posted
If a magazine posts a certain limit on the size of stories they consider, how bad is it to submit something longer?
i.e. Fiction Submission Guidelines state the following:
quote:Fiction should be well developed and may contain up to 2,000 words.
How evil/taboo is it to submit a piece that is 3,000 words including historical notes and bibliography (2,700 words, just story)?
Posts: 1473 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Well, if you were running the magazine, and you'd written up the guidelines to let potential writers know what you wanted, and got a submission that was half again as long as the limit you posted, what would you think?
posted
I would assume to follow the guidlines as listed and if a relationship is built or I really think they will like the story, I would query before submitting the story in question.
posted
It can be very aggravating when a submission a submissions editor likes turns out to be unacceptable for reasons stated clearly in the guidelines, yet ignored. With a 3k story, the issue would probably be noticed before it got too far in the consideration process. When your upper limit is 7.5k and you're sent 8.5k, it's not always noticed as quickly.
Do you want to seriously annoy a potential market by wasting their time and, apparently, setting their requirements at naught? That's the real question .
posted
Every once in a while a magazine will say something like, "Query for longer works." or "We may consider longer works, query first." But if they don't, then don't send them something outside their clearly established guidelines. You are wasting your time and theres. There are lots of markets who want 3k word stories. Posts: 3567 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
Thanks for the feedback. There is a timeliness issue with the story and aside from the posted limit, I know it would be perfect for the publication I'm considering (not to mention it was one of my favourite mags when I was a teen). I'm not going to submit it, but I have queried to see how firm their limit is.
I'm still looking for other markets, but I'm running out of time. This is a literary, historical fiction, Christmas story. If I don't place it in the next month or two, I will have to wait for next year (something I would rather not do).
It is quite possibly already too late for this year's Christmas issue for many large markets. But if they like it they'll just get it for next year's issue. You don't need to wait to sub.
posted
That brings up another interesting issue...can you time a Christmas story? Some mags plan their stuff only an issue or two out, in which case now would be the right time, but others plan a year in advance or six months or nine....I'm not sure there is a right time to send a Christmas story. Does anyone have any brilliant insights in case I decide to write one?
Posts: 3567 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
I think you just need to know the mags! What little I do know about this is from the non-fiction world - the big magazines usually publish their editorial calendar, so you know that they're picking their Christmas stories, in, say, March, so you need to query them in January. But lead time totally varies by publication.
Posts: 1750 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
I remember never submitting the first story I wrote because it fell under the word limits of all the magazines. But later on---much later---I decided it was best to let a story find its own length, then revise it and make it longer, then cut it down to size with judicious editing. Then I worried about what length would be market-appropriate.
Posts: 8809 | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
I don't know when you should start subbing for Christmas. I started back in May, but didn't really expect the first market I subbed it at to take three and half months to reject it. Now I'm a little stuck. I would like to get this out for 2005, but if it doesn't sell, then I guess it will have to be next year.
I'm considering "The Pedestal Magazine", but I have a flash sub there already. If I hear back in the next week or two (which is likely since they usually reply within a month), then I can probably get this off to them.
It is seems much harder to find literary markets. If I can't get it sold for this year, I will probably start with Paradox in January since they've told me I can sub a themed story at any time for consideration.
posted
The local paper had a contest, but it's word limit was 2000 words. I didn't have anything that short. How on earth can a story be confined to 2000 words? It virtual excludes anything SF.
Posts: 1275 | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Writing under 2000 words is a challenge and not every story can fit. When it comes to essays, 2000 words is a respectable limit, but publications are limitting themselves as much as their writers by capping off at a low level.
Posts: 1473 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
I don't know about other magazines, but I remember hearing years ago that the lead time for the professional science fiction magazines was four months. Of course, with publishers jumping on the technology bandwagon like crazy (NOT! more like kicking and screaming), the lead time may have shortened by now. Or not.
Posts: 8826 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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posted
I hate to tell you this, but as a graphic designer I can just about assure you that you've nearly lost the window for Christmas. Consider the TYPE of magazine. Is it web-based? Then you might be OK. It doesn't take long to change an electronic document into HTML code and post it on the internet.
But if your magazine is printed, keep these things in mind (listed chronologically from the last to the first thing that needs to be done): magazines are generally mailed the month before the "issue date", that is, a December magazine will probably hit the post office end of November. Magazines are usually mailed out at the less expensive third class rate, so hopefully your bulk-mailers will have alloted at least two weeks for it to be in the mail, particularly since it will be the Christmas season when mail usage is at an all time high. It takes about 3-5 days for bulk mail to be processed (labeling it, bagging it to meet postal regulations, etc.). It probably takes about a week for physical printing and bindery to be done. This might be highly generous; if it's a large magazine they may need as much as 10 business days. Prior to going to press, it needs to be laid out by graphic designers. Photos and illustrations need to be put into place, text needs to be massaged to fit, ads need to be crafted. Everything needs to be proofed and signed off on. The final artwork needs to be made camera-ready, ie, converting it all to CMYK and trapping color. And before you do THAT, the article needs to be reviewed and edited. Thus, given the above schedule, the final acceptance of the article, once it's been sifted out of the slush pile, probably needs to happen no later than the end of September. This obviously means you are right on top of your deadline.
There is a heck of a lot of work that happens between accepting an article and the appearance of that magazine in your local store or mailbox. I would guess that 6 months is not too lengthy of a time to allot if you are trying to submit something with a seasonal topic. Frankly, if you have a great Christmas piece, I'd send it out NOW. Who knows? You might find the editors are willing to hang on to it until next year, or at least make a suggestion to resubmit at a more timely date.
posted
I just finsihed revising a SF story at 949 words. In fact, I have the opposite problem as the first post in this forum. I have trouble finding pro rate markets to send my short works, they are all too short, according to the guidelines.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Aug 2010
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