My three articles were rejected

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Editingsarah
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:56 am

My three articles were rejected

Post by Editingsarah »

I got the e-mails right after lunch. All three of my articles were rejected. They said I had spelled and grammar issues. I'm not sure exactly what they mean or if I can write anymore for these people. Any thoughts?
BarryDavidson
Posts: 561
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:10 am

Re: My three articles were rejected

Post by BarryDavidson »

That depends. Can you still sign into yout account on the main site?
mnicol22
Posts: 165
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 4:18 am

Re: My three articles were rejected

Post by mnicol22 »

If your account was suspended, you would probably receive a relevant email, so I suppose you can still give it another shot. When you're first starting on C-C, I think it's best to take it slow. Review one of the articles you submitted, and check for any possible grammar, spelling, and punctuation slip-ups.

If you're unsure about whether a word or sentence is correct, you can either reword it, or search it on Google. I do lots of searches, even for things that I'm almost certain are correct. It's always better to be 100% sure. Then, re-submit it and wait until it's reviewed. If it still doesn't go through, maybe you should take some time to improve your skills before trying again.

Good luck!
Editingsarah
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:56 am

Re: My three articles were rejected

Post by Editingsarah »

And I made a spelling mistake in my first post. Sorry guys... I think they've asked me not to resubmit any of the three articles.. I don't know what I want to do. I'm thinking seriously about looking for paying work that is not writing.
Isabelnewth
Posts: 304
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:15 am

Re: My three articles were rejected

Post by Isabelnewth »

It must be hard to decide whether to persist or not, but I do think the standards and rules here are quite rigid, and not typical of other writing sites. And also you may be able to adjust your writing to suit this site.

I retired with hurt feelings at one point, but am jogging along fairly ok now.

Good luck.
BarryDavidson
Posts: 561
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:10 am

Re: My three articles were rejected

Post by BarryDavidson »

It took me a few rejections to get with the flow. The market here is for a slightly different style than your average web content. A few of the editors are a bit harsh from time to time, but they were taught that way. I don't think things have changed that much, but editors are now taught things which go against time honored rules.

Look at it from another perspective. Recent studies show that the reading level of the average internet user is in the 6th to 7th grade (US) level. Grammar and punctuation are also taught differently than even twenty years ago. The plight of the poor comma is an example. If I had a nickle for every time I've seen people and editors taught in the "modern" way go off on supposedly improper comma usage I'd be a millionaire. My wife, who has been editing for over twenty years, has had many people tell her that correct comma placements are wrong. I won't go that far. I know I make mistakes.

To get into the supposedly modern writing style start simple, and I do mean simple. Shorten your sentences if at all possible. Write for the market you want to target. Many customers want short simple sentences that everyone can understand. I don't get in in some cases because a conversational tone speaks to readers better than a "dummed" down version does. Still, like the Marines, we are expected to adapt and overcome. You can too with just a little thought and effort. Good luck.
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