Jersey Rejection
by James Roland
I got my first rejection letter. It was from The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. It was from the assistant editor. It was short and bitter, containing the phrase “the tale didn’t grab my interest, I’m afraid.”
I don’t really mind the rejection; I’m the guy who wrote creepy horror stories when I was ten years old and passed them out to adults at church for feedback . . . I am familiar with critical remarks and aghast expressions, so a slip of paper from an assistant editor in New Jersey isn’t getting past this thick skin.
But what I do mind is the fork that he stabbed so firmly into my road. What do I do now? Do I submit the story without changes, or to I accept his professional feedback and give it a tweak before going another round?
The story in question is sixteen pages long (double spaced). The first page sets the scene, the next three pages introduce the conflict, and the last twelve pages contain pretty dynamic action, including a monster in the woods, babies in danger, leg stabbings, carnivorous starlings, a whistling raccoon, and a rousing game of cell phone Tetris.
Now, that list might not strike you as good but it certainly grabs the attention, no?
This begs the question: Do I cut out two pages of preamble or assume the guy watched too much Sesame Street as a kid and hope the next assistant editor in New Jersey can devote more than three minutes of focused thought before he gets distracted by something shiny.
On the other hand, maybe he knows what he’s talking about.
On the other other hand, maybe it’s a form letter and he never read it at all.
What are your thoughts? If any of you have had similar experiences or thoughts, drop me a line of advice:
james@redfenceproject.com
