2020 was a tough year in terms of self-motivation and sitting down to actually write (or read, or do anything beyond doomscrolling and video games). The Coronaverse was overwhelming—the unknowns, the paranoia, the deaths, the blur of weeks spent indoors.
Only now, in January 2021, am I actively seeking restoration (even though the pandemic continues to rage).
11/30/2020
Unfortunately, your story has not been chosen for inclusion this time. We’re sorry the number of submissions doesn’t allow for a more personal response. But don’t be disheartened, our anthologies are still open for submission.
7/25/2020
Thank you for submitting your story, [Omitted], to our 5th Anthology. Unfortunately it doesn’t fit our needs at this time. Please feel free to submit to later anthologies!
7/24/2020
Thank you for submitting [Omitted] but it didn’t quite work for me. We received so many submissions that most will be rejected on the first page or two. For me, there were some really cool ideas on the page, some great visuals, and some cool sociopolitical elements. But I wanted a bit more meat to the first couple of pages; perhaps character motivation/goal, perhaps some kind of tension. I wanted more than what the opening pages were giving me. I hope you are able to place this one elsewhere, and look forward to seeing more from you in the future.
7/24/2020
We’re passing but thanks so much for giving us a chance here.
7/14/2020
Thank you for sending [Omitted] to Swords & Sorcery Magazine. I enjoyed reading it and considered it for publication but ultimately chose another story. I would be happy to see more of your work in my inbox in the future.
7/14/2020
Thank you for sending us [Omitted]. We appreciate that you gave Psychopomp the chance to read it and apologize for our longer than usual response time. Unfortunately, your submission was not chosen for publication. Please know that we must decline many quality submissions because they may not fit the shape of our upcoming issue (or quite simply because we feel we are not the right home for this work). That said, we decline a lot of work we greatly admire and often find this work in the pages of other journals. We wish you success in your writing and hope that you keep us in mind in the future.
6/30/2020
We thought this was a really unique concept but unfortunately, we will not be accepting it at this time. Although had magic elements, this story didn’t quite feel right for this particular anthology. We wish you the best in finding this story a home.
5/23/2020
Thank you for the opportunity to read your work. Unfortunately, this story wasn’t right for us. Best of luck placing it elsewhere. Thanks for taking the time to submit to The Overcast.
5/23/2020
Thanks for sending [Omitted] our way. There’s plenty to like, but it’s not quite a fit for us this time around. This story everyone on the team liked, but no one loved enough to fight for it in the final battle of choosing the last few stories for the anthology. It made it very far, but not the final cut. I’m sorry for holding onto it so long. I wish you the best of luck in finding a home for it, and we’d be happy to see more from you next year.
5/22/2020
Thank you for sending your story to Three-lobed Burning Eye magazine. Unfortunately, we have decided not to accept it for publication. We regret that we cannot offer more feedback and wish you the best in finding a home for this piece.
5/9/2020
Thank you for sending us [Omitted]. We appreciate the chance to read it. Unfortunately, the piece is not for us.
We receive many submissions and can only accept a small fraction for publication. In an effort to provide you something helpful, I thought I would pass along some observations from the review staff. Keep in mind as you read their comments that they…
1. won’t catch everything
2. are not given to fawning praise
3. aren’t perfect. Some of them struggle with the same issues in their own writing.
4. assume that authors will take their words in the spirit they are given: to improve your chances at publication.
Hopefully the sum of all the reviews you receive (from Silver Blade and other venues) will give you insight on what needs the most work. I wish you luck on your publication dreams.
5/4/2020
Thank you very much for your submission to our Historic Fantasy Anthology. Our anthology has now been filled, which means we will not be including your story in the anthology. It has been our pleasure to review your work and we hope it finds another home. We appreciate the time and energy you invested in writing and submitting to us and wish you the very best during this uncertain time.
4/30/2020
Thank you for submitting [Omitted] to Arsenika. Unfortunately, we have decided not to accept this piece for publication. Editor tastes vary widely, and we hope you find a home for this piece soon.
3/14/2020
Thank you so much for giving Claw & Blossom the opportunity to read this story. Although [Omitted] did not quite work out for us, we enjoyed many of the elements in this vivid piece, and the prose moved well. It was a difficult decision, and we regret having to ultimately decline. Submissions are already open for Issue Five: Solstice. If you have something else that would fit the theme of FLAME, please consider sending it our way. Thank you again for your interest in Claw & Blossom!
See Also
Desmond, Write 