Top 10 Rejections at The Colored Lens
#8 Depth
Sometimes we call it a need for ‘extra texture’, sometimes we say ‘I couldn’t emotionally engage’ but what we mean is, for the style of the story, we felt it needed more depth, more complexity. This is really difficult to explain because it’s so subjective to each individual piece, and I can only generalise. It could be the characters were underdeveloped or the theme was too black and white (or under explored). It could be the author held back too much with world building or authenticity. It could be inexplicable, but there nonetheless.
And sometimes, just sometimes, to turn everything on its head from time to time, there could be a story that, in its seeming simplicity, cleverly highlights a deeper truth and doesn’t need the extra layers. It has depth by its own restraint.
Does that mangle your mango? Sorry.
#9 Tension and Atmosphere
This is my personal red flag. Creating tension can be one of the hardest things to do – push too far and you can enter Melodrama Land, too little and hello, Flat-as-a-pancake Land! But I find that pancakes seem to be more popular than melodrama. I get why – we writers always feel the need to explain. More often than not we go overboard. Too much explanation on the page at the wrong time derails the drama – especially if it’s easily obtained and nobody had to work to get it. See what happens in your writing by holding back. Dangle some carrots but don’t allow us a bite. Not until you have to.
And what about atmosphere? Read tension and atmosphere also as anticipation, suspense, mystery – all these things contribute. Learning how to create them will do your story wonders (check out the vid at around 15mins onwards). I find this particularly relevant when reading horror. It’s not just about the gore. For an example of what I mean, read this story here.
#10 Cats
Cats accidentally stepping on the reject button. That’s a joke — we don’t have a reject ‘button’ that a cat can stand on. I just wanted to scare you- Mohahahahahaaaaa!
#The real 10
There is also the little mentioned but often enough case that we like your story, we really, really do, but we have limited space and others were just a smidge, or even a lot, better than yours. Remember, you are in competition all the time with fellow authors. This is why it is especially important to present your work in its finest form (by revising).
