posted
I recently picked up a used copy of the 2003 Writers Market. Up until now, I had had been picking submission guidelines up from the internet and seeing what markets were out there by browsing and picking up sample copies at the local book story. I’d managed to put together what I thought was a fair list of the more widely commercially available hard-copy markets in the science fiction/fantasy short story market, and at least had some names in the back of my head of some other ones I could look into for different genres. But from reading bibliographies on random writer’s web pages and the like, I knew there were more markets. Plus, sometimes I end up with something that isn’t SF, and I could use a few more ideas on where to send it. Then there always is my still-in-progress novel, so I wanted to see what else was out there by the way of publishers I wasn’t familiar with from my own reading, and to get a better feel for the agent situation.
It seems like everyone says the Writer’s Market is The One to get for this sort of thing.
I’m glad I only paid half price. I was not impressed.
Now, I realize that the general Writer’s Market shares its space with a great deal of non-fiction information, and it’s not their fault I’m not interested. I also realize the listing can only be as good as those publishers that respond to their survey to update/include a listing. But I already had a longer list of short fiction markets that I had dug up relatively for free! And half the agents they had listed as interested in fantasy in the agent subject index weren’t listed in the agent section!
Looking again today, the in-store survey of 2003 Novel and Short Story Market would indicate that it’s got more of what I’m looking for (They actually list TOR, which was missing from the general one. How do you miss TOR, at 200 books published a year?). I still see more magazines on the store shelf than are listed in the index, but this version is probably what a fiction writer really wants to get. (Please don’t remind me that is probably obvious from the title – Nobody ever mentions the distinction when they rave about Writer’s Market.)
I just thought I’d share this insight, and see if some of the other writers on the board have experienced the same thing or have another opinion of it all.
Gina
[Edit to fix UBB code slip up]
[This message has been edited by GZ (edited April 15, 2003).]
posted
Yes, I've had the same experience with the Writer's Market. I used to wonder how people sent their stories to twenty or thirty magazines before they were published before I realized that the Writer's Market is highly selective. And yes, the one for novels and short stories is much, much better -- very comprehensive. I once saw a book dedicated to speculative fiction markets. It was a used copy, and I didn't buy it becasue it was published in 1994. Too bad whoever published it never got around to updating it.
The on-line newsletter, Speculations, offers a fine list of markets, which, I think, is updated every couple of months. Here's the link: http://www.speculations.com/oo.htm .
I hope this helps.
[This message has been edited by Balthasar (edited April 15, 2003).]
posted
And you need The Guide To Literary Agents to find the complete list of agents. There are a lot of free sources out there as well. Also, The Writers Handbook, from Writers Magazine has a lot of helpful info and many listings. Subscribe to the free version of Publishers Lunch--on-line--- and look over their rights listings. You will find many agents there. (That's where I found mine) Use google and put in Literary agents. You'll get a mother load. And Writers Market.com is a good source with all the listings and constantly added to.
Also--don't forget to research any agent you send to. Again use google, put the agents name in and see what pops out. There are a mess of scams out there. I could show you letters from at least five different so called agencies that said how wonderful my manuscript was but then pointed out general stuff (mistakes common to most ms) and pointed out stuff I didn’t even do. (Over use of all caps, italics, and exclamation points)(I have never used all caps, and used one exclamation point)
The key point to remember--money comes your way, you don't pay.
If the so called agent can make money without going through the effort of helping you for free to polish your manuscript, or the effort of pitching it to publishers---then why would they pitch it? A good agency will assist you in making your ms into a novel. No, they most likely won’t hand hold and point to every mistake, but they will help you—free. They won’t recommend an outside editor—and if they do it will be simply, you may be best served by having this professionally edited. They won’t suggest any one editor. And the only charges you should incur are office charges, postage, copying ect---charged to you when they sell the book.
Good Luck!!
Shawn
[This message has been edited by srhowen (edited April 16, 2003).]
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I've always suspected that with a few spare hours and some patience, one could find some very comprehensive speculative fiction market lists on the web. Last night, those two things converged, and I came up with the following sites.
The Writer's Write list (the second link) seems to be very, very comprehensive. I didn't get a chance to look at the other one very carefully, but from what I saw, it seems good.
posted
Balthasar -- Those are some great sites. I’d seen the Speculations one before, but hadn’t stumbled onto the other two. There are listings at [u]www.ralan.com[/u] as well, for the speculative fiction arena.
Shawn – As aways, you are a welcome fount of hands-on experience. You realize we’ve all avidly taken notes on your agent search/submission process. Not that I’m anywhere near that point yet <bangs head on wall due to painfully slow period of novel progress>, but it’s probably never too early to get a feel for what is out there and the process.
I need more time in the day so I can take the hours to wade through the internet, and still get writing done. The internet has a sneaky way of just sucking time out of your life.
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Not that I’m anywhere near that point yet <bangs head on wall due to painfully slow period of novel progress>, but it’s probably never too early to get a feel for what is out there and the process. 
