REJECTIONS

[BrandonLayng]

Rob you'll get them the next time you send it. Mike, I'm sure you'll be getting some more acceptances soon on those scripts. In the meantime get crackin' on some short fic man, the world needs more monsters from the Incredible Hult!  You should write a movie for Lou Ferrigno (sp?) I want to see him starring again. I miss seeing him act for more than three minutes.

[Dylan J Morgan]

14 week rejection from Dark Discoveries.

[Robert Essig]

Got a rejection from Necrotic Tissue yesterday. 

Another rejection from Black Ink Horror.

Both editors sounded like they were on the verge of accepting the stories.  Maybe next time.

[Robert Essig]

My chapbook submission was rejected by Strange Publications.  At least they were interrested enough, based on the query, to requst the full manuscript.

[JodiLee]

39 day rejection from Tales of the Talisman. Some day I'm gonna crack David's shell...I swear. LOL

[Robert Essig]

39 day rejection from Tales of the Talisman. Some day I'm gonna crack David's shell...I swear. LOL

I just had a couple of poems rejected by them.  It took me while to get a story accepted there.

Shameless plug alert * Shameless plug alert

I have a story in the next issue of Tales of the Talisman (#5.4) called "A Witch's Worst Enemy".  Out this spring.

[Dylan J Morgan]

There's nothing wrong with a shameless plug, Robert. Kudos. Err, and commisserations on the rejections too.

[JodiLee]

Interesting rejection from Black Matrix (Encounters Mag), 41 days out.

I think I'm going to re-work this story for the "Don't Tread on Me" anthology I saw listed at Duotrope... hehehe

[Robert Essig]

My novel was rejected from Chizine Publications.  It was accapted by Hilliard and Harris, but I turned down the contract.  I would have rather sold my soul to the Devil.     They're a publisher to stay away from.

[Dylan J Morgan]

My novel was rejected from Chizine Publications.  It was accapted by Hilliard and Harris, but I turned down the contract.  I would have rather sold my soul to the Devil.     They're a publisher to stay away from.

Bad luck about the rejection.

What was wrong with H&H? Can you elaborate on why we should away from them?

[Robert Essig]

My novel was rejected from Chizine Publications.  It was accapted by Hilliard and Harris, but I turned down the contract.  I would have rather sold my soul to the Devil.     They're a publisher to stay away from.

Bad luck about the rejection.

What was wrong with H&H? Can you elaborate on why we should away from them?

Well, they ask for 10 year exclusive rights to the book which seems a little lengthy.  They pay royalties based on the net income generated from sales.  From my understanding, the word net is tricky and allows them to make deductions such as book production and what ever else they come up with and take it off the top before paying the author their royalties (and they do this as I learned from someone who had a book published by H&H).  On top of that, they require that you buy 100 copies of the book on the date of publication at 50% off the cover price.  At $7.50 a book (after the 50% discount) that is $750 dollars I would have to pay just to get the book published.  No thanks.

[JodiLee]

Bad luck about the rejection.

What was wrong with H&H? Can you elaborate on why we should away from them?

Well, they ask for 10 year exclusive rights to the book which seems a little lengthy.  They pay royalties based on the net income generated from sales.  From my understanding, the word net is tricky and allows them to make deductions such as book production and what ever else they come up with and take it off the top before paying the author their royalties (and they do this as I learned from someone who had a book published by H&H).  On top of that, they require that you buy 100 copies of the book on the date of publication at 50% off the cover price.  At $7.50 a book (after the 50% discount) that is $750 dollars I would have to pay just to get the book published.  No thanks.

I agree with the rest of the post, however - find me a small press publisher that pays (and I mean pays, not says they'll pay) that doesn't take royalties on net. One thing writers need to start paying attention to is that mainstream/big house publishers pay substantially smaller royalties - either on net or gross - than small press. Would you rather the larger percentage on net, or smaller on gross? Work it out based on a friend's royalties from a big house publisher as compared to her tpb rights at a small press three years ago:

5% gross on $17.95=$0.90/copy to 5000 copies - 10% thereafter and 10% on ebooks throughout.

25% net on $7.91 after coverages (approx.$13.95 gross)=$1.98/copy to 500 copies - 35% thereafter and 50% on ebooks throughout.

It was her second contract I modeled Belfire's after, as well as two other small press contracts I had the good fortune to eyeball while I was agenting.

I got a rant on this kinda stuff, but I'll save it for my blog..LOL 

[Robert Essig]

That's interesting, Jodi.  Considering the contract was for 10% net, I suppose the royalties would have been pretty slim. 

I actually got a rejection from another publisher, and they brough some issues to my attention that has me going through the whole manuscript again.     I think it's turning out very well, though.

[Robert Essig]

Just got a rejection from Space and Time.  The story made it to the second round, but they felt it was "too familiar".  At least I made it to the second round.  Maybe next reading period.

[Myrrym]

One rejection from Necrotic Tissue this week.  Not "dark enough".  At least they didn't say it sucked!