Rejection with Comments

Another rejection rolled in this morning. It's a good rejection. It has comments indicating someone actually read it and considered it. The rejection was for story #1 in the series, titled The Scoop. It is an unconventional 500 word flash piece told as a one-person monologue of sorts that I characterized as quasi-horror. In other words, it's probably going to be hard to place. Think The Reluctant Fundamentalist technique-wise but flash length. I've copied the rejection below. My plan for next week's story will be something more conventional, but targeted to this particular magazine given that they actually read the submission and made comments that were helpful in some small measure. Oh, they also happen to be a paying market, which is a big plus in my book. The magazine is Hypnos, put out by Radium Town Press.

Ms. Davenport:  

Over the weekend, we've been reviewing your recent submission "The Scoop," and we've decided not to purchase it for our upcoming issue. I'm no longer offering feedback because we've had to reject too many good stories simply because they weren't right for our market, and I want our contributors, regardless of the criticism they may receive from professors, writing groups, MFA programs, etc., to follow their own instincts. With that said, you might find unconventional narratives like "The Scoop" harder to place than more traditional tales---at least at first. Good luck!

Sincerely,

Kristen Marie, ed.