ARGH.


Received from Black Gate in the mail yesterday. Handwritten and signed by John O’Neill the Editor:

” . . . Almost! This is a terrific tale – fast moving, surprising, and fun, and with great characters. However . . . ”

Fuck fuck fuckity fuck fuck!

Dammit. It’s the near misses that really get to me. He did ask to see more from me, though.

Sigh. Oh well. Out it goes again today.

In other news, I should go to yoga today, but I’m feeling too unmotivated (read grumpy) to get myself going. Think I’ll read for a bit, sulk, and try to write. Not necessarily in that order.

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8 Responses to ARGH.

  1. Have fun doing your yoga anyway….

    Guess, I started “bodybuilding” again myself. Not a yoga, but at least, I’m trying to keep in shape.

  2. oracne says:

    Maybe you can sulk and write at the same time–you know, torture some poor helpless character.

    Bummer than the rejection took so bloody long.

  3. jenwrites says:

    Gah! Still, you received a personal rejection letter with concrete feedback in it. In a sick way, that’s a sign that you’re getting quite good. Do you think that if you addressed the “howevers” that he might like to see it again?

    • Eugie Foster says:

      Do you think that if you addressed the “howevers” that he might like to see it again?

      Nah. Re-write requests go: “If you change this, we’d like to take a look at it again” not “please try us again with something else.”

      It’s my understanding that editors don’t welcome unsolicited re-writes, as they’ve already got a mountain of slush to wade through without looking over stories they’ve already said “no” to.

      *sigh*

      • jenwrites says:

        Oh, I know what a rewrite request looks like. My first sale involved one. I’ve just had people tell me that when they’ve gotten rejection letters like yours, they’ve revised and tried that market again, sometimes with success. I was just curious if yours looked like it was worth trying again.

        • Eugie Foster says:

          I dunno. The problems John O’Neill had with it were vague and I’d have a hard time addressing them. I’m inclined to say that it wouldn’t be worth the re-write for the long odds.

          Plus, this was only the first market I sent this story to. There’s still plenty of rounds to go before I start seriously considering an overhaul.

          I’m also very skittish about doing anything that might have any possibility of annoying an editor . . .

  4. amokk says:

    You’re so far ahead of me in the writing game, I’m so jealous.

    Then again, I have only myself to blame for my slackeracity.

    I should write, I have writing class assignments from a month ago I need to write. Ah well.

    But yah, handwritten and signed rejection letter=good, in an odd way. The only thing about that is hand written acceptance, right? 😉

  5. reudaly says:

    I am QUEEN OF THE ALMOSTS! At least that’s what I keep telling myself. They suck, though, I know.

    “But” – in whatever form it comes in – is the crappiest word in the English language.

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