Today's rejection letter

[kiya]

was at least not "I'm sorry, your plot is too subtle."

This one was "we prefer a tighter POV".

Unfortunately that one's at a really awkward length, so I dunno where else to send it...

Comments

[graydon]

Ok, rejection, boo, but that's a specific and writerly reason. That's pretty good as a thing.

[kiya]

I don't write camera eye by default but it's definitely a slightly external third; focused on one character but not heavy internalization. And yeah, that was definitely a "This one doesn't fit, but do keep trying" rejection which is pretty good.

[graydon]

I think this whole categorization of viewpoint thing is one of those taxonomy-by-feels inherent disasters, but then again I would.

May the story find a welcoming home!

[kaifu]

Rejection solidarity fistbump! Particularly on finding difficultly shaped pieces a useful home.

I just got my fastest ever journal rejection turnaround today for my awkward piece: submit at like 11 am, rejection email by 3 pm. But only rejected because they're in editorial transition and she doesn't want to make revise and resubmit decisions for her successor.

The actual issue was my perennial "you don't have an argument" which I do, I just...am not good at being explicit for readers until many many revisions later. So if I can dredge up a more sophisticated (and explicitly stated) argument for sometime after Jan 2020, the new editor might like it. *sigh*