bleh

[valarltd]

I hate getting a rejection that is hopeless.
And I just did.

The whole plot is hopeless, and we can't fix it without drastically altering characters.
The ending is not happy enough, in fact, she found the end incredibly sad.
Our hero comes off insufferably smug and having it all, while his lover and his wife have to settle for half a loaf apiece.
I really cannot take this one into a menage, as one of the characters is not interested in women. And I can't make our hero ignore his wife and legacy. He's not the sort who would be horrid to her.

Damn damn damn. And that's 40K words and 4 years of fiddling down the drain.

Comments

[princesslanie.livejournal.com]

hugs

[jenshih-blue.livejournal.com]

Don't give up, dear. There are tons of publishers out there willing to accept something like you've described. I have an acquaintance who had a story he shopped around for years and was rejected numerous times. He just recently found someone willing to give the MS a chance and it's been selling very well.

The rallying call with all writers should be: Never give up! Never surrender!

*hugs*

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

The problem is, it's a sequel to a book that just came out from that pub.

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

They rejected it. You're free to send it elsewhere.

[celestinenox]

Oh PFT. What is it with people and wanting honey-happy sweet endings and characters with no moral ambiguity? >:( You know how I feel about that.

[jenshih-blue.livejournal.com]

Well, damn that does suck. *smishes you harder*

Can't believe they're turning down a sequel. :-(

[(Anonymous)]

The D-Man Checks In: ...And here I thought one of the joys & advantages to writing is that you can alter reality as you see fit, characters & all. Kinda like playing a Sims game on your computer, only without the really cool graphics, endless expensive add-ons, and networking; just words & mental images.

If the buyer does not like certain key points in & to the story, change them.

Be true to your story & characters and see -no- profit, or change what needs changing (maybe pull characters from the story & insert new ones who will accept the changes needed to fit the desired bill) and make a profit.

You've worked 4 years on this.
I believe you can put in another 4 months tweaking it to fit somebody's particular tastes if that is what it will take to make it $ell so that it will finally produce $ome fruit for your labor$. Waste naught, want naught. 40k words is a lot to just kiss off & watch slowly swirl down the toilet with your tears.

1.) Keep a draft of the original story for posterity (or sale at a later date to a different client, many years from now). Keep your characters & the muses who inspired them content (even if they seem fated to never go anywhere in their story's current configuration).

2.) Burn a duplicate of the original.

3.) Word Search & change character names as needed.

4.) Word Search & change character personalities, tastes, and whatever to fit the new/desired mold. Leave those who already fit with the needed changes right where they are.

5.) Beta-read & alter dialogue, scenes, story lines, and the conclusion as needed to fit the new/desired mold.

6.) Re-submit for print.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Or, even simpler, find an editor whose taste it DOES suit...

[(Anonymous)]

The D-Man Responds: That's the spirit!