I Got My Third Rejection!

Want to see my latest form rejection?

Dear Christine,

Thank you very much for letting me see [TITLE]. I’m sorry it didn’t strike me as quite suitable to our present needs.

Sincerely,
[NAME]
Editor

So. This is the third rejection I’ve received for the same story. It’s the one I call “Satellite” in this post where I describe my current projects. I mentioned that it is very “niche.” It has a unique structure and style, one that doesn’t fit with most of the sff venues I read. I figured I’d go ahead and send it out to some larger publication venues in the odd chance that they might pick it up, but I didn’t have a high expectation. All three rejections have been short/form letters, which is likely an indication that the story isn’t just striking out, it’s not even in the ballpark of what these editors are looking for. This most recent letter’s wording, “didn’t strike me as quite suitable” reaffirms that to me.

Because of this, I think it’s time to try a different tack. This morning I sent “Satellite” to a magazine that’s quite a bit smaller than most of my favorites, but it specializes in more avant garde styles. If it isn’t received well there, I’ll probably continue to submit it to other venues. But since this is the venue I think is the very best fit, it’s unlikely it’s going to get picked up anywhere else.

I’ve enjoyed sharing these rejections online though. It gives me something to do with them, makes me feel like I’m creating something out of them by sharing them. And…next week, I’ll be sharing a bit of good news I’ve been sitting on.

Thanks for coming on this journey with me,
Christine