Synthesis
Between the discussion of tropes and my current slush experience and my own marketing reading, I think I've got it figured out.
Let me say this up front. I am not depressed or mopey. Well, maybe a little mopey. But this is rational me talking, left-brained me, not starry-eyed and hopeful me. I'm not looking for anyone to jump in and pat me on the shoulder and tell me what I already know, because that just confuses me. Read, and tell me if you agree with what I say. Especially tell me where you don't, and provide URLs if you can answer my question at the end.
I'm reading things like Asimov's and Fantasy & Science Fiction (because, well the periodicals section at the nearby B&N is pretty thin). I sometimes read Strange Horizons. I don't read much, because I have a very hard time getting into stories.
But what I have noticed in the short stories is one common element: a catch. A gotcha. A sharp veering from reality-as-we-know-it.
What's interesting is that very few editors will spell this out in their submission guidelines. I don't know if this is some form of political correctness, but what they frequently do say is something about character-driven stories.
While that might be the truth, I don't think it's the whole truth.
What I'm getting from my reading, is that editors are looking for character-driven stories with a gee-whiz element to them. Something truly fantastical.
I don't have gee-whiz, I just have characters. Characters with a capital "C", but still, Characters.
So, while I'll still send things out, I think I'll be doing it with no hope. I write well--yes. I know this. I just think my stories fall into the category EBear mentioned a while ago in reference to stories of hers that were rejected: nothing wrong, but not enough right. *
In my particular case it's not like I need to fix grammar or choose better words---I need to add more fantastical punch. But I mean, the punch and gee-whiz just isn't there to add. I don't really have anything else to write about--just this world of characters. That's all my imagination comes up with, so it's necessarily limited. They're simple stories about people using external events to come to grips with their inner demons. And the demons are figurative. Where the hell is the short market for that?
* And this, Bonnie, is why I'm confident I'll be sending Fall somewhere else soon. There's more than enough stuff out there that's well-written and has punch. Face to face, my stories will lose. This is an observation, not self-denigration.
Let me say this up front. I am not depressed or mopey. Well, maybe a little mopey. But this is rational me talking, left-brained me, not starry-eyed and hopeful me. I'm not looking for anyone to jump in and pat me on the shoulder and tell me what I already know, because that just confuses me. Read, and tell me if you agree with what I say. Especially tell me where you don't, and provide URLs if you can answer my question at the end.
I'm reading things like Asimov's and Fantasy & Science Fiction (because, well the periodicals section at the nearby B&N is pretty thin). I sometimes read Strange Horizons. I don't read much, because I have a very hard time getting into stories.
But what I have noticed in the short stories is one common element: a catch. A gotcha. A sharp veering from reality-as-we-know-it.
What's interesting is that very few editors will spell this out in their submission guidelines. I don't know if this is some form of political correctness, but what they frequently do say is something about character-driven stories.
While that might be the truth, I don't think it's the whole truth.
What I'm getting from my reading, is that editors are looking for character-driven stories with a gee-whiz element to them. Something truly fantastical.
I don't have gee-whiz, I just have characters. Characters with a capital "C", but still, Characters.
So, while I'll still send things out, I think I'll be doing it with no hope. I write well--yes. I know this. I just think my stories fall into the category EBear mentioned a while ago in reference to stories of hers that were rejected: nothing wrong, but not enough right. *
In my particular case it's not like I need to fix grammar or choose better words---I need to add more fantastical punch. But I mean, the punch and gee-whiz just isn't there to add. I don't really have anything else to write about--just this world of characters. That's all my imagination comes up with, so it's necessarily limited. They're simple stories about people using external events to come to grips with their inner demons. And the demons are figurative. Where the hell is the short market for that?
* And this, Bonnie, is why I'm confident I'll be sending Fall somewhere else soon. There's more than enough stuff out there that's well-written and has punch. Face to face, my stories will lose. This is an observation, not self-denigration.