posted
I recently finished a short story and submitted it IGMS. I know it will be a while before I hear anything, so I want to get around to other publications. I won't be submitting the same story, unless its rejected. I do have a few others that I'm getting ready to start, or in the middle of.
What are other publications that are a good place for a starting writer? I'm thinking Analog, but I don't know of too many others.
P.S. I've been away from the forum for a year and a half, so its good to be back. Posts: 684 | Registered: Jun 2002
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This is a good place to go to find out what types of experiences people have had with publications you've never heard of. Search for the magazine, and find posts about people's experiences with them.
This is where to go to find out how long a market usually takes to reply, and, maybe more importantly, how long they've been taking to reply lately.
There's a similar thing at speculations, but it isn't organized like this--it's just a long thread where people post when they get a reply on a story.
Some places I'd suggest subbing to:
Writers of the Future Contest - There is nowhere your short story could potentially make you more money than if it is a grand prize winner here.
Strange Horizons - Online mag along the lines of IGMS.
Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine - They're specific about what they like, but they have a very open submissions process.
The Magazine Of Fantasy And Science Fiction - The upside: You'll get your rejection letter very quickly. The downside: You'll get a rejection letter. Tough market to crack, but you're probably more talented than me.
REALMS OF FANTASY - Good fantasy magazine that uses color coded rejection letters with slightly different wording. The "Blue form of death" (Dubbed thus by writers, not the editors) means you didn't make it past the first reader. The "Yellow Form of Promise" means you made it to the main editor. (There might be more to it than that. These things were invented before I started writing.)
posted
There's also www.duotrope.com for finding markets. It's the one that I use most frequently. Also, if you create an account with them, you can track your submissions. I know a few people who do that, and really like it.
posted
Wow, ask and ye shall receive. Thanks a lot.
What kind of success do you guys get with some of these publications? I've been worried about my own abilities, but I think I'm good enough to be published.
Posts: 684 | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
If you look for markets that give feedback (not many, I know) then you'll quickly find out just what in your writing works and doesn't work. Most people can be published somewhere, the trick is to get into the reputable markets.
I recommend Shimmer magazine if you write dark speculative fiction. They're a small-press magazine that just finished their first year. They've gotten very good reviews and are starting to make a name for themselves. Every person who submits to them gets feedback, and the editors are very good at turning a good amateur story into a professional work. If you look them up on the Black Hole, you'll see that they have a very fast response time, too.
I'm not affiliated with Shimmer, although they have published one of my stories and I've met the head editor. They're just one of the better small markets out there for speculative fiction.
posted
That's good, I just started a work of dark speculative fiction.
I have to get as I can much done over the next six to nine months. There's a good chance I'll be going back to college full time to finish a four year degree. Looks like I'll be sitting in this chair for a while.
Posts: 684 | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
Um, The New Yorker. Your chances of getting in are about zero, but they are exactly zero if you don't submit. (I say that without having read your piece not intending to be disparaging.)
Other than that, any lit mag will publish spec. fic. Almost any lit mag any way.
Posts: 211 | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
I'm always up for challenges, but I don't see why I should submit to The New Yorker if it is easier to have it accepted elsewhere. I'm looking for exposure first. I can improve from there.
Posts: 684 | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
Check the response times for sure. A lot of magazines don't want simultaneous submissions, so if you submit somewhere with a 6 month response time, your story is sitting around doing nothing for 6 months. If it is accepted, great.
In terms of simple probability, the more matching markets you can submit to in the same amount of time, the greater your chances for acceptance, particularly if they offer useful feedback.
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:I'm always up for challenges, but I don't see why I should submit to The New Yorker if it is easier to have it accepted elsewhere. I'm looking for exposure first. I can improve from there.
Well...it's easiest to publish a webpage with your story on it.
You want legitimate exposure, I take it. And some money for your trouble. Start with the professional, well known mags that cater to your type of story, and work your way down to the semi-pro mags.
Tim Powers says (or said, when I spoke with him) that a useful tool for submissions is to pick out your top six markets, and submit to each in turn. When the end of that list is reached, file the story in a folder marked 'Future Anthology Material.'
Of course Jay Lake advises to keep the story in circulation forever, until it sells.
There are merits to both, I think. The hidden point is that you don't stop writing new material while waiting for an old story to sell.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
" I don't see why I should submit to The New Yorker if it is easier to have it accepted elsewhere"
Because being rejected by The New Yorker is a rite of passage. And, if you get in, it spells instant success (although not long-lasting successes until you publish more.)
Posts: 211 | Registered: Dec 2006
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quote:Tim Powers says (or said, when I spoke with him) that a useful tool for submissions is to pick out your top six markets, and submit to each in turn. When the end of that list is reached, file the story in a folder marked 'Future Anthology Material.'
I'll get that list together. I had thought of doing something like that.
quote:Because being rejected by The New Yorker is a rite of passage. And, if you get in, it spells instant success (although not long-lasting successes until you publish more.)
So, if I'm rejected by IGMS, I'll send it to The New Yorker, then I'll go to Analog from there.
Believe me, I'm taking every piece of advice here. It all helps.
Posts: 684 | Registered: Jun 2002
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quote:Because being rejected by The New Yorker is a rite of passage...
No. Submit to markets that match your story. If your story doesn't contain a character who legitimizes adultery, don't submit to the New Yorker.
Read and follow the submission guidelines for all markets-- it shows that you respect the editors. (I don't think the New Yorker actually prints ANY genre fiction)
Seriously-- follow the guidelines, and you'll have already done more than 80% of the people who submit to mags.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
Speaking of Writers of the Future-- K.D. Wentworth, the contest's first reader, listed some helpful hints for submission:
(This is my paraphrase):
quote: 1. FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES! You can find the submission guidelines at www.writersofthefuture.com. Seriously, this can’t be stressed enough. The contest gets an estimated 2000 entries per quarter; many of these do not follow the guidelines for formatting, and are automatically disqualified before they are even read. 2. AVOID the following story elements: a. Elves b. Angsty teenage melodramas c. Vampires, werewolves, and witches d. Cat stories (Incidentally, most editors don’t like cat stories.) e. Adam and Eve stories (two astronauts crash on a planet; their names are Adam and Eve!) f. Noah’s Ark stories g. Media stories (for example, stories involving Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or Hello Kitty universes or characters. Or stories remotely resembling those copyrighted and well-lawyered works of fiction...) h. The word ‘impossibly.’ As in, “Maya was impossibly blonde.” She cannot be ‘impossibly’ anything. By definition, it’s impossible. i. Stories that start with the main character waking up. j. Stories that start with the main character being tortured. k. Stories that start with the main character not remembering who s/he is. l. Stories that start with the main character realizing s/he’s naked. m. Weird viewpoint stories. (“I was Lisa’s gun. It’s wasn’t a difficult life, until. . .”) n. Out of genre stories. The Writers of the Future contest is a science fiction and fantasy contest. Make sure that your story has some speculative element. o. Anything that looks like it is an RPG campaign. p. Villains as heroes stories. q. Over the top metaphors. ( 3. The contest’s first reader says the following a. Get the speculative element of your story out on the first page of your manuscript. b. Introduce tension, conflict, and suspense early in the story, and maintain them throughout. c. Point-of-View characters should be sympathetic—no serial killers or baby eaters. d. Read previous anthologies to get an understanding of what wins. e. Follow the submission guidelines.
quote:(I don't think the New Yorker actually prints ANY genre fiction)
I think that depends. Ray Bradbury had an early story printed in The New Yorker. The magazine, after all, has no specific content other than what it chooses to print, which has included just about anything at some time or another. They certainly print sci-fi reviews includind a major article on Asimov in the late '90s.
Posts: 211 | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
advice: the more time you spend describing how physically attractive a character is, the quicker the editor will start skimming, and ultimately, rejecting. i like k.d.'s list. it is a good one.
and absolutely pay attention to the basic format guidelines.
Posts: 3936 | Registered: Jul 2000
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posted
I have found that opening "shockers" really aren't all that effective in prose. Nothing is very shocking when you haven't been given anything to invest in yet.
Posts: 3936 | Registered: Jul 2000
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