BOUQUET

As writers, we spend a lot of time bitching to each other about editors, rejections, delays, the weather, why my Daddy never really loved me......

Anyway, a bouquet to Chiaroscuro magazine: I emailed them a story on the 9th of this month, and although they rejected it, they did so by way of a detailed critique, with constructive comments and encouragement to send more.

And I received it on the 11th.

BRICKBAT

At the other end, I rejected a Ticonderoga submission during the week, and within days received a number of emails from pals asking "Did you reject a story from (Name withheld for comedy purposes)?"

Seems our writer was so miffed at receiving a personalised rejection from someone he knew that he just had to rave about it on his LJ. (Never mind the snarky and ill-mannered email he sent me, arguing with his rejection. A novel approach, I must admit...) Apparently the editor didn't understand that the story was deliberately badly-written, clunky, and riddled with errors of both plot and style. Apparently it was a spoof of mainstream authors who condescend to write SF and do an awful job of it. This writer has been writing for 20 years, and it just bugs him when people don't get what he's aiming for.

Must have been better than I'm capable of noticing: I thought it was crap. Whilst I've not been writing for 20 years, I've certainly not turned out much worse in the 6 years I've been around. Well, not deliberately.