I’ve been submitting to The Missouri Review for a couple of years a full decade now. And reading it too, there’s always great stuff.
One thing I love about them is, they give a brief response to each piece, explaining what they liked about it and why they won’t be using it. They even sign a name to it!! I guess they only do this where they like a piece and want to encourage the writer.
Most mags on this side of the Atlantic keep a polite silence when they refuse stuff. You can see why: giving a reply might invite angry letters from the author I have never read such an incompetent response did you even read it blah blah. When editors are ploughing through a couple dozen pieces a day they don’t have time to write individual notes, and when they do, it’s to be expected they will be way off the mark sometimes. So it’s a brave editor who takes that risk.
So kudos to the Missouri.
Dec 8 2006
We received your submission “Dermot” and it was read by a member of our fiction staff, who ultimately decided not to use it. Please be aware that our editors receive over 15,000 submissions annually and publish less than one percent of those received. We welcome all submissions and try to handle them with care, but sometimes we make a mistake.
Thank you for your patience.
Dedra Earl, Office Mgr.
The Missouri Review
March 6 2007
Thank you for submitting to The Missouri Review. We enjoyed your
submissions, particularly “Like a Good Boy,” which made its way through
our ranks up to a senior editor, where it was ultimately rejected.Though it must be a hassle for you to continue submitting to us, we would
like to encourage you to do so. You have a great feel for dialogue and
timing, and we are excited to see your future productions.Thank you for your patience,
The Missouri Review
Jun 22 2007
Aiden,
Thanks for your short fiction submissions to The Missouri Review. As always, there was some interest, particularly in “The Package.” What an odd, interesting piece of writing.
In the end though, we’ve decided to pass.We always look forward to taking a look.
Best, Kris Somerville
July 23 2007
Mr. O’Reilly,
Thank you very much for allowing us at The Missouri Review to read
your two recent works “Scrapyards” and “To the Trade.” Both are
interesting and have a lively voice, but unfortunately do not suit the
needs of the magazine at this time. We do appreciate that you thought
of us and hope you’ll remember us in the future. You’re a strong
writer, Mr. O’Reilly, and we wish you the best of luck in your
endeavors. Thank you for submitting.~John Hendel, The Missouri Review
May 9 2007
Dear Aiden,
As of October 2007, we have changed our system and you should now be able to submit online. You can try submitting again this way if you chose. Understandibly you have had a lot of trouble and for this we apologize. We enjoyed your stories “*** ******” and “****** ******”. Your writing is very strong in both of the stories and “*** ******” was very interesting to the editors. We ask that you do submit to us again. Next time I hope that it is easier for you to do online.
S.N.O
July 9th 2008
Thank you for submitting both “Roman Empires” and “****** *******” to The Missouri Review. Both stories peaked our interest — the intellectual and delirious dialogue in “Roman Empires” and the poignant sense of loneliness at the end of “***** *******.” Though the two stories do not meet our current needs, we appreciate the opportunity to consider them for publication. We wish you luck in placing the stories elsewhere.
Keep up the good work.
March 2010
Dear Aiden,
Thank you for giving us the chance to consider “The Housing Boom: My Part in it’s Downfall.” for publication in The Missouri Review. Though it does not fit our current needs, we appreciate your interest in our magazine and your commitment to quality writing. This story had some strong points. The character of Tony was entertaining, particularly as he began to grow extra personalities for the purpose of his business.
March 1 2010
Dear Aiden,
Thank you for giving us the chance to consider ********. Though it does not fit our current needs, we appreciate your interest in our magazine and your commitment to quality writing. This was a unique story and we enjoyed the narrator’s kind of mid-life crisis as he struggled to gain what he never could muster as a teenager.
We wish you the best of luck publishing your work and hope you’ll consider sending us more in the future.
January 2011
Dear Aiden,
We are grateful for the chance to read your submissions time and time again.
Ahem. Thank you.
I really enjoyed the imagery of his apartment/dorm in “** ***** *****,” and the descriptions of the girls legs splayed out and blocking his way. I also thought that the characterization in this piece was strong.
January 2011
Dear Aiden,
… you gave the reader a very strong sense of the setting of the small town and the family in which Oleg belongs, and I also enjoyed the way information was revealed little by little. Best of luck in your future story writing.
Jan 2012
Thanks for sending us more of your work. Unfortunately ******** does not fit our needs at this time. We did admire how well you evoked the setting and context of the construction site in the story, but we would prefer a story with stronger sense of coherent narrative movement. Do keep your submissions coming!
–TMR
2015
A successful stream-of-consciousness, day in the life story. Compelling. Thanks for sending more of your work.
May 2016
We thought your story was very interesting and dramatic. While we enjoyed your work it does not quite fit what we are looking for at The Missouri Review. We would love to read more of your writing though whenever you have more to share.
–TMR