Ok this has probably been asked before but here it goes.
If you have more than one short story or more than one novel to submit to an editor. What is the right way to handle this. Do you only send one at a time. do you send them together? Separate envelopes? What is the proper way to handle this.
and yes I already know you don't send a whole novel, and the guideline there in. I just want to know how you handle multiple submits or do you space them out? Whats the best way to handle something like this?
Thank you,
W.
Posted by genevive42 (Member # 8714) on :
First, look at their guidelines. This will be the most telling. It seems that very few places like to take multiple submissions. But most of the time, if they say it's acceptable, I would certainly send them separately. The last thing you want is to make things difficult or confusing.
Posted by Merlion-Emrys (Member # 7912) on :
I can't say about novels, but as far as short stories, its as my Lovely Assistant the Bunny Girl says. Multiple submissions are almost unheard of. You can always check the guidlines but, especially, like ALL the pro and semi pro short fiction markets only take single submissions.
Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :
For novels, you will be submitting to agents, not editors, if you want to get through the slush pile.
Short stories: Generally only one to a publication at a time (a few take multiple submissions, but not very many). And only one publication at a time, no simultaneous submissions, either. It's even rarer for a publication to take simultaneous submissions than to accept multiple submissions.
Novels: You can query several agents at a time, but only with one project at a time. And generally you should wait a few months at least before querying that agent again with a different project.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Don't do it. Does the thing burn a hole in your pocket so bad that you can't wait a few days or weeks for a rejection? Have you got so many possible markets for your work that you want to try all of them at once?
Posted by walexander (Member # 9151) on :
-- -- thanks everyone. I figured one at a time. It's interesting that we live in the computer age, yet the submit process for writing is still old world.
I could write a short story just on the notion of having to rediscover that the regular post office still exists.
Everything normal goes to the mail holder outside the door. Everything bigger has always gone to fedex-kinkos. 95% of everything else is handled electronically.
Getting a manuscript weighed and sent slow mail defies my modern thinking, and reminds me of simpler times, but yes Robert, in this fast world of send/reply. The concept of waiting weeks, months, years, is something I have to rediscover.
Thanks everyone,
W.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Clarification:
Multiple submissions means different manuscripts to the same publisher or editor at the same time.
Simultaneous submissions means the same manuscript to different publishers or editors at the same time.
If the guidelines say that simultaneous submissions are okay, they probably also say that they want you to let them know that they are simultaneous.
If the guidelines say "please only send us your very best" they are probably hinting that they do not want multiple submissions (some writers send everything they have to every new market they find, and this tends to drive editors crazy).
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Yeah, I took it to mean "simultaneous submissions," too...yeah, editors generally don't like to see every story you've written, all at once, in the same packet.
Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :
Also think of it this way, if the editor loves all your stories they are still most likely only going to buy one of them. Unless they want to do a special "you" issue. They usually want to get as much people in a magazine as possible, it increases the "friends and family" sales. Send one story, and if they love it, send another one for next issue.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I remembered that H. P. Lovecraft's first submission to Weird Tales was a bundle of several of his stories...but that was (1) nearly ninety years ago, in (2) a different time, and (3) he was H. P. Lovecraft, and most of us aren't even in his league.
*****
quote:on the notion of having to rediscover that the regular post office still exists.
That's what I do for a living.
Posted by rich (Member # 8140) on :
Nothing particular to say regarding what's already been said about multiple submissions, but just wanted to comment on this:
quote:he was H. P. Lovecraft, and most of us aren't even in his league.
It's always good to remember that Lovecraft wasn't in Lovecraft's league when he started out.
Stephen King wasn't in Stephen King's league, JK Rowling wasn't in JK Rowling's league...
Sorry for the thread drift, but we sometimes get hung up on our idols, or those that have achieved greatness.
Posted by Merlion-Emrys (Member # 7912) on :
Ohh I think they were already in that league when they started out. But then I don't believe there are "leagues" only niches...many of us probably are already in "that league", which is to say, our own. But we just haven't found our niches, yet. Or only some of them.
Did that make any sense?
Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :
It makes sense, but I don't agree that most of the writers here (myself most definitely included) are H P Lovecrafts, Stephen Kings or J K Rowlings just waiting to slot into the right "niche" when it magically appears. It's possible we are in terms of certain unique ideas and approaches once they are clearly expressed, btu I tend to think that most people are here in order to try and find out how to clearly express their ideas.
Posted by Merlion-Emrys (Member # 7912) on :
Then why is it that some people...including people big in literature circles of various types...still consider all those writers you mention to be "bad" writers?
What is the difference, objectively, between you or me and them, besides the fact that they found their niche? (by which I mean, they found someone with publishing power who liked their stuff enough to publish it in a massive way.)
