[Writingworkshop] Deja Rejection

[Neale Morison]

And in other news, F&SF says 'Thank for you submitting "Specs." but I'm 
going to pass on it. This tale didn't quite work for me, I'm afraid...'
It seems Stacy Friedberg and John Joseph Adams have a similar turn of 
phrase. About a week since I sent it. At least they turn their 
rejections around quickly. I'd love to know what their criteria are. I'd 
love to know the line at which they stopped reading.

That's Asimovs and F&SF who regretfully don't want anything to do with 
Specs. There's not a lot of insight to be gained from these form 
rejections. We need a way of figuring out what we're doing wrong. Either 
we give each other brutally nitpicking honest advice or we find someone 
who will.

Working from some good advice in "How Not to Write a Novel", Mittelmark 
and Newman, I can think of one thing I did wrong in Specs. The bit where 
he takes a shower and moons the surveillance op and she notices a rash 
around the pelvic region. It was meant to desexualize the moment and 
wind up the pathos, but it maybe just like totally grosses people out.

Also the technology was a bit pedestrian. Not radical enough. I'm bored 
with wonder tech, but maybe the alternative, not very different from now 
tech, is equally boring to some.

Also there was no sex. 

-- 
Neale Morison
neale at nealemorison.com
http://www.nealemorison.com
35 Frazer St, Leichhardt NSW 2040
+61 417 661 427

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