I want to know if I'm the only one to experience this; I'm looking forward to getting a rejection notice for my first Dragon Magazine queries! Is that so strange?
Yes, I know I should be optimistic, but this *is* my first query. I really just want a response! Am I the only one to feel this way?
I want to know if I'm the only one to experience this; I'm looking forward to getting a rejection notice for my first Dragon Magazine queries! Is that so strange?
Yes, I know I should be optimistic, but this *is* my first query. I really just want a response! Am I the only one to feel this way?
I can't say as I remember my first rejected query (there've been so many :) ). But I do remember my first rejected article, "Staffs for Specialists", with some fondness.
Good luck!
I can't say as I remember my first rejected query (there've been so many :) ). But I do remember my first rejected article, "Staffs for Specialists", with some fondness.Good luck!
I remember my first query rejection. Jason sent me a message rejecting several class act articles. It was clearly a form letter, but I remember both the twist in my gut and the little thrill... at this point I was still waiting on a number of responses from the Black Hole in the Submissions room at Dungeon, and I was hoping no news was good news. Which it was, after a fashion, since some of my Campaign Workbook articles were accepted.
I also vividly recall my first rejection from Dungeon, very short, a simple "I'm sorry we cannot use these ideas at this time" -- probably because it came with my first acceptance to Dungeon, a Campaign Workbook article (in this month's issue, "Merchant Madness").
I was so excited at getting the acceptance for my campaign workbook article that I didn't get the pain in the gut from the rejections for almost a week!
I also remember the first rejection I got for a feature query, again from Jason, and boy was I upset. I had gotten very attached to the idea, which I still think was top rate, and still wonder why it didn't make the cut. Every time I think about it, I remind myself of the acceptance from Dungeon, and I review a mantra I got from Mike (parapharased) "When you get a rejection, it's often not a rejection of your article, or your idea, or your writing, but simply that your article idea doesn't fit what we need at the time." Mike also reminded me that he knows the feeling of rejection, since he's still trying to break into Dungeon, and editors go through the same process as the rest of us.
- Ashavan
My first query to Dragon was while Matt Sernett was still at the proverbial helm. The query had several things in it, some of which Matt asked for, and some were rejected out-right.
One of the ones Matt wanted to see was a prestige class. At some point after my submission of the article, it was decided to drop "Gaining Prestige" as a regular feature, and I got the bad news somepoint shortly after that.
I don't recall if that was the first article I had rejected or not, but that's the first one that actually stung a little bit. The worst part of that rejection, though, was the news that Dragon wasn't accepting queries for prestige classes at the time. I was just about to send in my next query, and it had probably a half dozen or so prestige classes that I use in my game - so I pretty much had to scrap the entire query.
*sniff* I still get all verklempt just thinking about it... *sniff* Talk amongst yourselves....
:P
One of the ones Matt wanted to see was a prestige class. At some point after my submission of the article, it was decided to drop "Gaining Prestige" as a regular feature, and I got the bad news somepoint shortly after that.
I don't recall if that was the first article I had rejected or not, but that's the first one that actually stung a little bit. The worst part of that rejection, though, was the news that Dragon wasn't accepting queries for prestige classes at the time. I was just about to send in my next query, and it had probably a half dozen or so prestige classes that I use in my game - so I pretty much had to scrap the entire query.
*sniff* I still get all verklempt just thinking about it... *sniff* Talk amongst yourselves....
:P
Don't even get me started on that!
(oops too late :) )
I wrote a bucket load of "Adventurer Tricks", "Player's Tips" and "Heroic Feat" articles in sequence, each scrapped only after my deluge. I began to suspect I had the reverse Midas touch when I dutifully started in on "Gaining Prestige" and "Winning Races" articles, which also promptly went extinct as regular features.
On one level though it was an improvement, prior to killing departments I used to kill entire magazines :) All it took was for an editor to accept something I had written and the magazine was sure to go belly up before it made it too print.
Compliments to the gang at Paizo for surviving my radioactive writing :)
I want to know if I'm the only one to experience this; I'm looking forward to getting a rejection notice for my first Dragon Magazine queries! Is that so strange?
Yes, I know I should be optimistic, but this *is* my first query. I really just want a response! Am I the only one to feel this way?
That's the spirit!
I wrote a bucket load of "Adventurer Tricks", "Player's Tips" and "Heroic Feat" articles in sequence, each scrapped only after my deluge. I began to suspect I had the reverse Midas touch when I dutifully started in on "Gaining Prestige" and "Winning Races" articles, which also promptly went extinct as regular features.
I see. So it's your fault. At least now I know who to blame. :P
That's the spirit!I want to know if I'm the only one to experience this; I'm looking forward to getting a rejection notice for my first Dragon Magazine queries! Is that so strange?
Yes, I know I should be optimistic, but this *is* my first query. I really just want a response! Am I the only one to feel this way?
Damn strait! I wanna come in second! :P~
On one level though it was an improvement, prior to killing departments I used to kill entire magazines :)
Gee Hal, I used to think of myself as a message board thread killer ... but you've killed off entire magazines? I'm impressed.
Which magazine did you "kill off" Hal?
Two as I recall, both charitably called "small press" (we're talking micro, we're talking "our core demographic are the preteen offspring of nanobots" :) ).
One had a title something like "Youthquake", and was dedicated to serving as "the voice of the emerging majority" (which I think meant people born in the early to mid 70's :) ). The other was something like "Coastal Dreamers" intended to serve as a forum for regional fiction.
But it does seem, now that I've graduated to killing off departments within magazines, that my aim has improved. Not sure what the next step would be, maybe certain kinds of punctuation?
(semi-colon, you're a dead man!)
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I got my first (and only) rejection from Dragon in 1999 for some Ravenloft and Birthright related fiction. It was a form letter and I still have the rejection slip on a nail on my wall. It did stop me (shame!) from submitting to Dragon again, but I was able to sell the stories later to a fan-zine (The Inquisitor)with some minor changes.
I got my first (and only) rejection from Dragon in 1999 for some Ravenloft and Birthright related fiction. It was a form letter and I still have the rejection slip on a nail on my wall. It did stop me (shame!) from submitting to Dragon again, but I was able to sell the stories later to a fan-zine (The Inquisitor)with some minor changes.
Why not try again? Unless, that is, you prefer writing fiction. Unfortunately, as I understand it, Dragon is not accepting fiction anymore. But if you enjoy writing rules material or background material for the D&D game, there is no reason not to give it another shot.
Noooooo, I like semi-colons!
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it's mostly because I prefer fiction writting and my 2 favorite settings are gone (Ravenloft & Birthright) The other reason is I have been working on novels since then and currently I am trying to sell those.
But I haven't given up on Dragon or Dungeon...I am working on an article for class acts right now, I'll be sending off a query letter soon.
Keep the pen running!
Noooooo, I like semi-colons!
It's the bastard son of a comma and a period; the semi-colon must be eliminated!
Noooooo, I like semi-colons!It's the bastard son of a comma and a period; the semi-colon must be eliminated!
what's all this talk of elimination... positive thoughts people! I submitted a whole slew of ecology proposals this weekend... I'm looking forward to many rejections... and with luck at least one "we'd like to see more"
- Ashavan
what's all this talk of elimination... positive thoughts people! I submitted a whole slew of ecology proposals this weekend... I'm looking forward to many rejections... and with luck at least one "we'd like to see more"- Ashavan
Yeah, I just wrapped up another "pitch week" myself. Final total, thirty-three unless I missed a few here and there (slippery little buggers :) ). Assuming a few get the nod I probably won't trot out any more ideas until around Christmas.
Of course, I've still got two articles left to go from my last pitch week, but if I can just manage to coordinate my queries properly I should hopefully hear back right around the time of the last deadline :)
(Zen and the art of article queries...)
I'm starting to wonder how I get anything published at all, I'm so disorganized. Pitch week, my God!
I sent eight or so out a few weeks ago, got the green light on three, wrote one, then pitched four more based on the one acceptance, now I'm going to write another one...in case I get more ideas in which case I'll query them...sheesh.
-Amber S.
I'm starting to wonder how I get anything published at all, I'm so disorganized. Pitch week, my God!
I sent eight or so out a few weeks ago, got the green light on three, wrote one, then pitched four more based on the one acceptance, now I'm going to write another one...in case I get more ideas in which case I'll query them...sheesh.
-Amber S.
My current goals are one dragon query (well, usually these are several grouped together, as you know)/campaign workbook and one dungeon adventure query a week. I'm not keeping up though.
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I'm starting to wonder how I get anything published at all, I'm so disorganized. Pitch week, my God!
Hal is probably our most organized contributor, at least from what I've seen interacting with him. :)
And don't worry Amber, being disorganized won't keep you out of Dragon. Such a quality fits in pretty well with the editorial stylings of Jason and me, after all. ;D
(Think I'm kidding? You've obviously never received an "oops, I lost your Class Act article" email from me!) ;P
Hal is probably our most organized contributor, at least from what I've seen interacting with him. :)
A writer who is [/i]organized[/n]?!?
Gosh. I don't think I've ever met one of those ....
Hal is probably our most organized contributor, at least from what I've seen interacting with him. :)
A writer who is [/i]organized[/n]?!?
Gosh. I don't think I've ever met one of those ....
Troy -
Sure you have. I'm an administrative assistant at my day job, so it's my job to be organized on behalf of other people.
Now if I could just come up with some decent ideas for Mike, since he seems to be the swift response guru at Dragon...
- Ashavan
Mike? A guru?
:rofl:
Hal is probably our most organized contributor, at least from what I've seen interacting with him. :)
You're just saying that because I worked out the crunch/fluff ratio of articles in the last twelve issues. There's nothing weird about that.
(right? please?)
Actually, when you think of it, the sorts of people who are most often refered to as "organized" also sometimes end up featured in news stories with the phrase "quiet and kept to himself"
:)
Sure you have. I'm an administrative assistant at my day job, so it's my job to be organized on behalf of other people.
Organized for others is one thing ... that's a job. I'm organized at my job too. If you are organized as a writer ... all the power to you. But I work with a lot of writers at my workplace, and they are master stackers. Ever seen drawings in Dr. Seuss books of impossibly high stacks of stuff, well, that's my workplace. Lots of writers, lots of stacks, lots of chaos.
But when I'm writing ..... forget it. Piles and piles of notes ... and post its ... and rule books splayed out all over the floor. Course, I have to step over the kids' toys to get to the desk, which also is cluttered. Broken pencils, overflowed trash can, empty beverage containers.
Does this ring a bell for anyone else? Or am I hopeless?
Rule books splayed out all over the place, definitely. I usually have two or three spread open on my lap too, as I sit cross-legged at the computer. No wonder my back hurts all the time.
And empty pop cans all over the darn place.
You're just saying that because I worked out the crunch/fluff ratio of articles in the last twelve issues. There's nothing weird about that.
(right? please?)
Nothing wrong with that at all, Hal. It's a very normal thing to do.
Now, I want you to sit down, relax, take it easy, just chill out a little.
Comfy? Good. Stay right there, Hal. I'll be right back.
"SOMEBODY CALL FOR THE GUYS IN THE WHITE COATS! GET 'EM HERE, PRONTO! WE GOT AN EMERGENCY TYPE CASE HERE!"
Still feeling relaxed, Hal? Great. I have some friends coming over. They're nice people. They're going to help you. No problem at all.
But when I'm writing ..... forget it. Piles and piles of notes ... and post its ... and rule books splayed out all over the floor. Course, I have to step over the kids' toys to get to the desk, which also is cluttered. Broken pencils, overflowed trash can, empty beverage containers.
Does this ring a bell for anyone else? Or am I hopeless?
Wow... You're describing me the day before I run a game. I think it's in the nature of creativity to be messy. We even have a type of artist that specializes in being messy - Abstract Expressionist.
Piles and piles of notes ... and post its ... and rule books splayed out all over the floor. Course, I have to step over the kids' toys to get to the desk, which also is cluttered. Broken pencils, overflowed trash can, empty beverage containers.
Alright - where's the hidden camera? you're looking at my desk as you describe this, obviously. ;)
Comfy? Good. Stay right there, Hal. I'll be right back.
"SOMEBODY CALL FOR THE GUYS IN THE WHITE COATS! GET 'EM HERE, PRONTO! WE GOT AN EMERGENCY TYPE CASE HERE!"
Still feeling relaxed, Hal? Great. I have some friends coming over. They're nice people. They're going to help you. No problem at all.
All of a sudden I had a Simpson's image pop into my head, Homer running for garbage commisioner, interupting a U2 concert and Bono saying, "Don't worry folks he's getting the help he needs"
(as the giant screens show the roadies pounding on him :) )
I'm an avatar of chaos myself so I have no choice but to use files, color coded paper clips, idea logs, designating certain times for specific activities (pitch week) and all of my other little tricks to hold the shadow at bay. If I didn't I'm quite sure the clutter would eat me in my sleep :) Despite that I am still, unfortunately, all too familiar with the "looming piles of paper" to which you speak.
All of a sudden I had a Simpson's image pop into my head, Homer running for garbage commisioner, interupting a U2 concert and Bono saying, "Don't worry folks he's getting the help he needs"
(as the giant screens show the roadies pounding on him :) )
LOL
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Mike? A guru?
:rofl:
::Notes to reject all of Zherog's future submissions.::
Organized for others is one thing ... that's a job. I'm organized at my job too. If you are organized as a writer ... all the power to you. But I work with a lot of writers at my workplace, and they are master stackers. Ever seen drawings in Dr. Seuss books of impossibly high stacks of stuff, well, that's my workplace. Lots of writers, lots of stacks, lots of chaos.
But when I'm writing ..... forget it. Piles and piles of notes ... and post its ... and rule books splayed out all over the floor. Course, I have to step over the kids' toys to get to the desk, which also is cluttered. Broken pencils, overflowed trash can, empty beverage containers.
Does this ring a bell for anyone else? Or am I hopeless?
That's what my desk at Paizo kinda looks like. I always have the core rulebooks in easy reach, and lately I've been keeping some of my Eberron books close by (although I'm not actually sure why). The rest of my rulebooks are arranged on a shelf above my computer, alphabetized within each category of book (so all the FR books are together and alphabetized, the Complete books are together and alphabetized, and so on). All the Dragons and Dungeons since third edition share the shelf with the rulebooks (as do a bunch of plush dragons and other cubicle toys). On my desk stand the CMS (i.e., My Precious) and American Heritage College Dictionary.
Sounds pretty organized, ne?
We won't talk about the 3-4 stacks of papers and miscellaneous other references piled up in the corners of my cube, then. ;) Bulmahn, Mona, Walker, and I have roughly the same level of clutter/organization to our cubes; Jacobs's cube is a little more cluttered (but he's one of those people who has organization in apparent chaos--he can find any resource in his cube within 3 seconds, which none of the rest of us can do); and Wes has the most organized/clutter-free/cleanliest cube.
So there you go. A little peek into Paizo. Enjoy! ^_^
(so all the FR books are together and alphabetized, the Complete books are together and alphabetized, and so on).
I do the same thing. Only mine are on my parents' entertainment center shelves (it's not like they watch those movies all the time anyway).
::Notes to reject all of Zherog's future submissions.::Mike? A guru?
:rofl:
DOH!
Um... I meant that guru doesn't come close to describing you. Yeah, that's the ticket...
(Nice save, Z.)
By the way, when can I wash your truck?
:D
To get this back on-topic a bit, I just want to wish everyone pitching ideas and articles/adventures to Dragon and Dungeon the best of luck!
The writing/submitting/waiting process can get frustrating, but never let it stop being a great challenge -- like an adventure, in fact!
With so much interest in getting published, its no wonder our favorite magazines are as good as they are!
Keep at it, all.
Oh, and I took bits from an article which was rejected by Dragon waaaay back some years ago and submitted them to another publisher, Bastion Press. They were accepted and are now part of D&D lore! (Not the big big time, but something, nonetheless.) So don't get discouraged. Try to find a home for all your writing.
Mike? A guru?
:rofl:
::Notes to reject all of Zherog's future submissions.::
You're a guru? That explains why all your emails begin with "oooohmmm".
If you move to an ashram and spend your days meditating who gets your stuff?
(gurus are non-materialistic right? or is that gnus... :) I always get them mixed up)
Alright - where's the hidden camera? you're looking at my desk as you describe this, obviously. ;)
Scrying spell, actually.
Although I fantasize about being a freelance contributor to a gaming magazine and being a husband and father to my family in this sleepy Midwest town, in real life I'm a 10th level bard capable of casting a scrying spell.
I'll cast another one now.
Oh, look there! It's our favorite editor, Mike ... and he's watching Japanese Anime on TV. **knocks on crystal ball** "Hey Mike, turn off the tube and start editing some Class Acts! We're all depending on you, man!"
Hmmmm, I don't think he heard me through the crystal ball. He probably thinks like Hermoine, and says all this divination stuff's a load of rubbish. As Professor Trelawney would say, "Few indeed are those who can open themselves up to view the hidden art that is divination."
Well, enough with the Harry Potter references. Let me try again.
I see a dark outline. Is it the Grim?!? Nope. It's just a pickup truck that needs washing. Hmmmmm. I wonder what to make of that!
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Oh, look there! It's our favorite editor, Mike ... and he's watching Japanese Anime on TV. **knocks on crystal ball** "Hey Mike, turn off the tube and start editing some Class Acts! We're all depending on you, man!"
Ack! My secret is out! ;D When da bosses announced that Paizo.com would begin carrying anime I whimpered out loud, much to the amusement of everyone else at the meeting. ;P
Hmmmm, I don't think he heard me through the crystal ball. He probably thinks like Hermoine, and says all this divination stuff's a load of rubbish. As Professor Trelawney would say, "Few indeed are those who can open themselves up to view the hidden art that is divination."
Well, enough with the Harry Potter references. Let me try again.
I see a dark outline. Is it the Grim?!? Nope. It's just a pickup truck that needs washing. Hmmmmm. I wonder what to make of that!
Indeed. Divination is rubbish... my truck is an SUV. ;D (Yes, I'm aware that there are some people out there who would claim that SUVs aren't trucks, but let me tell you that I've taken mine places no car could hope to survive. Huzzah for 4WD!)
Indeed. Divination is rubbish... my truck is an SUV. ;D
Scoff if you will at my powers of viewing the misty world of the west coast from my Midwest hovel ... Deny that it needs washing (especially by some attention seeking freelancer) good sir!
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Indeed. Divination is rubbish... my truck is an SUV. ;DScoff if you will at my powers of viewing the misty world of the west coast from my Midwest hovel ... Deny that it needs washing (especially by some attention seeking freelancer) good sir!
That I cannot. On the other hand, I don't exactly keep it a secret around here. ;D
meh - that just means the check has a low DC. like -10 or so. :D