posted
So, here I am sitting on now 4 short stories. I want to start collecting rejection slips (I haven't gotten my first yet).
I'm having a hard time figuring out...
a) where they would go. Each one of course is different. One definatly has no magic or sci-fi in it, the others are skirting 'mystical'. Do I need to work on them until they have a definate home? If not, how do I find a label for them? The one thing they all have in common is they are flash fiction. Three are under 1k, one is under 1.5k.
b) where to find a good list. The Writers Market book is not cheap and is often only available as a prior year around here and I'm not sure I can trust 2-3 year old 'zine lists. I would need to make sure my list is organized by genre so that I submit the correct story to the correct 'zine. I can't find the links I had and google shows too many pages of sites.
c) what I need to know before submitting. I've spent time learning some of what I need to know about the law, rules, market and manners of the novel publishing. I would assume 'zines have different rules. I am quite cabable of translating legalesse and wouldn't mind learning some of the good and bad phrases as relates to 'zines for my own info.
I know lots of people here have lots of links and advise and I'm listening. I have a empty file and my copy-paste is ready for you. Fire away!
posted
OK, say it's a 1500 word short story about evil robot monkeys. The first thing you have to do is find markets that accept SF in that word range.
www.ralan.com is a fairly comprehensive list of markets. There are others, but ralan will have enough to keep you busy for years.
You will probably find dozens of possible markets. They will vary wildly in pay range and respectability and merit; they will also vary wildly in what they're looking for, and their style.
Some people recommend starting with the top markets and only "settling" for "lesser" markets after you've exhausted them. Other people (me) think the top markets are a big waste of time unless you've got something truly exceptional and even then you've got one chance in a million, and that the mid-level markets are more accessible, often have more interesting stories, and could be a better fit in every way except the check. But it's up to you; decide what you want from publication and approach the publications that are most likely to give you that. If what you want is fame and glory and a big paycheck, then it makes sense to focus on F&SF and Asimov's and SciFi.com and the other top markets. If you're not so driven by that, there are a wealth of other interesting possibilities.
Now go and read the guidelines for each possibility. They will tell you more about what they're looking for. One might say only dark SF but your monkey story is heartwarming and uplifting; off the list. One might say only Christian SF and your monkey story isn't. Off the list. One might say they like all SF but hate monkey stories. Off the list. And so it goes until you have a pared-down list.
Now start reading the publications on your short list. If they're print only, this is more difficult, and you should buy and read a sample copy. If they're free and online it's easier and just takes time. But if you read the publication it will give you a better idea of whether your story is the kind of thing they're looking for or not - and it will also give you an idea of whether it's the kind of place you want your story to appear. (I'm thinking of one online market that uses what I think is a really atrocious design - it's very hard to read. I don't really want my stuff to appear there.)
Once you have identified your most likely markets - say, 5-10 of them - read the guidelines again and find out how they want work submitted to them. E-mail subs in a particular format only? Ok! Snail-mail subs in a particular format only? Ok! Hand-delivered by monkeys? Ok! Whatever they say they want, do it, or they will assume that you're an amateur who has not bothered to read their guidelines.
When the first market rejects it (they will. I bet you a quarter.) send it on to the next, and so on, until you've exhausted your market list. Then it's time to rethink - does the story need more work? Or is it your marketing approach that needs work?
It's more work than writing the story in the first place, especially at first. But after a few months, you'll start to become familiar with the markets and the decisions about what stories might have a chance at which places will become easier.
[This message has been edited by Beth (edited September 05, 2005).]
posted
I use writersmarket.com for my non-genre stories. It's $2.95 per month, or $24 per year and is updated constantly.
For genre stories I use ralan.com and storypilot.com
To figure out which story goes to which market, I read the guidelines carefully, and when possible I purchase copies of the magazines to get a feel for what they like.
posted
Is it worth it, Mary? I never got much from the print version of Writer's Market -- at least, not nearly as much as from web sites like storypilot. And I do sometimes write mainstream, and never know where to send it.
Posts: 2830 | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
I think it's worth it, but then I'm also trying to send a couple of novels around. What you can do, which I did at first, is just subscribe for one month and make a target list of all the places that seem appropriate for the story you've got. Then, next time you have a story that storypilot or ralans won't work for, sign up for another month of writersmarket.com
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Can anyone clarify: "We buy First Australian Serial Rights, the non-exclusive rights to publish the story electronically and the non-exclusive rights to include the story in an anthology. All other rights remain with the author."
posted
"First Australian Serial Rights" means they're buying the right to be the first to publish story in an Australian periodical. You may not let another Australian publisher run it first. However, you retain the right to sell the First North American Serial Rights to a North American magazine - that's good.
"non-exclusive electronic" means they're going to put it up on their web site, but that doing so does not exclude you from publishing it simultaneously in other electronic places.
"non-exclusive anthology" means they can republish it in their anthology if they want to, but they're not stopping you from publishing the story in other anthologies.
I seem to have another question now. My man says I should wait to submit anything because I only have 4 short stories. (If anyone thinks this subject should be a seperate thread, feel free to say so or make the thread) Our compromise in this debate is to ask a forum (aka, here) when did you start sending things out? How long did you wait from when you started making complete stories and how many bodies of work did you have completed? Is it better to write and wait until you have a set style? Or is it better to send out a story once you have one? He says I'm jumping the gun. I think I am ready to start collecting rejections. He thinks I should wait till I have something I feel is a masterpiece story and have additional work ready (he used the example of a painter trying to get gallery time but having only 4 paintings). My arguement is that if I wait until I have a work I am emotionally attached to it would be harder to deal with the rejection (and that a zine only wants 1 work a month or quarter, not an anthology worth of stories).
posted
What? No, no, your man is wrong. Send 'em out.
Editors care about the story that's sitting in front of them. They don't really care much about your body of work (unless you're already a well-established writer, in which case they care because your name can help sell copies - but that's not going to apply for you, now).
If you were trying to sell a short story collection, then yes, your man would be right. But if you're just trying to sell a single story - it'll be sold on its merits, not on the merits of the rest of your work.
posted
I absolutely second Beth's recommendation. Don't wait for perfection. I have a little secret for you: perfection is a long long way off. Even the best writers have room for improvement.
Case in point: My first pro sale was earlier this year to Orson Scott Card for his new magazine. My 'library' of available stories was incredibly short. He bought the only completed story I had (besides a very few half-baked attempts that had flopped).
I've discovered that I'm not very prolific. Since then I have only submitted one other story, and I have yet to hear back on it. I have three more (good) stories in process (though I've written a bunch at Liberty Hall, most of them aren't going to be pursued), with hopefully more to follow later, but if I had waited until I felt 'ready' then I can guarantee you I wouldn't be waiting for my story (a cover story, no less) to appear online in the next couple months.
Oh, and since selling that story, I've already found things wrong with it that I would change if I could. So the longer you sit on a story, the more likely you are to become dissatisfied with it and find reasons not to submit it at all.
posted
You might want to start with the magazines you read. Take a long, hard look at them, and figure out which ones publish stories like yours...then send it there.
While reading this, I pulled my file card on the first story I submitted anywhere. SF, of course. I sent it to four magazines, all of which I read, one after the other, till all four had rejected it. (A wise decision on their part, I now realize.)
At some point, though, before I submitted, I obtained a copy of "The Writer," with a list of what magazines were looking at SF or fantasy stories. In those days, it wasn't a long list. (There was no Internet to look at or check for markets back then.)
(Sidebar: I notice one of the markets I sent to way back back then, now takes a lot longer to reject my stories than it did then. Either they've grown slower...or my stories are now worthy of commanding more attention.)
posted
While I've only had a couple of literary stories to sell, I've used Storypilot to help find potential markets since it has an option for finding literary 'zines.
If you are looking for literary flash markets (typically stories under 1000 words), you could try "The Pedestal Magazine" http://www.thepedestalmagazine.com/ or "flashquake" http://www.flashquake.org/ . If you think any of these stories might be suitable for a younger audience, you might consider Carus Publishing http://www.cricketmag.com/kids_home.asp (look under the "Contact Us" link at the top to find their submission guidleines).
mikemunsil posted a pretty exhaustive list over in "Markets for Our Writing" including several flash markets (some genre specific, some literary).
I looked over at Liberty Hall and noticed you are a member there. You might consider joining the Sub Club. The sub club can help with editting, but it is a great resource for finding markets. Post a story in your private forum and ask for market recommendations. I always wind up with several good leads.
And if you haven't joined Notebored, consider doing so. Deanna has several threads there with information on various markets: paying, non-paying, on-line, print, etc.
As for when to get started subbing...
I started with one short story to a low-paying, on-line market. It was accepted. Since then I've collected several rejections for a few other stories, but I've only had a maximum of four out at any one time. Currently I have five stories that are ready for sub. Three are subbed to on-line markets, one is a re-print and I'm still looking for other potential markets, and the last I'm holding on to for a specific market which opens for subs on October 1.
quote:Other people (me) think the top markets are a big waste of time unless you've got something truly exceptional and even then you've got one chance in a million, and that the mid-level markets are more accessible, often have more interesting stories, and could be a better fit in every way except the check.
Well, if you've got something truly exceptional, I think your chances of getting into a top market are a good deal better than one in a million.
Posts: 1517 | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Thank you! I must say, reading through all the different 'zines (even when the search is narrowed down a bit) is tiring. I didn't think it would be that much work just reading all the guidlines. I happy to say that just reading them puts me that much closer to figuring out where to send stuff. Thank you! I'm going to get some critics on one story in particular which is begging to be sent. I'm hoping after I send it out I won't feel so darn hooked on it.
Right now I'm making a pre-list while I take a break from the story. Then I'll run it over again, and after that narrow down my possiblities via back issue reading. Then I'll submit. Right.
Thank all of you so much! My man has bowed to the knowledge of other writers and will support me subbing now. ralan.com and storypilot.com are wonderful and have kept me quite busy. I spent over an hour today looking at The Pedestal as it seems like a good place for that one story. I'm joining the Sub Club (tomorrow really, too tired tonight) but I didn't find the "markets for Our Writing". Where is it hidden?
Must rest brain now as it has passed from sponge to putty.
Thank you!
[Edited to add more 'Thank you's']
[This message has been edited by JmariC (edited September 06, 2005).]
posted
Still a long shot, which is all I meant. Everyone gets to decide for themselves if long shots are worth it or not.
Posts: 1750 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
I really had in mind magazines that you already read, ones whose contents you were familiar with, ones to consider without having to do that much rereading.
I admit my own magazine reading has shifted to nonfiction of late. I still subscribe to several SF magazines, but rarely read every word inside the covers as I once used to do. (But I still send stories to them from time to time anyway.)
[I just had to revise this one. I had to clarify which magazines I wasn't reading.]
[This message has been edited by Robert Nowall (edited September 07, 2005).]
posted
Unfortunatly I don't read any of the trade magazines at this time. One reason is cost. The only magazines in my apartment are one hand me down national geographic ones and the random recipe 'zine my man picks up while grocery shopping. The other reason is that my itty-bitty mailbox provided by the apartment is size enough for a standard envelope. Even the junk mail mini-mags get torn and the are full size. Therefore, I have to go to a book store (and the ones in the immediate area are terribly limited) to find trade mags to purchase a full shelf rate, or order online to read online. Posts: 233 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Thanks, Mike. I should have been more clear about that.
JmariC, I think it's great that you're joining the Sub Club. It really makes things easier when you don't have time to read everything printed, or uploaded, under the sun.
Good luck with Pedestal. They pay pro-rates, allow for electronic submissions, and have a fairly quick response time (my last submission from them came back in ten days, and from looking at The Black Hole, their average response time is around 35 days) so they won't keep your story tied up for a long time, which means either you'll get published or be free to sub to the next market on your list.
If you're looking for a significant challenge, try the Drabble at Sam's Dot Between Kisses (the 5th Drabble Contest details are halfway down the web page). Composing a complete story in exactly one hundred words is a significant exercise towards tightening one's prose.