Reads in part:
"...but we've decided not to accept it for publication. I've never seen anything quite like this (and I mean that in a good way): an interesting mix of modern and traditional, of pragmatism and tattered magic. But..."
As rejections go, very nice, helpful (he goes on to say what didn't work for him, and I'm not taking that for granted- it was really nice that he took the time, and I appreciate it) but: (it's those bloody 'buts' again!)
THIS IS STILL GOING TO NEED A LOT OF TEQUILA.
8 comments:
Oh, how frustrating. So near and yet...
I'd use chocolate, but then I always do.
You're one rejection nearer to getting accepted. But I doubt if that's much comfort today.
Chocolate donuts would have been good, but are hard to come by around here. I enjoyed the margaritas all the same. I'm now in the 'is this manuscript really busted, and if so, do I know how to fix it' phase of the rejection, which is probably exactly where I belong...
Red wine is my tipple but if I had to choose between that and chocolate, it's chocolate that would win every time!
Unless I commit any more procrastinatory faux pas', I should be joining you on the road to rejection fairly shortly.
As far as I can see, anything that isn't a form rejection has to be good news. As for when to call it a day on manuscripts, people are regularly hitting 50-100 misses before a hit.
Yikes. Well, it's not that I expected to be successful on the first attempt, but I don't think there *are* that many markets for a fairy story that starts with an f-bomb.
I just fear sending the thing out again in case it has glowing, blinking flaws that I somehow can't see. So I sit here and fuss over it because, after all, every rejection is one more market I've spoiled for myself for that story, and as I said, I don't think there are all that many.
(picturing what a Whirlochre takes as rejection tonic; the more traditional chocolate, red wine, donuts or tequila? Or something stronger, perhaps, say, floor polish or limberger or even a 99?)
Someone told me not to mess with the query nor manuscript until 100 submissions.
That seems like a lot - but then Cindy Pon said she posted *over* 100 queries before finding her agent. Kiersten White who seemed to have a whirlwind fast response and agent posted recently that she'd submitted 47 times. So yeah, I'm with Whirl on this one. Don't sit back, keep sending them out and looking for that person who will love those fairies like they need to be loved.
I'm not sure if it is a novel or a short story? But regardless, you have lots of English-speaking countries to work your way through to find them a home. And that really IS an encouraging rejection.
(to be honest, I'm just trying to ensure that you don't polish off the Tequila as I might need some)
Well, I'm still sending them out, but I'm just running out of markets for something that whacky.
Anyway, there's plenty of tequila left, so I make an extra margarita for you next time :)
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