Summary

Scribner Publishing has rejected Ms. Funk's horror novel manuscript, "2020," due to its implausible and overly disturbing storylines, despite acknowledging her strong writing skills.

Abstract

The manuscript, "2020," submitted by Ms. Funk, begins with a compelling yet abandoned storyline of massive Australian wildfires. It then diverges into unrelated and increasingly far-fetched scenarios, including a despot's rise to power in the U.S., a global pandemic overwhelming the healthcare system, economic collapse, and the introduction of "Murder Hornets." The publisher criticizes the lack of believability, the absence of a credible system of checks and balances, and the overwhelmingly dark content that culminates in a series of implausible catastrophes. The publisher expresses concern for Ms. Funk's well-being, suggesting she seek help and refrain from using psychedelics, and ultimately decides against publishing the manuscript due to its extreme and traumatizing horror elements.

Opinions

The opening chapter with Australian wildfires is strong but is undermined by the subsequent abandonment of the storyline.
The introduction of a despot as a reality TV star turned U.S. President is seen as unbelievable, especially the compliance of Congress and the Supreme Court with his actions.
The portrayal of a global pandemic and the U.S. healthcare system's inability to cope is considered frightening and too dark for readers, including avid horror fans.
The inclusion of a toilet paper shortage, economic collapse, and mass death in a single chapter is viewed as unprofessional and overly sensational.
The depiction of science denial and the spread of conspiracy theories by fringe groups is deemed implausible and irresponsible.
The "Murder Hornets" subplot is criticized as senseless and unnecessary, contributing to the manuscript's overall lack of credibility.
The publisher suggests that any one of the storylines could be a standalone horror story but combined they create an unwanted and traumatizing narrative.
The publisher questions Ms. Funk's mental health and suggests she seek professional help.

Dear Ms. Funk: We Will Not Pursue Your Manuscript — Ever

A rejection letter for my horror novel, “2020”.

Dear Ms. Funk:

Thank you for submitting your book manuscript entitled, 2020, to Scribner. While your writing is crisp and engaging, and most of your characters believable, the story itself is not. Therefore, we will not pursue it at this time or at any time in the future.

Enclosed please find your manuscript along with our notes:

Chapter 1

You gave us a compelling opening with massive wildfires in Australia. According to your story, these are the largest wildfires in this history of the continent. You drew us in further with descriptions of thirsty koalas “drinking from firefighters’ water bottles” and seeking refuge in the arms of their human counterparts.

This, for all intents and purposes, is a very strong opening. We wanted to know what happened to all of those animals — and the Australian wilderness. We thought we had a winner. And we were excited to read on.

Unfortunately, we will never know what happened in Australia because you abandon that storyline in favor of an unrelated “pandemic” storyline.

Chapter 2

In a complete departure from the initial storyline, you take us back in time to the year 2016. Your despot, (and we assume at this point the antagonist) is a reality TV star who upends the election and wins the Presidency. Piece by piece he then sets about to dismantle the democracy that foolishly elected him.

Limiting the free press.

Threatening political opponents.

Acting on those threats.

Finding scapegoats.

Refusing to take responsibility for any negative circumstances the country might be having.

Ms. Funk, perhaps you recall learning that the American democracy is set up as a system of checks and balances. If a dictator were to come to power, surely Congress or the Supreme Court would keep him in check. Not, as you say, comply with his every whim.

That being said, it does set the reader up quite nicely for the events that unfold from Chapter 3 onward.

Chapter 3

This is the point where the book becomes rather…well…disturbing. The reader arrives, once again, in the year 2020 where a “Coronavirus” pandemic similar to SARS has invaded every country on the globe.

First of all, we think you could limit the scope of this “pandemic” to just one country. And while it would be interesting to set the story in the United States under the rule of a dictator, your story posits that the healthcare system does not have the infrastructure to handle such a pandemic. And that is frightening to say the least.

Instead of finding one or two compelling heroes to lead us through these circumstances, any and all potential heroes are muzzled by the dictator.

This scenario is far to dark — even for the most avid of all horror readers. And we really don’t want to be associated with such a book.

But, you didn’t stop there did you?

You also included a toilet paper shortage, a personal protective equipment shortage, economic collapse, and mass death in the same chapter. And, according to your timeline, all in one month?

American citizens hoarding, of all things, toilet paper?

While horror novels typcially follow this trajectory, even Stephen King himself would not dare to put all of those terrifying things into one book — let alone one chapter.

Quite frankly, this kind of storytelling is unprofessional.

Chapter 4

In Chapter 4, you go on to close every business, school and quarantine every family on earth for two weeks.

Then, although scientists insist that the virus is not under control or contained, the dictator and his loyal fringe followers push the government to reopen.

And while the states are reopening, you bring the virus to food processing facilities, infecting the workers there and their contacts — causing large outbreaks in rural areas. Really? Again, a highly implausible scenario. And one of the key characteristics of good horror writing is to align the implausible with the plausible. You cannot write an entire novel of implausibilities. Not even in a horror novel.

Ms. Funk, you present a situation where the populous eschews science entirely and it’s just not believable.

We are, after all, the only country to have sent humans to the moon.

Chapter 5

You take your reader further from the realm of possibility in Chapter 5 by profiling a fringe group, loyal to the dictator, purporting conspiracy theories regarding this virus.

That it was created in a lab;

That it has been around for much longer than was widely known;

That the media is lying to the American public about the whole thing;

That this is the work of a “cabal” of elites who are secretly running everything.

That this is the beginning of the end times.

This entire chapter is troubling to say the least. There is no need for this sort of recklessness. Remember, even the story line in a horror novel needs to be somewhat credible. Otherwise there is no element of surprise.

Chapter 6

After reading Chapter 6, we were done. Our entire staff is consulting a team of psychologists for the trauma your book inflicted upon us.

Ms. Funk, the killer bee subplot is completely unnecessary.

Your introduction of the two inch long “Murder Hornets” taking hold in Washington State and killing entire hives of honeybees is the most senseless and irresponsible writing we’ve ever encountered.

We simply could not read another word.

To recap, your story includes Australian wildfires, a dictatorship in the United States, a global pandemic, collapse of the global economy, gagging scientists, fringe groups purporting conspiracy theories, and killer bees. And while it is wildly creative, it is simply too implausible for even a horror novel.

In short, and we do mean this, seriously, we will pass on this manuscript. Any one of these storylines you’ve woven into your manuscript is a horrifying standalone story. And we are unsure that we would want to publish any of those.

To be honest, your manuscript, 2020, makes Cormac McCarthy’s The Road seem like a fairytale. This is not the horror novel we needed this year or ever.

And we’re concerned. Are you unwell? Are you a danger to yourself and others? Should we call someone? Please get help. And lay off the psychedelics.

Best Regards,

The Scribner Publishing Team