A few weeks ago, I sent off four short stories. They all got rejected.
[Art by Ali Axelrod]
Two stories were set in a near-future sci-fi dystopia. One was rejected by Apex Magazine and the other by Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine. I’m beginning to suspect these stories are deeply flawed or perhaps simply cliched or boring. I had a new idea for an entry in this universe, and while it’s exciting, it’s also intimidating. I think need to start pursuing the intimidating if I hope to push myself as a writer.
Another story is a mythological fantasy about sea dwarves. The idea began as a drunken joke, but then the story ended up being a serious reflection on resource scarcity, environmental destruction, war and non-violence, and the (non)salvific nature of art. I’m proud of this story in a way I haven’t been about one in a long time. Anyway, it got rejected by Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
The last one is flash fiction. It’s an absurdist comedy entitled “Do Electric Sheep Dream of Saving the World?” If you’ve read my #finishthestory entry about Pirates or my Quest in the Realms bit about anti-matter and time travel, then you’ll get the idea of the tone. This story was rejected by Daily Science Fiction.
On the bright side, I’ve almost fully recovered from bronchitis, composed a few new articles that I submitted to Hackernoon, and I’ve resubmitted all four of the fiction stories I’ve mentioned here.
Onward, ever onward.
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Damno mango, that sucks yah got rejected by them. At this point I probably would suggest just pursuing that intimidating idea and seeing what that leads yah. That and also re-reading the rejection emails if they left anything or why it got rejected. Anywho, it might suck and it definitely does feel like a slog but reworking (and resubmitting things) can drastically improve your odds. In any a case, yah probably are going to have to really dig deep into their rules, read what had been accepted (and published) and see if you can tickle their fancies that way while also doing your own thing. Or maybe it’s just not exuding enough authorial confidence within yer work of fiction and it just needs to be there at certain heights and act protracted at others. Who knows, not me. I’m definitely pulling that David Bowie thing here.
Yeah... Beneath Ceaseless Skies was the only one that gave me any real feedback. The editors said they wished the mythology had been revealed more through dialogue and action, rather than narration. I could do that, but it would change the story. At present, I don't feel like making that change; it's not the vision I'm inspired to write. Given enough time, maybe I'll figure out a way to make that work.
One of the stories I resubmitted yesterday has already been rejected, so I guess I'm hanging that one up forever. This week, I'm hoping to get back on my right schedule and work on those difficult story ideas.
I would like to know more about the (non)salvific nature of art. Never surrender, always onward my friend!
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