Rejected! · 1:55am Dec 6th, 2013
Howdy folks! So during the writer concentration camp One-Shotober challenge I decided to submit one of my stories to EQD on a lark to see what the process was like (y'know, in case I ever write anything worth being there for), and I chose my story Fix You. Not my best work but a very personal piece, and one of the few already existing stories of mine that met their requirements. Here's the response:
Starswirl's Beard,
Thank you for submitting Fix You to Equestria Daily for our consideration. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend it for publication at this time.
While there's little mechanically wrong with the story, ultimately, there's no real story here. There's no narrative arc, no character growth, no climax, significant choice. In fact, the only decision made in the entire story is Twilight's toward the end, when she decides to help make Applejack physically male. Not only is this somewhat unsatisfying in that Twilight isn't the main character, but I wonder if it's really best to send the message that the ultimate triumph for a transgender individual is convincing someone else to help them complete the transition. It seems to me like there's quite a bit more material to mine in terms of conflict and development in Applejack, rather than in the rest of the mane 6.
I'm rejecting this story with a strike, but to be honest, it will take a pretty serious rework before I think it's ready for publishing.
Please feel free to email us with any questions.
While totally expected, it still stings a bit. It's hard to see anything that you work on being denied, but I see the points this prereader is trying to make. I suppose I didn't quite get my point across as I'd have liked but I plan to rework it and maybe will even submit it again.
I'm sorry to hear that, Starswirls. Fix You is a really good fic, and I think that those ninnies over at EqD are absolutely full of it.
(Yet one more reason that I personally won't be submitting anything of mine there.) So I'm sorry to hear that it got rejected.
Don't be down, though. You do what you feel that you need to do, and I, for one, will be behind you all the way.
1577024, 1577314
Thanks. I don't think rejection is enough to throw a screaming fit like some other authors, but it still stings a bit. I don't really care for EQD or how it's run, but they do reach a pretty large audience.
1579364 You're welcome, and well put.
Oh, I'm sure that it does, which is why, when I got to the site, I basically just browse through stuff and comment on certain things there. I have absolutely no inclination to submit any of my fics there, and so I likely won't.
And yeah, they do. Honestly, I do like the site, for when it just comes down to checking things out, but other than that, meh. Seth really needs to run things a bit better. IMHO.