Hatrack River Writers Workshop: IGMS

This is topic IGMS in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Greenscreen (Member # 6896) on :

So here I am asking questions about the IGMS, I was curious, what is IGMS. Short story magazine?? How does one write for it. Can a HRer write for it? I'm starting a project and a short story may be the first result and the first succesful project fo my career. OD you think I have a chance at publishing in it?

Posted by steffenwolf (Member # 8250) on :

IGMS is Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, affilited with Hatrack River. There's probably a link straight to it on the top of your forum page (there is for me anyway). If not the address is:

http://www.intergalacticmedicineshow.com

Posted by steffenwolf (Member # 8250) on :

As far as whether you have a chance to get published in it--who knows? Like other magazines, all you can do is try, and maybe you'll find success.

Posted by Greenscreen (Member # 6896) on :

has anyone here tried?

Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :

I think a lot of us have, and several have been published. I have something sitting in their slush pile right now, I've got my fingers crossed. It's a quirky space story that I thought was a good fit for IGMS. That's the key, really, reading a couple of the issues to find out what kinds of stories they publish, then sending them something like that.

There are plenty of other short story markets out there, so if you're just getting started, have no fear. There's always another market to submit to (I haven't decided what's next if IGMS rejects my submission, but a good friend suggests to always have a fresh envelope ready to slap a new cover letter on a manuscript and send it out the same day you receive a rejection. Many authors would agree. IGMS accepts emailed submissions so it's not quite the right visual, but you get the idea...)

Posted by JamieFord (Member # 3112) on :

Fellow 2006 Bootcampers, Jose Mojica and Margit Schmitt have both sold stories to IGMS.

Posted by Bent Tree (Member # 7777) on :

It is a tough market. I'd definately recomend reading a few issues before you submit. I think it is some of the best writing published.

Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :

I've sold to it once but have not yet managed to do so again.

Eric James Stone is as close as all get out to being a regular there.

Posted by Nick T (Member # 8052) on :

Hi,

As Tchernabyelo stated, Eric James Stone has had quite a few stories published there.

It's a market with a good reputation and pay-rate, so it's very competitive. As KayTi said, I wouldn't think of IGMS as your only possible market for the story. Rejections can happen for reasons beyond your control and for reasons unassociated with the the quality of the writing (i.e. not to the editor's personal taste, just published a glut of stories with a similar theme, etc.), so I'd try and think of IGMS as just one of your target venues. If you get in, it would be a huge credit.

Nick

Posted by LDWriter2 (Member # 9148) on :

On another thread someone thought we should see what OSC said about show since we are on the Hatrack forums. That got me to thinking about IGMS and if there was anything here that could help a writer get into IGMS. There is something here for WotF but not IGMS. This is the latest thread I found. It didn't really say much about writing. But I thought the "how to" would be a good discussion, if it hasn't been discussed so much no one wants to talk about it any more that is. I searched but I could have easily missed something.

I have submitted to them, following what is said on their guidelines, but of course I haven't gotten very far.

Evidently some here have gotten in so do they have any hints or know anything for sure about the type of stories and type of writing. As in how to write that way. Yes, I know read the magazine but even that doesn't always give enough info.

Posted by andersonmcdonald (Member # 8641) on :

I've sent two stories there and received two rejections. The first was a kindly "we're sorry..." But the latest was a bit more encouraging... I hope.

Thank you for offering your story to Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. We're sorry to tell you that we will not be using it; you are free to submit it elsewhere. However, we would encourage you to send us more of your work for consideration in the future.

Don't know if this means anything, but I'll take whatever I can get. Not sure it means anything.

Posted by genevive42 (Member # 8714) on :

IGMS is definitely one of the better pro magazines but you shouldn't be trying to tailor your stories just to get into their publication. WotF is different, it's a career builder. IGMS is a good credit but there are others that are equally good or better.

Personally, I start with the big three - Asimov's, Analog and F&SF. Then I move to the other pro-pubs depending on where I think a story may fit. I've gotten a couple of personal rejections from IGMS and a handful of other pro pubs, but never a personal from the big three - not yet.

Edited to add: Check out Duotrope for more market information.
http://www.duotrope.com/index.aspx

[This message has been edited by genevive42 (edited October 09, 2010).]

Posted by snapper (Member # 7299) on :

Hatrack member, skadder (a.k.a Adam Colston) has astory in teh current issue of IGMS. The reviewer on Tangent Online recommended, in fact.

Posted by skadder (Member # 6757) on :

They have just posted a new issue, so I was in the one before (18).

Posted by Corky (Member # 2714) on :

andersonmcdonald, it means what it says: they couldn't use the story you sent them, but they are encouraging you to send them other stories.

In other words, they have hopes that something else you've written or that you may write will fit their needs and they'll be able to use it.

Encourage means encourage.

Posted by andersonmcdonald (Member # 8641) on :

Thanks Corky. I just didn't want to make too big of a deal out of it. Yeah, I know it was still a rejection. But since it was different than the first one I got from them I wondered if maybe they saw something in it they liked.

Posted by LDWriter2 (Member # 9148) on :

quote:
I've sent two stories there and received two rejections. The first was a kindly "we're sorry..." But the latest was a bit more encouraging... I hope.
Thank you for offering your story to Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. We're sorry to tell you that we will not be using it; you are free to submit it elsewhere. However, we would encourage you to send us more of your work for consideration in the future.
Don't know if this means anything, but I'll take whatever I can get. Not sure it means anything.

I can relate, I've felt the same way a few times. I've tried to remember if their rejections of my stories have said that and I can't recall. Most other mags say that. One in particular said it in a different way and for one rejection I thought it might be note sent to me personally. But the second rejection said the same thing in exactly the same words so it was only a form letter after all, just worded differently.

At times I wonder if one of these mags ever not say it. One market sent a check list of around eight comments. Of course my story didn't get very far but they checked the send another box also, my first thought was when have they ever not checked that box.

Posted by LDWriter2 (Member # 9148) on :

quote:

IGMS is definitely one of the better pro magazines but you shouldn't be trying to tailor your stories just to get into their publication. WotF is different, it's a career builder. IGMS is a good credit but there are others that are equally good or better.
Personally, I start with the big three - Asimov's, Analog and F&SF. Then I move to the other pro-pubs depending on where I think a story may fit. I've gotten a couple of personal rejections from IGMS and a handful of other pro pubs, but never a personal from the big three - not yet.

Actually, I now consider IGMS one of the biggies. It's one of the newer ones, those three oldies are still top but I think there's a couple of newer markets that are right below them. But at one time F&SF was the very first market I sent a story to, for SF stories Asimov's and Analog were next. F&SF might have been the first pro market I sent a story to and when they said it didn't quite work for them I was determined to send one that did. I was encouraged in that when, back during my all too short period of good writing, I received a note from F&SF, JJA to be exact.

Still would be nice to have some advice on IGMS.

And I like ralan.com. Usually I check there at least once a month looking for new markets. Pro, Semipro, Pay, Anthos and contests.

[This message has been edited by LDWriter2 (edited October 09, 2010).]

Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :

Editors really don't have time to encourage authors who haven't shown at least some potential. If you get any kind of "send us something else" message in a rejection, they really mean it.

The last thing an editor needs in a slush pile is more stuff they can't use, so if they think you might be able to send them something they can use, they will certainly ask for it.

Posted by andersonmcdonald (Member # 8641) on :

Thanks for the info Kathleen. So there's hope...

Posted by EricJamesStone (Member # 1681) on :

I'm one of the assistant editors for IGMS. The line about sending more work for consideration in the future requires a little extra effort on our part, so we generally include it only when we've noticed something promising about the story.

The IGMS blog had a couple of posts about what we're looking for (and not looking for) in a story:
http://sideshowfreaks.blogspot.com/2009/12/freak-filter_02.html
http://sideshowfreaks.blogspot.com/2010/07/freak-filter-redux.html

Posted by andersonmcdonald (Member # 8641) on :

Eric,
I hope I didn't come across as cynical or unappreciative (of IGMS's response). On the contrary, I appreciated it very much. But I got to thinking I'd feel pretty stupid if every rejection contained the same message. Thanks so much for the information. Much appreciated.

Posted by EricJamesStone (Member # 1681) on :

Don't worry about it. I'm a writer, too, and I've done my share of rejectomancy.

Posted by LDWriter2 (Member # 9148) on :

quote:

I'm one of the assistant editors for IGMS. The line about sending more work for consideration in the future requires a little extra effort on our part, so we generally include it only when we've noticed something promising about the story.

Since I restarted this thread and have also stated my own feelings about that statement, I want to add my own thanks for your time.

Looks like I have to rethink my assumptions. When at least half of your rejections have that statement on their form letter and certain markets always say it, its easy to think of it as just another line on a form like "good luck with the story". Especially when you never get beyond that point.

Posted by LDWriter2 (Member # 9148) on :

quote:
Don't worry about it. I'm a writer, too, and I've done my share of rejectomancy

Have to remember that term. Except that it sounds kind alike someone trying to speak or raise to the dead.

Posted by andersonmcdonald (Member # 8641) on :

Rejectomancy... blackest of the Black Arts. Acceptomancy is what I'm in training for.

Posted by Brendan (Member # 6044) on :

Ah, I think we'd all like to be acceptomaniacs.