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Camille Dawnier's avatar

I love this rejection response—I find it disheartening how generic, flat and soulless lit mag responses can be, when they exist to sell beautiful words. How uncreative! I mean, they've got many editors, they could make an effort to craft ONE cool rejection email.

Now, would you like unsolicited advice from someone who has a 100% rejection score so far (out of below 10 submissions)? Of course, you don't. It was rhetorical, this is a self-motivating comment about things I should be doing because after reading this post, I can't wait to get rejected. That means I put myself out there, and that I wrote, wrote, wrote!

So, 1) lit mag vibe check guide for lazy girls (I mean who would rather spend time writing and living so they have things to write about): I submit a sample of my writings to Chat GPT or Gemini and ask for a list of lit mags matching my vibe, then check them out. It's pretty accurate! I still have to actually SUBMIT to be able to tell if that works or not.

2) I don't buy into this idea that you have to send hundreds of submissions to be finally accepted. I guess this is the shooting-in-the-dark method. But if you find the right mag at the right time, all it takes is one shot right?

Next one could be it! Your poems are wonderful.

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Kiana Alejandra's avatar

Camille, thanks for sharing your thoughts! I love your mindset. I’ve never thought to try asking chat GPT to match my work with different lit mags. That’s unique and pretty smart. Yes I’m more of the shoot in the dark method type of person, mainly due to laziness I think haha but your are right, it might not take many attempts at all and even if it does, at least we wrote and we are putting in the effort. I mean, it’s building our confidence skills if anything. Thank you for reading my poems and for your kind and encouraging words!!

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Chase Hall's avatar

Great post ki:)

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Suzanne's avatar

I love that you received feedback from John! So cool.

Grace’s feedback is on point.

Also, Flowers. Wow. Made my breath catch. What a melancholic turn.

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Elizabeth Grace Martinez's avatar

Kiana you are a wonderful writing who has made me feel emotions many times. I am sure you do the same for many others as well

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Kiana Alejandra's avatar

Thank you, Elizabeth! 🩷

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Jamal Robinson's avatar

Props for putting yourself out there! ✊🏽

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Kiana Alejandra's avatar

Thank you! Glad I did!

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Dec 2
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Kiana Alejandra's avatar

Thank you, this is so encouraging 🩷

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