It’s been a busy start to 2017 and yesterday was
particularly active!
On January 4th, my short story A Grand Succession was bought by the
magazine Nebula Rift, and will be
appearing in Vol. 4 No. 12, going active on January 18th. Then, on the 9th, my short Dreamlogger was accepted by the anthology First Contact. This is the second piece I have placed with this
publisher, I have a story in their time travel anthology as well. Both volumes
are still reading, I believe, but should be coming available in 2017.
Yesterday I also picked up another short-listing. My story Last Stop Paradise is in the
second-reading group with the magazine New
Myths, and there is an interesting aside goes with this. It had just come
back from its previous submission, accompanied by feedback which, for the most
part, was the most glowing praise, the negative points generally constituted
minor edits – we’re talking jargon which might need explaining, like “EMP” and
“goldilocks zone,” and whether the latter should have capitals… Pretty minor,
right? One reader had an issue with the structure of the conclusion and I would
have been more than willing to do a rewrite as I could see where they were coming
from. Whatever, this was grounds for them declining. I redirected the story at
once, as one does, and found to my delight it was shortlisted the same day.
This sort of thing makes it imperative to remember that feedback is subjective
(as many magazines, this one included, point out). A beginner would likely be
inclined to take it at face value, but there are as many reactions as there are
readers, and one might at times be rewriting material which is already
perfectly welcome elsewhere.
In the evening of the same day the “galley proofs” came in
for Nebula Rift, a .pdf mockup of the
edition in which I read my story and comment on edits – a new experience for
me!
And the final progress yesterday was not one but two
solicitations. The magazine Scout solicited
my short story Rebirth, which I
queried with them, as, while it fitted their brief very closely in most
respects, ran contrary on one other – I outlined the piece and editor asked to
see it, so fingers crossed! And the new magazine Retro Futures, a themed-issues collection, has an upcoming theme
for which my provocatively titled “Middle Stars” novella Annie Lustrum’s Psychedelic Shag Wagon may be appropriate, and the
editor solicited it on my teaser. Once again, serious crossed fingers and all
hopes for positive reactions.
The Nebula Rift
proofs are done now, so back to writing for me today…
Cheers, Mike Adamson
PS: The header image is free stock art...
Fantastic news all ways around, Mike. Starting out early last year I was really optimistic ... I had no idea how tough it actually *is* to get into print -- or even virtual print (ePrint??). Now, however, the results I was expecting to see six months ago are actually happening. The optimism I felt -- which admittedly waned somewhat along the way -- is turning out to be well founded. I can only say, Bravo! And thank gods you have the courage, energy, and the strength to "keep on keeping on" in the face of discouragement that would knock 95% of writers flat. Do not stop!! I honestly believe you've got the tiger by the tail now: you've already invested the vast majority of the necessary work, and the pieces are starting to drop into place. Go, team, go!!
ReplyDelete:-) Thanks! I admit it was tough in the middle months of the year when I had one acceptance, publication still months away, and I didn't seem to be able to get past the first readers no matter what. It's still heavily weighted to that equation but the counterbalance of some positives has swung us the other way a bit, and there's reason to think it'll keep on swinging -- so here goes!
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