De-nied!
Today I received a rejection email from flashquake, an online lit-mag that publishes short poetry and flash fiction and nonfiction.
In June I submitted a little nonfiction piece called “Beggars.” I’ve been published once every year since 2006, so I was hoping to continue the streak. But it wasn’t to be with flashquake. Whatever. On to the next one.
(I can still keep the streak going, though. I’ve been lazy about submitting this year, but I’m planning to write an “Iowa Essay” for an Iowa news website next week.)
Sure, deep down inside I’m a little bummed. How can I not be slightly disheartened by a decline? But it’s nothing I can’t handle. It’s part of writing and submitting. (I have a funny feeling I’ve written that exact same thing before.) I put it behind me quickly. Right after reading the email I put on my Defyance 2’s, went for a run, and let my mind wander aimlessly as I pounded the pavement. I forgot all about the rejection until after I finished dinner about an hour ago.
Instead of making me feel inadequate or unskilled, literary rejections inject in me an eagerness to improve and try again. It’s a learning experience; I want to sit down and start hammering the keyboard. Aiding to that feeling this time were the editorial voting results and very short comments included in the email. Receiving limited constructive criticism is an option the flashquake staff gives submitters, and I gladly welcomed any thoughts. I haven’t gotten any feedback on my writing since the one short story I workshopped at the writing group in Santa Cruz.
So you know what I’m talking about, here’s the email in it’s entirely (I edited out some of the bad formatting, include the double-spaces after periods; always single space after periods):
Props to the two people who actually provided comments, especially Editor #4. (Thanks for the constructive comment; I was wondering the same thing myself.) I’m a little peeved the two “no” voters and third “maybe” didn’t offer me anything. Granted they read a ton of submissions (some not entirely, I’m sure), but I think it would have been fair to supply a little feedback and explanation. When writing workshop letters, I always made sure to provide a paragraph worth of positive remarks before giving authors my constructive concerns and thoughts. (Toward the end of my college career I added pictures relating to my comments to spice things up. One letter featured a picture of Paul Gleason wearing his suave suit on “The Breakfast Club” and another a headshot of Pinhead from “Hellraiser.”)
In June I submitted a little nonfiction piece called “Beggars.” I’ve been published once every year since 2006, so I was hoping to continue the streak. But it wasn’t to be with flashquake. Whatever. On to the next one.
(I can still keep the streak going, though. I’ve been lazy about submitting this year, but I’m planning to write an “Iowa Essay” for an Iowa news website next week.)
Sure, deep down inside I’m a little bummed. How can I not be slightly disheartened by a decline? But it’s nothing I can’t handle. It’s part of writing and submitting. (I have a funny feeling I’ve written that exact same thing before.) I put it behind me quickly. Right after reading the email I put on my Defyance 2’s, went for a run, and let my mind wander aimlessly as I pounded the pavement. I forgot all about the rejection until after I finished dinner about an hour ago.
Instead of making me feel inadequate or unskilled, literary rejections inject in me an eagerness to improve and try again. It’s a learning experience; I want to sit down and start hammering the keyboard. Aiding to that feeling this time were the editorial voting results and very short comments included in the email. Receiving limited constructive criticism is an option the flashquake staff gives submitters, and I gladly welcomed any thoughts. I haven’t gotten any feedback on my writing since the one short story I workshopped at the writing group in Santa Cruz.
So you know what I’m talking about, here’s the email in it’s entirely (I edited out some of the bad formatting, include the double-spaces after periods; always single space after periods):
Thank you for your interest in flashquake. Our decisions were difficult, but we have decided not to use your submission(s). We have included below our editors' comments on your work; we hope you find them useful. Please note that we are closed to submissions until September 1, when our Fall issue reading period opens.
Nonfiction: Beggars
Editor 1 Vote: Yes
Ed. 1 Comments:
Editor 2 Vote: No
Ed. 2 Comments:
Editor 3 Vote: Maybe
Ed. 3 Comments: A nicely written scene.
Editor 4 Vote: Maybe
Ed. 4 Comments: Would be stronger without the editorializing.
Editor 5 Vote: Maybe
Ed. 5 Comments:
Editor 6 Vote: No
Ed. 6 Comments:
Props to the two people who actually provided comments, especially Editor #4. (Thanks for the constructive comment; I was wondering the same thing myself.) I’m a little peeved the two “no” voters and third “maybe” didn’t offer me anything. Granted they read a ton of submissions (some not entirely, I’m sure), but I think it would have been fair to supply a little feedback and explanation. When writing workshop letters, I always made sure to provide a paragraph worth of positive remarks before giving authors my constructive concerns and thoughts. (Toward the end of my college career I added pictures relating to my comments to spice things up. One letter featured a picture of Paul Gleason wearing his suave suit on “The Breakfast Club” and another a headshot of Pinhead from “Hellraiser.”)
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