posted
I've sometimes wondered whether or not magazines will ever consider resubmitted work...that is, work that you had submitted to them in the past but have made significant changes on. I'm not sure they would eve ntice, given their large volume of manuscripts, but does anyone know anything about this?
Posts: 3567 | Registered: May 2003
|
posted
There can be harm, actually, because this annoys editors. Most magazines will have their resub policies listed, and a lot of them say don't resub unless they asked you to. If they didn't and it's a significant change, people say you can query to ask.* I know one of the Strange Horizons editors has talked online about how resubs come up in the database and get annoying, so this is something they can notice.
Of course, if there's a new title, point of view, character, and focus, you could probably submit it as a new piece in its own right. And a lot of new editors say they'll look at previously rejected work-- I think GVG at F&SF did when he took over-- although there, too, it probably depends on the market.
*but check each market's guidelines, don't trust me with a general statement, because I haven't resubbed anywhere.
[This message has been edited by Gen (edited April 28, 2004).]
posted
I've done some fiction editing for magazines before and I remember coming across one story that I knew I had read before. It might have been a resubmission, but it also might have been plagarism. Since I didn't know which, I was glad it wasn't right for the magazine. I wouldn't have been comfortable buying it if it had been suitable.
If you are going to resubmit, please be sure to say so in your cover letter. Don't resubmit, though, unless you've extensively reworked the story. Most editors don't want to see a story again unless they've specifically asked you to rewrite and resubmit.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
