Rejected by Apex & Abyss...

[C.L.]

That's a good resolution...I may borrow it.

[camille]

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.

Yep. As the Flash Editor for Abyss & Apex (who once, before I became such, received a rejection Just Like Yours), I can attest to that.

But anyone who sends a Flash story will note that I DO NOT send form rejections to Flash fiction. Sometimes I don't have anything useful to say (or can't think how to articulate it), but I do read every single story of under 1500 words. Be warned: I do tell you if I liked a story despite not sending it up the ladder. If that's going to frustrate you, don't read past the first sentence (I get that bit out of the way up front).

In fact, we're open for subs right now! In other fact, WE PAY PRO RATES FOR FLASH! That's right: 5 cents per word up to 1500 words.

[camille]

"Since they are one of the few SF/F mags in the Writers Market they probably get a lot of subs."

We get thousands of stories a year and publish only about 20-25 (about 6 each quarter).

[erazmus]

I like the fact that the form rejections are polite and encouraging, if perhaps mildly deceptive. Its a positive deception, building people up, and in the long run will certainly do someone some good. Abyss and Apex is a great market and a great place to read, the two aren't always the same.

Mike

[jason]

I've gathered a couple of those form rejects myself...go figure. I also have collected a couple of Ms. Alexa's personalized ones so can say with certainty that she'll let you know what she likes and if you survived a few reading rounds before getting the axe--oh, the agony--which I very much appreciate since I it tells me what is working. Every little bit of feedback can help me hone in on what they are looking for. Or in terms of the form reject, as Mike said, even the appearance that I'm doing something right helps.

Several of those A&A rejects have found new homes so, just keep them in someone's slush.

Best of luck.

[tchernabyelo]

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

Mike, if you really did send something to A&A on the last day of the year, then you may not hear anything at all. A&A has distinct reading periods - for fiction, they are the months of February, May, August and November, and my understanding is that anything sent outside those periods is deleted unread (I believe the windows are different for poetry, but it certainly is still windowed).

[oTMEN]

Abyss&Apex Poetry

to me
show details Jul 5 (7 days ago)

Dear ,

Thank you for letting us read your work. This poem displays some intriguing imagination. I'd recommend a grammar class as I'm not always sure what's intended and what's not: "The alien man greet me and warship me"--intentional typo? (interesting if so, but the missing correct verb forms (greets, warships) suggests it's a typo. Once you master English grammar, your view of and writing in English should really enliven your work. Send more when more becomes available.

Sincerely,

Trent Walters

I got this very personal rejections lol. should I swallow my prid and resubmit my rewrite ? lol

[Richard H. Fay]

I once got a rejection from Abyss & Apex that claimed parts of my submitted poem were good, but other parts were mediocre (I don't remember the exact wording, because I don't keep rejection letters). I guess the mediocre parts outweighed the good.

In the end, after I changed the end of the poem a bit, the poem ended up getting published at Bewildering Stories:
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/is...l_journey.html

Again, the tired old saying remains true - what doesn't work for one market may work fine for another.

I'll let readers decide if the mediocre parts ruin the good parts. I won't let the comments from one specific market bug me, too much.

[camille]

Abyss&Apex Poetry

... I got this very personal rejections lol. should I swallow my pride and resubmit my rewrite ? lol

Weeeeellll...

I have to admit poetry is another editor altogether and I have no idea as to the poetry standards, tastes, or practices at A&A.

In general, I recommend against rewriting/resubbing a piece unless specifically asked. My reading of your response seems to indicate the Poetry Editor wants to see future work, not the same piece reworked.
And FYI, I see pieces our head editor rejects turn up in other pro mags all the time. Editorial tastes are just that -- tastes. As in, differing and subjective.

[Gbondoni]

Heh, yeah, I'll second (third? Fourth?) the fact that this is their form rejection. THose A&A people are really nice!

[oTMEN]

yeeeeaaa...

Trent was very nice and wrote something " you may resubmitted the poem when you corrected the grammar' so yes I'm very happy he was very understanding.

also thank for your reply.

yes they are nice,they are very understanding I most say.

[QUOTE=oTMEN;202213]Abyss&Apex Poetry

to me
show details Jul 5 (7 days ago)

Dear ,

Thank you for letting us read your work. This poem displays some intriguing imagination. I'd recommend a grammar class as I'm not always sure what's intended and what's not: "The alien man greet me and warship me"--intentional typo? (interesting if so, but the missing correct verb forms (greets, warships) suggests it's a typo. Once you master English grammar, your view of and writing in English should really enliven your work. Send more when more becomes available.

Sincerely,

Trent Walters

sorry I was trying to edit the message in """ and got the wrong one.

I still trying to learn how to use "" on this blog.

it say message too short?

[Samuel Mae]

Heh, yeah, I'll second (third? Fourth?) the fact that this is their form rejection. THose A&A people are really nice!

I'll fifth/sixth/elventyhundreth that as well.

Whenever i want a feel-good rejection i sub to A&A.