All Things Rejection!

[Tiamat]

Don't feel bad. Clarkesworld has been crushing everyone's dreams for some time now, myself included.

They're something of a bucket list market for me so really, it just inspires me to keep trying. And the fact that they're so quick makes submitting to them less daunting, even knowing the likelihood of rejection.

[Matchu]

Seeing everybody get swiped I threw some awful write into Clarkesworld, and to give me a lift for Wensday/Thursday.

'In Progress' over a month with my two heavyweights. And obviously all editors sitting there like dogs under visors discussing my talents. 'Rejection' shall arrive in junk box 4am when I will/and must re-assess all, every life choices. Walk into the sea. Fantasy has sustained since January, at the 'talking to strangers' level...'you know how I'm in progress at Granta, doctor?'

[ehbowen]

Received a very quick, "Not interested but thanks for playing!" rejection from an agent at Credo. But there's more fish in the sea....

[ScifiWriter]

I got sick of rejections until I found the right publisher that needed a book exactly as I presented it.
Find the perfect publisher / agent for exactly what you are writing.
You do need a killer query letter, though. It has to nail the market - your targeted readers.
And you must give them a grammatically perfect sample. It MUST be copy edited... must.
They will count errors and bounce your submission on the third error for sure.
JMHO

[Tiamat]

I got a rejection from The New Yorker today. I've sent them several stories to consider, and I've never once gotten a reply. Plus, their submission guidelines specifically state that they only reply when interested and to assume rejection if you haven't heard from them in 90 days. Today is day 91 and it was just a form rejection, but... does that mean they actually, seriously, for realz considered my piece that they specifically took time to send a reply?

No idea, but that's what I'm going to assume. Y'ALL I *ALMOST* GOT PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORKER!