Hodderscape Open Submission Window

[prizzley]

Commiserations to all who have been rejected. As for acceptances, this time next year possibly?

 

[Serendipity]

Many thanks to all those who posted messages of sympathy... much appreciated.

Is there a quiet corner in the 'rejected room' for curling up and having a good old fashioned sulk? If so, count me in!

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

You'll have company soon enough, I'm sure x

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Commiserations, Serendipity

 

[Boneman]

Many thanks to all those who posted messages of sympathy... much appreciated.

Is there a quiet corner in the 'rejected room' for curling up and having a good old fashioned sulk? If so, count me in!

Yeah Harebrian and I have been there for weeks...

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

It's scary how such excellent writers are being rejected. It suggests they have something very specific in their sights and if your story doesn't tick whatever 'saleable tag' box they've given their reading teams, you're out, regardless of how well you write.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

It suggests they have something very specific in their sights

They are not Gods either. Publishers regularly ignore "winners" later massively successful with a different publisher and often promote rubbish, some of which is very successful and other sink without trace.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

There are so many things we don't know, at this stage. What else is on their books, for instance, as they won't want to compete. What wordcount they're after (one of the many excellent mss rejected was on the longer side of average, I think). What market they're hoping to hit etc etc. You really can't read anything into it.

I had a good rant about all this in my blog yesterday, about how the process goes and what we can and can't do about it. It's had oodles of hits, definitely the most ever for a first day:

http://jozebwrites.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[Stephen Palmer]

They are not Gods either. Publishers regularly ignore "winners" later massively successful with a different publisher and often promote rubbish, some of which is very successful and other sink without trace.

All publishers are scared of missing the next JK Rowling.

 

[Tirellan]

It's scary how such excellent writers are being rejected. It suggests they have something very specific in their sights and if your story doesn't tick whatever 'saleable tag' box they've given their reading teams, you're out, regardless of how well you write.

The work I sent in has previously made it to editorial meetings at 3 publishers so it is in good shape - just not what they are looking for.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

That perhaps confirms my theory?

 

[Ray McCarthy]

All publishers are scared of missing the next JK Rowling

I have a story about a school that makes magic chocolate, my real name is K.J. Rowntree.

 

[MemoryTale]

It's scary how such excellent writers are being rejected. It suggests they have something very specific in their sights and if your story doesn't tick whatever 'saleable tag' box they've given their reading teams, you're out, regardless of how well you write.

Isn't that how publishing works in general?

 

[Ursa major]

have a story about a school that makes magic chocolate, my real name is K.J. Rowntree.

Well, no-one can argue that confectionary hasn't been important in literature. After all, the tale of someone distressed because they'd been deprived of toffee as a young man provided one of the... er... original examples of a writer being catapulted to fame. The author was the great Goethe and his book, Die Leiden des jungen Werthers....

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Chocolat Joanne Harris

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

I was just reading about chocolate brussels sprouts. They look remarkably real and have inspired me with thoughts of fun with this year's family Christmas dinner.

Anyway, enough hijacking of the OP. Every time I get a notification for this thread I rush over to see if anyone's been asked for a full yet, so let's spare a thought for those like me who live for their inbox these days.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Well, I had to nudge on mine because I got an offer on the mss which I'm musing over, and I got my kick-out just now. But it was very nice:

"I want you to know that passing on it was not an easy decision. Our readers were very impressed with your work."

So that was nice, and now I have to off and think about what's on the table to me from various directions.

 

[amicalia]

Oh that is a lovely bit of feedback! And good luck with the considerations ahead, look forward to hearing more about what happens next, I guess I will need to explore a bit more outside this thread at some stage here.

 

[HareBrain]

"I want you to know that passing on it was not an easy decision. Our readers were very impressed with your work."

Oh, that is nice feedback to hear (though frustrating it got so close and no further). Commiserations.

(Are you sure you included enough ROOOOOOAAAADD TRIIIIIIIPPPP?)

 

[chopper]

is it wrong to say "nice work"?

nice work!