Hello,
My article Energy Efficient Homes was rejected. Can you please tell me what I've done wrong? I've made some corrections, but I will wait for a reply before I resubmit.
This is the message I received from CC :
Still have some typo/missing spaces, etc. // Article exhibits problems with awkward wording. Awkward wording can include awkward word order, unclear/wordy phrasing, and phrasing that does not sound natural to a native English speaker's ear. Additionally, you utilize hyperbole quite a bit (life without electricity would grind to a halt?) Please try to make your point in a concise, grammatically correct manner.
Awaiting a response,
Article rejection
Moderators: Celeste Stewart, Ed, Constant
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Isabelnewth
- Posts: 304
- Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:15 am
Re: Article rejection
I don't know how you can really spot all typos spaces etc, other than by going through it all with a fine-tooth comb, best done after a break so you can look afresh. It's very easy to miss one or two. Some people have suggested changing the font, and maybe the font size, for the purpose of proof-reading.
I sympathise about the 'awkward wording' thing: I was rather outraged when CC accused me of writing as though English was not my first language. Moi!
There is a tendency here to reject fancy style, and to prefer plainer language. It is unpalatable when you feel you are being asked to make your work blander, but I think it can be quite good discipline to strip it down. I think that the jokey, exaggerated style which comes to me naturally tends to get rejected. But there must be quite a few editors on the site, and on matters of style there must be a range of opinions among them, I would suggest playing it as safe as possible for now even if it is irksome.
I would say that the 'grind to a halt' sentence is a bit exaggerated rather than hyperbolic, and I imagine that some editors would let it through but for now I would substitute something more factual if I were you, and then leave it for a bit before reading through again. It gets a lot easier once you are more used to the editors.
All the best, and good luck.
I sympathise about the 'awkward wording' thing: I was rather outraged when CC accused me of writing as though English was not my first language. Moi!
There is a tendency here to reject fancy style, and to prefer plainer language. It is unpalatable when you feel you are being asked to make your work blander, but I think it can be quite good discipline to strip it down. I think that the jokey, exaggerated style which comes to me naturally tends to get rejected. But there must be quite a few editors on the site, and on matters of style there must be a range of opinions among them, I would suggest playing it as safe as possible for now even if it is irksome.
I would say that the 'grind to a halt' sentence is a bit exaggerated rather than hyperbolic, and I imagine that some editors would let it through but for now I would substitute something more factual if I were you, and then leave it for a bit before reading through again. It gets a lot easier once you are more used to the editors.
All the best, and good luck.
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J. A. Young
- Posts: 249
- Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:27 pm
- Location: U.S.A.
Re: Article rejection
Read it aloud--that always helps me. Sometimes "awkward" just means "clunky" as if there's a more polished way to say it. And, there is usually is a more straightforward way to say it. I treat all my writing here as straight journalism--a news story, a features story, something informative. Yet, even with journalistic parameters, it's still possible to be creative. If you always shoot for concise use of language, you'll probably see fewer rejections. Good luck!