a story of mine; this one originally got lost in the mail and Ann VanderMeer got me a very quick reply to my query checking up on this. So I resubbed the story and just heard back.
Meanwhile Leading Edge has invited me to have an editorial review. This isn't an offer to publish, but an opportunity to do a rewrite pursuant to their editors' recommendations, with the possibility of selling if they like a rewrite. Here's to hoping my rewriting skills are up to the task!
Meanwhile Leading Edge has invited me to have an editorial review. This isn't an offer to publish, but an opportunity to do a rewrite pursuant to their editors' recommendations, with the possibility of selling if they like a rewrite. Here's to hoping my rewriting skills are up to the task!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Futurismic
Okay, getting behind again, but got a rejection from Futurismic last week. They are a great market that I highly recommend reading. Must find the next place to sub this story of mine.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Red Hen Press
Got a rejection this week from Red Hen Press. It's been an extraordinarily slow time for rejections. I'm used to getting them every week, but for the past few months it's been one or two every six weeks. Part of this is because I no longer use a submissions service. Part of it is because I've gotten a rewrite request and a sale. Part of it is because the short fiction markets are moving very slowly at the moment. And then part of it is because I really need to get more short stories out there!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The Leading Edge
Rejection today from The Leading Edge. This is a market I can't say enough good things about, given my experiences. They're rejection came with detailed critiques by two editors, and they offered to do an editorial review of the story, with an option to purchase it. When I told them that another market had asked to see the story, The Leading Edge held onto their copy of it for a month, in case the other market rejected it. I'm definitely going to keep subbing to this mag.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Abyss and Apex, The Pedestal Magazine, and Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show
No, I didn't get these all today. They trickled in over the last week, while I've been sleeping off whatever's been in my system. (My guess, a mild case of the flu.) Got rejections from Abyss and Apex, The Pedestal Magazine, and OSC's IGMS. One of those stories is back out at another market, and the other two will soon join it. Gotta keep my trunk circulating.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine
Rejection today from ASIM. Not a huge suprise, as the story is very American in bent, but I thought it worth a try. They're a great market. The editors were very helpful and easy to work with when the .rtf file came through corrupted. They kept track of my submission when I re-emailed it from a different address with no trouble.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Clarkesworld
Got a rejection today from Clarkesworld Magazine, personalized with lots of specific feedback. These are the best kinds of rejections, imo, because they're useful, and they also show that the editor read and thought about the piece. Nowadays, they can rarely afford to do that.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Rejections from The Greensboro Review and Bat City Review
It's been a slow time for rejections. Got two today, one from The Greensboro Review and one from Bat City Review.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Nimrod International
Rejection today from Nimrod International Journal of Prose & Poetry. I usually just sub to genre markets, but some of these submissions were done by Writer's Relief. They got my work circulating to all kinds of journals and other literary publications and got me some great contacts.
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