12 May 2008, Posted by Cat in News, 23 Comments. Tagged writing
rejected again
Received a rejection slip today from a major magazine. The editor said he liked the characters but didn’t quite buy the (sfnal) situation. But the thing is… the situation itself was actually the non-sf bit! I based it on something bizarre I saw in a doco about 15 years ago about Japanese society !!! Argh! Of course, the real reason he didn’t buy the story is because he didn’t want to buy it. The filler you get in your rejection slip is just the excuse. 
So far this particular story has been rejected for being too sci fi by some editors, and not sci fi enough by others. I wonder if there’s a nice gardening magazine I can send it to next? Never know your luck, etc etc.
23 Comments
May 12, 2008 11:21 am
ex_benpayne119
In my experience, it’s always the parts of your story that are stolen directly from real life that nobody believes could ever happen… all the shit you make up is fine
May 12 2008 11:42 am
Cat @
yeah. I reckon you're right.
May 12, 2008 1:13 pm
markdeniz
Pah!
Sod em!
I think.
May 12, 2008 1:57 pm
rachel_swirsky
I’ve gotten that rejection from him. Heh.
May 13 2008 00:53 am
Cat @
between us we probably have the complete set!
May 13, 2008 12:51 am
angelaina
what is it? can i read it? am almost finished your novel and will type up report on weekend …
May 13 2008 00:52 am
Cat @
yep. I'll email it.
May 13, 2008 2:12 am
lisahannett
This probably won’t help, but I’ve just read your ‘Sammarynda Deep’ story in “Paper Cities” and I thought that your opening line was one of the *best* opening lines I’ve ever read. I would die of happiness if any of my stories had openers like that one. Clearly this magazine editor doesn’t know what he’s missing. Bring on the gardening mag!
(PS – so that I don’t seem like a lurker, I’ve just read your blog and am really happy to see that you have written a longer version of ‘Sammarynda Deep’ – yay you! Looking forward to reading it.)
May 13 2008 02:17 am
Cat @
Wow! Hi Lisa and thank you very much for the vote of confidence. Much appreciated.
To be fair to the unnamed magazine editor... I was aiming a little high.
May 14, 2008 1:14 pm
justin_pilon
Have you tried Pedestal Mag. I haven’t sent out to them yet, but
they say experimental in their guidelines. Seems like your story
treads the line between genres. It might work with them.
May 14 2008 20:31 pm
Cat @
thanks for the recommendation, but there is nothing experimental about this story. Its a straightforward near future yarn. There are many suitable markets I have yet to send it out to.
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