I understand the need for guidelines. They are like white and yellow lines on the roads - to drive safely, follow them. I get that. But most guidelines in writing don't instruct the writer on specific improvements; on what is needed to get up to whatever standard is being presented by that Pub. The result: a nicely formatted article that gets rejected anyway, because the subjective standard (whatever it is) is largely unknown.

I've been getting "rejected" for over 35 years and 98.99% of those rejection slips/notices were vague and unhelpful. My first was in 1978. The same words for rejection are still being used today. Guess what - it's not f**king working.

Most editors are trying - I don't doubt that.

Illumination is doing what other Pubs should do - educate & incentivize. In this way, writers are given a chance to do the one thing guaranteed to help them. Write -publish - get feedback & comments - write some more - more feedback and comments.

Thank Paul, for kicking that sleeping bear in the corner and getting others to notice and ask - what the F**k is he doing there anyway?!

Cheers.