Future Shock Submissions - Response Times

[CrazyFoxMachine]

My better half finally got her rejection today - took 12 months and was essentially "Dear writer, no - Matt Smith" - ! OH WELL.

[Professor Bear]

When you get "Dear writer: fuck you." that's when you worry, but it is worth remembering that plenty of writers have done just fine without ever selling a Future Shock.  Pretty much every US writer, for a start.

[Daveycandlish]

At least she got a 'Dear Writer' letter. I once just got a post it note on my returned stuff saying "no" (not from Tharg, I hasten to add)

[Starkers]

12 months eh? Well I sent my last submission in around a year ago so maybe I'll hear back soon (most likely with a rejection but you never know! )

My first ever submission I actually got some useful fedback on, but since then it's just been form rejections, which is fine, lord knows how many submissions they need to go though.

Worst rejection I ever got was from a publisher who didn't even deem me worthy enough to waste their own paper on (not even a post-it) they just scrawled all over my own letter!!!

I have a new future shock idea currently perculating in my brain so once(if) I get the rejection I should be able to get another submission in quite quickly.

By the way, does anyone know what tends to happen if your submision is accepted? I mean with regard to future submissions. Is it a case of having to get several Future Shocks accepted before you can submit a series proposal, and if this is the case does having one story already accepted add any weight to future submissions?

I've always felt that having a FS accepted would be getting your foot on the first rung of a ladder, but it's still a bloody big ladder I imagine--still, if you're going to climb a ladder the first step is to get on the thing!

[CrazyFoxMachine]

By the way, does anyone know what tends to happen if your submision is accepted?

I think you're asking the wrong people ahaha

[Starkers]

ha ha this could be very true!

[Starkers]

Well got my rejection from 2000AD yesterday, it did contain a smidgen of feedback however which is good. Too much exposition apparently...which I think is fair now I think about it.

[Colin YNWA]

That's one of the great things about feedback (or not) from Tharg. When you get it there's no point worrying about if you think its fair or not it doesn't matter. Its Tharg you've got to impress and what you think of the story is neither here nor there and its forces much cold hard analysis of what you've done. Agree or not.

I always assume (rightly or wrongly) if you get no feedback and 'just' the stock cheers but no, that he's not got past the synopsis you have sent. Therefore I focus on that. Has it served the story well. If you think it has what's the problem with the story as summarised, been done before, not exciting enough etc etc.

If you get actual feedback I assume (as above) the synopsis has been good enough to get the script read. Fantastic you can then compare and contrast with the one's that didn't. Then its to the execution with whatever specific feedback you have from him. Which once you get down to it will always be right as its the only opinion that matters (at that stage, with that aim in mind). So you have to find and understand what he's getting at or there's little point sending the next as you'll very possible just be repeating the same mistakes.

[Richmond Clements]

By the way, does anyone know what tends to happen if your submision is accepted?

Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory.

I mean with regard to future submissions. Is it a case of having to get several Future Shocks accepted before you can submit a series proposal, and if this is the case does having one story already accepted add any weight to future submissions?

Yes, I think this is more the case.

[Starkers]

Yes Colin_YNWA, I was pleased to get the feedback, over the 6 or 7 submissions I've made over the years this is only the second time I've got any feedback at all (the first time was, oddly, my first submission).

Looking at the story again I can definitely see what they mean about it being far too exposition heavy.

Just completed the initial draft of the next one I'll be sending in  a lot less exposition this time!!

[we66y]

Feed back is a funny thing really. On one hand you're pleased to get it but on the other hand it stings a little.

[Bat King]

Nothing wrong with getting rejections, so long as you take note of the feedback.

Never sent a Future Shock in but I've been rejected by Marvel. i got a very nice rehection and took it on board.

What I then did wrong was not try again. Not because I was put out, or upset. I just decided to write for fun and never hit on something I wanted to try to submit.

I realised I'm not that good at comic scripts. I need to do a few practice ones and ask someone to look at them for me I think. Not someone look at them to say they are going to publish them, just look to see if I am getting something usable.

I know obviously that writers vary in how they approach the script but you have more leeway the more you are published and how well you know the artist on a professional basis. Less leeway trying to get an editor to pay attention.

I might bug a few people at Thought Bubble with some scribblings. Though prose is my medium at the moment I would like to take a go at doing a script sometime.

[NorthVox]

Had a few rejections from tooth, always had good constructive criticism from them which is great. I think the longest I've had to wait to hear back from them was about 7 months or so.

[Rorschachs_Journal]

I got my rejection letter about a month or so ago. After submitting around about last June(ish) My feedback was basically "Thanks, but this particular story wasn't engaging enough."   ...Fair enough really. Dust myself down, try again!

[Starkers]

Well after waiting almost a year for one rejection I got the next in less than a month 

Oh well back to the drawing board. Luckily I have another idea