I am hearing a lot of reports about it being nearly impossible to crack into this market with no previous publishing history. It's too long for most magazines, and the ones that do accept such submissions do so from only established writers.
Serials could be a solution, but, again, most only accept already published writers.
Does anyone have any suggestions about cracking into this length? Any links to zines that publishes pieces of such length from unpublished writers?
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I lean towards "write it at whatever length it comes out, then worry about marketing it." Whatever length the story calls for, that's it. But I've only hit that range, like, once or twice in my career---things either fell out before at novelette length or blazed ahead to short novel---so it hasn't been a problem for me.
Then again, they've been real picky about picking my pickings at any length. Someone around here must have marketed one.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
I don't think there is an editor anywhere who would refuse to publish an outstanding work of any length by a new writer.
The operative word, though, is outstanding.
Posted by pantros (Member # 3237) on :
The Professional Market is no more unattainable to new authors of novellas than it is to authors of any other length.
I'm not sure about the non-paying and semi-pro markets, but I recall seeing several on Ralan that did take novella length work.
A quick search on Duotrope.com turned up several markets for Novella Length work for pro, semi-pro and unpublished writers.
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
As someone who's had many novelettes doing the rounds, I can assure you that they are a harder sell. For a start, fewer markets take them. And you have to be realistic: buying a novelette costs more money to the magazine than buying a short story. The novelette has to be extraordinary to sell.
I had a novelette rejected at Tales of the Unanticipated. The editor said that competition was particularly fierce in that range, because there were so few spaces but still many writers trying to place their stories.
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
Huh, why do so many people write novellas?
Posted by pantros (Member # 3237) on :
For the most part, people write novellas when they realize their plot is too simple to fluff to novel length.
In Silver's case, this would not be true. Her Novellas are what happens when she sits down to write a flash.
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
No, that's when I sit down to write a quick short story for the Short Story Challenge. The flash ends up as a short story Posted by trousercuit (Member # 3235) on :
Well, now, this is easy. All you have to do is set out to write a novella, and BANG! You'll have a novel!
Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :
Even better, set out to write a novel and end up with a series.
Set out to write a series and you've got yourself a career.
