Rejected by Apex & Abyss...

[SJHigbee]

...who sent me a very polite, encouraging note. My story was "...well received here, but after some thought we decided not to go with it..."

I s'pose I should be feeling pleased that it was a near miss - but instead, I have to say I'm just gutted it got close - but not close enough. Ho hum. I'm just off to bang my head against the wall and wail loud enough to wake the neighbour's dog...

[John M. Whalen]

Don't do that! Some you win, some you lose. Send it somewhere else.

[Rob K]

...who sent me a very polite, encouraging note. My story was "...well received here, but after some thought we decided not to go with it..."

I s'pose I should be feeling pleased that it was a near miss - but instead, I have to say I'm just gutted it got close - but not close enough. Ho hum. I'm just off to bang my head against the wall and wail loud enough to wake the neighbour's dog...

SJ, I hate to break it to you, buddy, but you should know the truth. That wasn't a near miss. Every single rejection I've ever received from Abyss and Apex has said that same thing. Here's the latest:

Dear Robert,

Thank you for submitting "______________" to ABYSS & APEX. It was
well received here, but after some thought we have decided not to
accept it for publication.

I hope you'll consider us again, and I wish you the best success in
placing this story elsewhere.

Best regards,

Bonnie Freeman, Assistant Editor
ABYSS & APEX

[SJHigbee]

Thanks Rob! Gosh, their formula rejections ARE polite, aren't they? Well - that makes me feel MUCH better...

[erazmus]

Well, at least you are in good company. I got one of those last week.
Now I have to look over the ones I got that didn't say that . . .

Mike

[Rob K]

Well, at least you are in good company. I got one of those last week.
Now I have to look over the ones I got that didn't say that . . .

Mike

You got ones that didn't say that? Then it's possible I'm wrong (with apologies to SJ). It's just that I've gotten several and they all were like the one I posted above.

[erazmus]

No, not really. I once got:

Dear Mike,


Thank you for submitting "________________________" to ABYSS & APEX. It was well received here, but after some thought we have decided not to accept it for publication.

much like "The Quiet Man," the story truly starts when he makes the decision that changes his life: to marry and quit brawling. While entertaining, too much is glossed over except for the violence.



I hope you'll consider us again, and I wish you the best success in placing this story elsewhere.



Best regards,



Jude-Marie Green, Associate Editor

ABYSS & APEX

Which is the same thing, with some editor feedback added. Feedback, I'll add, that I didn't quite agree with.

Mike

[Rob K]

No, not really. I once got:


Which is the same thing, with some editor feedback added. Feedback, I'll add, that I didn't quite agree with.

Mike

Hey, I like yours better! At least you got some feedback, which shows interest and means it wasn't a form rejection. I can't remember if I've received feedback from them or not, and I'd have to go look through some old e-mails. I'm thinking not. Anyway, I remember the first story I sent there getting that form, and I thought, "Ah, they have some interest in my story!" As well as, "Dang, it was a close call!" But after the second one that read the same, I started to think, "Oh, so it's a polite form rejection. I see." Of course, that didn't stop me from sending another story five minutes after that rejection. Regardless, they're pretty consistent in response time, pay their authors competitively, and put out a good product, so no complaints here.

[crystalwizard]

I s'pose I should be feeling pleased that it was a near miss - but instead, I have to say I'm just gutted it got close - but not close enough. Ho hum. I'm just off to bang my head against the wall and wail loud enough to wake the neighbour's dog...

What was it about?

[Ropespor]

Oh, it was about 8.5" by 11."

(Sorry, I don't get opportunities to use that joke often enough.)

[SJHigbee]

You know - this is the strength of this forum. I feel SO much better now I realise that I'm in such good company... Thank you, folks, for generously sharing your rejection letters, too!

As for the story, CW, it was a piece about the difficulties of bereavement when by pressing a button, you can recapture the image of your dead loved one - all set around Christmas. So, I guess I'll have to put it on ice for a few months till editors are starting to think about that time of the year, again...

[erazmus]

SJ,
Don't put it on ice, just send it to the next place. Publication schedules vary so much you can't really tell when to send it where, so just send it. After all if it is a good story in December it will be a good story in June as well.

Mike

[tchernabyelo]

My rejects from Abyss and Apex (of which there have been at least half a dozen, as well as two sales) include:

Thanks so much for sending "..." but we're going to pass. Competition this quarter really has been incredibly fierce and we're having to be painfully selective.

Your prose is lovely as always and your world fabulously rich, but this one felt like a sliver of a considerably longer story. You certainly have a novel's-worth of worldbuilding here. Quite a feat!

As always, thank you for letting us consider your work.

"..." was as lovely and lyrical as all your work, but I couldn't help feeling the pace was too draggy for Flash. The end sentiment is beautiful and satisfying, but the story itself isn't tight enough to bring the end about in a timely fashion. I've noticed our best flash is usually under 1k. Stories that hover right under the 1500 mark often either have more to say, or could be honed to a finer point.

Thanks for allowing us to consider this one! I'm sorry we're passing. If this story gets reworked -- becoming either longer or shorter -- and is available in a future reading period, I'm sure we wouldn't mind looking at it again!

Those are definitely personal. I have also had

Thank you for submitting "..." to ABYSS & APEX. As you know, we kept it for second round consideration but ultimately decided not to accept it for publication. The competition this month was strong and while we came up with an excellent table of contents for our next issue, we had to say no to many works (like this!) that we wish we could keep.

I hope you'll consider us again, and I wish you the best success in placing this story elsewhere.

Thank you for your patience,

at least twice, so that's clearly a standard form for the real "near misses" (basically, the first cut rejected before the next reading period opens, the second cut tends to get whittled down around 4-5 months after the relevant submission window).

I have had the "well received here..." form a couple of times, but in both cases personal comments have been added (in one instance requesting a rewrite as a flash, though the rewrite didn't get accepted).

Just accept it didn't stick and send it out again. Every writer gets work rejected,even the professionals. If you aren't getting rejected, there is only ONE reason: you aren't submitting.

[SilviaMG]

My rejects from them:

Thank you for submitting "The Manticore" to ABYSS & APEX. As you know, we kept it for second round consideration but ultimately decided not to accept it for publication. The competition this month was strong and while we came up with an excellent table of contents for our next issue, we had to say no to many works (like this!) that we wish we could keep.

Before that:

Thank you so much for sending "Casting the Rain," but after multiple rounds of reading and serious consideration, we've decided to pass.

This one really had a nicely unfolding story arc and some wonderful imagery. Please understand that at this point, our declining this story is no reflection on the quality of the piece itself. Competition this quarter was incredibly fierce and we're being very selective. Thanks again for letting us consider your work. We hope you continue to think of us for future submissions.

[Lyn]

Those are great! Congrats on just getting it into them. Here are my responses from Abyss & Apex:

[Rob K]

Okay, my rejections suck. But I've got a solid plan to turn this around and get a better rejection like the ones Silvia has gotten. Here it is: I'm going to write a new short about a dwarf, an elf, and human wizard who have just entered a huge and sprawling dungeon and are seeking to defeat a dragon. The characters all have magical dice that they have to roll before each attack, and during this dice-rolling process, time stands still so they can complete the task and determine their attack. So, for example: The elf rolls his dice, and a bow image comes up. Thus, the Elf uses his bow for his next attack. Anyway, they go on defeat the dragon and win lots of treasure and fame, and they all reach level 20! See, I think I was trying to be too "literary" with my previous submissions--you know, tight POV, uncommon fantasy elements, and fancy prose and all. I think I need to get back to basics. Bring on the orcs and ale!

[SilviaMG]

Orcs and ale, eh? Add a vampire-elf and you've yourself a deal, Mr!

[crystalwizard]

Orcs and ale, eh? Add a vampire-elf and you've yourself a deal, Mr!

A vampire-elf and an orc walk into a bar...

[Rob K]

Vampire-elf? I'll have to think about that one. I've already got a werewolf-dwarf in the story, and an angst-filled teenage wizard...

[SilviaMG]

What's a novel without a vampire elf?!

[ghostposts]

sorry you were rejected. Find another market and subit again.

[Mike Griffiths]

Sorry SJ

I sent them something on the last day of the year. I'll probably be getting something along those lines very soon myself. Since they are one of the few SF/F mags in the Writers Market they probably get a lot of subs.

MDG

[SJHigbee]

Thanks, guys...

[C.L.]

Mine was rejected in six days.

[SJHigbee]

Sorry to hear it! I know the pain. But go on out there and find another market. Submit, submit, submit... It's my resolution for 2010.