posted
In the December 2008 issue of Analog, editor Stanley Schmidt says (in answer to a writer's request for more than a standard rejection letter) that Analog gets about 500 submissions each month. "This means," says Schmidt, "that 98-99% of stories must be rejected, and it's simply not because of anything conspicuously wrong with them, but simply because they don't stand out as sufficiently special from 98% of the competition."
This is what the monthly Ready for Market challenge is about: making our stories sufficiently special to stand out in the slush pile. It's about taking a story you've revised and polished, perhaps had critiqued here at Hatrack or elsewhere, and getting a quick read on its good and bad points; not a line-by-line, it should not need it, but an informed reader's take on aspects like characterization, plot, originality, style and willing suspension of disbelief--the critical factors that should help it to stand out from the crowd.
In exchange you merely agree to read and grade at least one story, although most contributors do more. Since the stories have been worked on with diligence, you can expect a reasonably good read and an engaging learning experience.
The grading system is designed to be quick to do, not onerous for the reader, and to help identify stories that might stand out from the others in the slush pile by scoring in the 7s, 8s and 9s on the critical factors that we grade. Also, if your story does well on most factors but not so well on one or two, you know those are the elements that need most work.
So, any takers for the January Reaady for Market challenge, our first of 2009?
posted
I'm in -that is I'm in if I can post something that is not really new....
I'd like to post something that has been rejected a couple of times. Maybe I can better understand what is wrong with it. Is this a reasonable way to use the challenge?
posted
While I have never gotten around to particapting since the first month. I am familiar with the rules.
1)C L Lynn, yes, a novella does count, and can be entered.
2)LAJD, yes, in fact this was, if memory serves me right, the reason TaleSpinner started and maintains this challenge. Rejection was considered at one point a requirement to having entered a piece, but the rules were changed to consider a piece that was at least workshopped. So Leslie, your piece sounds perfect.
LAJD, you've extensively worked on the novella that I intend to submit here, so you'll either avoid it like the plague or get to read it in "one large chunk," as you put it, instead of broken up into confusing segments.
I'm excited to start reading!
[This message has been edited by C L Lynn (edited January 01, 2009).]
posted
Yep, Tiergan's right, rejects welcome--maybe we can help identify what's wrong, if anything, or encourage submissions elsewhere if it looks good--as are novellas.
posted
If you have a story all polished and ready to go, maybe you'd like to offer it to the first Ready for Market challenge of 2009, which is now open here:
CL- I would love to take another look at Mists, but in one big hunk this time! I think you will find that you have seen the one I plan to post as well. Maybe its a bit better this go- around!
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