I wrote a piece called Red Mist a few months ago, and posted it on the site for all of you to enjoy. I also submitted it to a few places for publication as I am wont to do.
To my surprise, I got a personalized response from a publisher!
Now, for those of you that are unaware, publishers generally do not have time for personalized rejection letters. So when I got this one, I was at first amazed, and then perplexed. If you take the time to write a personalized rejection letter, you spent a good deal of time on that piece. You probably even liked it.
Anyway, this unnamed publisher was kind enough to let me know what led to my rejection...
"Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to read "Red Mist". While the story is good and it held our interest, we have decided, after much discussion, that we are going to have to pass on this submission. We tend to be traditionalists where monsters are concerned, and this, to us, is a zombie (ghoul?) story. The idea of a zombie retaining enough human intelligence after being dead for so long to remember where he put his knife, and have the presence of mind to pick it up, use it, and drive it deep into the wet earth before taking up his funeral pose again, didn't gel with us"
They then wished me the best of luck in finding a place for Red Mist. So take heart fellow authors, there are a few publishers that will let you know why they are rejecting your work. I love this publisher for this very reason, and will be looking into their work now.
To my surprise, I got a personalized response from a publisher!
Now, for those of you that are unaware, publishers generally do not have time for personalized rejection letters. So when I got this one, I was at first amazed, and then perplexed. If you take the time to write a personalized rejection letter, you spent a good deal of time on that piece. You probably even liked it.
Anyway, this unnamed publisher was kind enough to let me know what led to my rejection...
"Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to read "Red Mist". While the story is good and it held our interest, we have decided, after much discussion, that we are going to have to pass on this submission. We tend to be traditionalists where monsters are concerned, and this, to us, is a zombie (ghoul?) story. The idea of a zombie retaining enough human intelligence after being dead for so long to remember where he put his knife, and have the presence of mind to pick it up, use it, and drive it deep into the wet earth before taking up his funeral pose again, didn't gel with us"
They then wished me the best of luck in finding a place for Red Mist. So take heart fellow authors, there are a few publishers that will let you know why they are rejecting your work. I love this publisher for this very reason, and will be looking into their work now.
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