Why Some Good Stories are Rejected: Thematic Grouping

The number of fiction submissions I am receiving is increasing, and my managing editor tells me that the viewing meter on the magazine’s web site has increased, "exponentially" in the last two months.

I’ve gone from receiving 2-3 stories a week, to 2-3 per day. More importantly, not only have I already made several story selections for June’s issue, but I have stories lined up for the July and August issues as well.

Also, I won’t be taking stories now that require as much editorial tweaking as the first few stories I had selected for publication. It would be rewarding to continue to give writers a "second chance", but it’s not practical.

Of course this all means that the number of rejection letters I am sending out is increasing, and my correspondence files are growing. I now have a file for the receipt of manuscripts, a pending decision file, a nay file, a yay file and a maybe file. The "maybe file" has taken me by surprise. It seems the stories coming my way are taking on a life of their own, seemingly imposing the grouping of a particular theme or tone.

For June’s issue, all the authors are women, and the unintentional theme that has emerged was generated by the story title of the first piece I selected for the issue.

July’s issue is shaping up in the opposite direction with a line-up of male authors with "manly themes". Never, I mean NEVER would have I set out to intentionally shape those two issues in such a stereotypical way, yet it happened. And one very good story is being held over for August’s issue because it’s simply not a good fit for July’s issue.

There is room for more stories in July and August and even June’s issue, but the emerging themes of each issue has influenced my decision to include or exclude other fine stories. Building an inventory of stories for future issues makes my job easier, but I don't think it is fair for me to be hanging onto stories for more than 2 or 3 months, pending my decision to allow a particular theme to emerge.

While I’m delighted to be a part of the growth of a wonderful literary magazine, as a writer I am a bit disappointed to discover "up close and personal", how even a strong, well crafted story may have to be set aside—or worse—rejected, because of the varying tone, themes and timing of the increasing number of other well-written stories coming in.

As a direct result of my "insider" experience as a fiction editor, I am now sending my work out at a record volume, because it’s looking more and more like I am going to HAVE to live to be a hundred years old, just to realize all my publishing goals.

If fiction writers want to have their stories published in an increasingly competitive publishing environment, they have to "exponentially" increase the amount of time they spend creating, refining and submitting their work. The competition is tough, even in a literary venue that has only been accepting fiction for the past two months

The Whole Story

There is a book on my shelf, The Whole Story: Editors on Fiction, edited by Warren Slesinger. This book has become a tangible reminder of how far I have come on my journey as a fiction writer, and now as an editor.

The featured editors explain how they choose the stories they publish. They describe their editorial procedures and policies, but not in the often generic terms presented in the guidelines of their respective literary magazines. This is a collection of anecdotal and intimate essays written specifically for this book, and although the book is 10 years old, the magazines represented in this book are still of value to writers who are submitting today--still prominent sources for the publication of a refined cross-section of contemporary American Fiction, i.e., The Iowa Review, Prairie Schooner, The North American Review etc.

I remember pouring over the essays in this book, taking in all the tips and editorial insights of the submission process. I was grateful then, for the willingness of these editors to offer guidance to emerging writers, and now as I step into the role of a literary fiction editor, I welcome the opportunity to share my perspectives with writers who are eager to begin their journeys. The book will remain front and center on my desk, not only to remind me of where I’ve been, but to prompt me to continue to turn around and lend a hand to writers in back of me.

Yes, writers are a solitary lot, but we are never truly alone; there are many wordly paths, and there are always other writers just ahead and behind on the trailheads. There are snakes on these paths too, but I’ll save that for another post.

Home Sweet Literary Home

May's issue is complete, and my first two story selections have been published. It's a great feeling, knowing I helped two writers share their work with the magazine's readers. It's also a very subjective process. Another editor, another time, another magazine, and the same stories may not have been chosen. As someone who regularly submits their work, I know this to be true, and I accept the process.

In a way, I feel like a decorator who has just chosen the perfect artwork to complement a client's home. Some homes are eclectic, some modern, or traditional etc. and even the loveliest of pieces are not always a good fit in every decor.

Like a decorator, a writer needs to sample a literary home before submitting their work--read the work the magazine has previously published, take measurements, match the tone, color and texture of the markets they submit to.

If the story is a good fit, then the writer, editor and publisher can all kick off their shoes, settle in and stay awhile.

I Know Stuff

My second month as a literary fiction editor is off to a great start. My managing editor said I was doing an excellent job and had focused editorial savvy! I always knew I had something, just didn't know what to call it.

Reminds me of a time several years ago when someone in a crit group I had organized jumped up from her chair, leaned over the table and wagged her finger in my face, "What makes you think you can tell me how to make my story better?"

I'm usually not at a loss for words, but she was actually frightening. I stuttered a bit, and then answered her question. "Because I know stuff." Not a very eloquent come back-- I admit it-- but the other members of the group laughed, and she left in a huff without giving me a black eye for pointing out several confusing point of view shifts in her short story.

Now, thanks to my managing editor, the next time someone asks me what makes me think I can tell them how to make their story better, I'll have a great comeback--I have focused editorial savvy, that's why! That'll get me a black eye for sure :-)

My name will be added to the masthead this month, and I'm hoping to have plenty of opportunities to strut my stuff, when the submissions start filling up my e-mail box.

Each and Every Word

As a newbie literary fiction editor, I was intriqued by Peter Selgin's article, Confessions of a Cranky Literary Editor, in the May/June 06 issue of Poets & Writers. And when I discovered his admission that he doesn't read every word of the three hundred manuscripts a month that he receives, I wondered if he was being cranky or just plain realistic.

In my first three weeks as a lit-mag fiction editor, I have received eleven submissions. Of that eleven, I actually read every word of four. And of that four, I chose two for publication in May's issue. So that leaves seven that I didn't read beyond the first paragraph. Does that make me cranky? Maybe. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say, "I know exactly what tone, style and level of craft I am looking for."

It's the same way when I'm the one submitting; I work extra hard to make sure I'm sending my work to the right markets, because I want every word to be read. Now, as a fiction editor, I want to receive stories that prompt me to read every word, and I'm going to work extra hard to convey what type of story I am looking for from the writers who submit their work to me.

I've created a checklist of the story criteria I am seeking for publication, and I will post it here before I add it to the submission guidelines in June's issue. I know it isn't realistic to think a story criteria checklist will guarentee that I won't get cranky, or that I'll only receive work that fits my specs, but it might help to keep me reading. . . each and every word.

My Great American Acceptance Letter

By far, composing an enthusiastic acceptance letter has been my favorite task as a new fiction editor; and sending this newly crafted letter to a writer, who is being published for the first time, is pure joy!

Dear Writer,

I am delighted to select ??????? for publication in ???????'s May issue.

We receive a number of quality submissions—each strong in its own way, but only those stories which are well-crafted and well-suited to ???????'s progressive and innovative tone make the final cut.

Congratulations!
Fiction Editor


Future topics I plan to cover in the Diary of a Literary Fiction Editor. . .
(I am also open to other suggested topics as they are presented to me. )

Sending the right story to the right publication: Bull's eye marketing

The importance of supporting the markets you wish to be published in

Story craft vs. content/Why did you bother to write that so well?

The infamous first sentence, and why it means more than the entire story.

How I will determine what stories I select/my criteria


My name won't even be added to the magazine's masthead until the May issue is published. Open the gates and let the submissions roll in--I'm ready!

In Search of. . .

In Search of. . . The Great American Acceptance Letter

Today I will compose my first acceptance letter; it will coincidentally be the first acceptance letter for a newly published author who's work I have selected for publication in May's issue.

For an American literary fiction writer, no doubt the most coveted acceptance letter would read. . .

The Pulitzer Prize

2006

—FICTION—

FOR DISTINGUISHED FICTION BY AN American author,
preferably dealing with American life, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000)
Awarded to "March" by Geraldine Brooks
(Viking)

...

To date, the closest I've come to a Pulitzer moment, are my two consecutive Writer's Digest wins. Both acceptance letters, written by Kristin D. Godsey, Editor of Writer's Digest, were warm and enthusiastic. My favorite sentence in the first acceptance letter reads as follows. . .

...

Your success in the face of such formidable competition speaks highly of your writing talent, and should be a source of great pride as you continue your writing career.

...

In her second letter to me, the following year, once again she focused on the enormous odds facing the writers who enter the Writer's Digest's annual contest. . .

,,,

The first-round judge, had a very difficult time narrowing her selection to 25 top entries from over 8000 entries. Finishing among those top 25 entries is an accomplishment of which you can be proud.

...

Although the writer's I will be selecting for publication will not be facing the same level of formidable competition, I want the acceptance letter I compose to be no less enthusiastic and complimentary.

...

I'm off to search my files for other stellar acceptance letters from which I can draw inspiration, and I welcome any and all suggestions and sharing of other writer's proud Pulitzer-like moments that were fostered via a particularly well written acceptance letter.

...

Back on Monday to post my Great American Acceptance Letter!

The Secret Handshake

OK. I admit it; when I first started submitting my writing to various mainstream and literary magazines, I thought surely there was an ‘insiders’ club; what other explanation could there have been for my failure to place my stories and poems exactly where I thought they should be published? Even as I began to hone my craft and accumulate publishing credits, I still suspected there was a secret handshake I just wasn’t privy to.

In many ways, I began to develop my own ‘insiders’ club’, routinely exchanging publishing leads with members of my critique group and other networking channels that I continued to build. This secret networking did result in the placement of several of my pieces, as well as the work of other writers I knew. However, the sum total of our ‘insider’ information was nothing more than exchanging leads regarding calls for submissions and/or contests where we felt one of us may have had a specific product that was a match.

But, now I’m on the inside, and I can vow first hand, that there is no ‘secret handshake’, at least not as far as I’m concerned. In advance of my name and contact information being added to the masthead in next month’s issue, I have been sending out my own call for submissions within my networking channels. Several of my writing friends and acquaintances have sent me their stories, and even though they qualify as ‘insiders’, because they received my personalized invitation to submit, I now have to send all of them my personalized rejection letter; because none of them sent me anything that matched the tone and style of the magazine.

For me, it is a relief to discover there is no ‘secret handshake’. Friends don’t publish friends; friends publish quality work that is a good fit for a particular magazine. And my experience with having to pass judgement on work created by writers that I actually know, is a perfect example of why writers need to realize that when their work is rejected, they should never take it personally--once a writer begins to submit with the goal of publication in mind, their work becomes a product, and the act of correct product placement is critical, and not a reflection of a writer’s creative and artistic strengths.

By weeks end, I will have word of who’s work did make the cut--sans any secret handshakes. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to crafting my preliminary acceptance letter :-)

Regarding Your Submission Status. . .

Ironically, as I was drafting my first, form rejection letter, I received word that one of my stories was rejected. That yellow Post-it with the lone word 'sorry' slapped onto the middle of my manuscript prompted me to delete the word 'sorry' from the draft of my rejection letter.


Dear INSERT WRITER'S NAME,

I'm sorry Delete I regret Yikes! Let's go with. . . Your submission INSERT TITLE was not selected for publication in ???????? Literary Magazine, but I wish to thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it. Though I'd like to add, it appears you didn't read the guidelines regarding the tone and style of the magazine, or perhaps you thought it didn't matter and sent whatever you had--tone and style matter!

Unfortunately, our high volume of submissions wishful/forward thinking create a very competitive playing field, forcing me to frequently pass on many fine manuscripts without adequate time to comment specifically Editors can't engage in critiques or serve as a writing coach--not that I wouldn't love to, but it's time prohibitive; I'm a writer too but I encourage you to continue to pursue your publication goals in a variety of venues. Seriously, I do.


Fiction Editor
???????? Literary Magazine

First Submission

Today I received my first short story submission, and then I drafted my first rejection letter.