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I have a few things that I think are ready to be submitted to magazines and contests and whatnot. I haven't done this in any kind of really serious way before, so I thought I'd ask the advice of all of you: any pointers, tips, really big things to keep in mind? How many places should a story be sent to? Thanks.
Posts: 69 | Registered: Oct 2008
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Go out to Ralan.com. Identify the highest paying/largest audience spot for your type of story. Send it out. Wait. Hopefully, they buy. If not, send it out to the next highest paying/largest audience market. Repeat until it's sold or it's been rejected by all the places on your list. In the meantime, get to work writing something else Posts: 327 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Most markets post submission guidelines on their websites, and they're all a little different. They'll also say whether they're open for submissions at this time.
Posts: 1796 | Registered: Jun 2007
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Duotrope has more information and listings and tools than Ralan.
Where to submit first is something everyone does differently. Some say highest paying or "best" first, but theres also something to be said for whatever market you think is the best fit first, or you may just have somewhere you really want to try and get published.
Also some few markets will allow simultaneous submissions...sending it to them and another market (that also takes sim subs) at the same time. Duotrope has all that kind of info on markets plus a link to the market's website and a submission tracker.
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Unless there's been some change in the last few months that I haven't been informed of, the Big Three SF magazines still want submissions printed up and mailed to them.
If you do submit something to one of them, don't forget to send them a big envelope so they can return the manuscript...that is, if you want it back.
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Pay attention to those submission guidelines and proper manuscript formatting (sfwa.org has some great articles on MS formatting, but then you still have to check with each location you are submitting to, to ensure you're doing it right for *that* market.)
A friend of mine says to always have the next market in mind for a story after you submit it to one. Then when it comes back (as many MS invariably do...) you can put it in a new envelope (or email it again) and off it goes.
quote:Duotrope has more information and listings and tools than Ralan.
While I find Ralan more helpful than Duotrope. You don't have to click through to get return times and it gives you right up front who the editor(s) is so you don't have to search (occasionally fruitlessly) for the editor's name if it's one you don't know. Ralan also notes right about the entry any and all recent news concerning the market and is great at keeping updated.
As far as listing, Ralan has all of the SF/F short story listings so I don't think that's true. If you are doing other than SF/F then you need Duotrope. I prefer running down a list list rather than having to run a search and then have to click through on each and every result to have to get any information.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Duotrope which I do use occasionally, but I suspect it's a matter of taste which is better rather than one being better than the other.
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All right, thanks everyone. I think I've got everything formatted correctly and all that good stuff. Of course the post office closes as soon as I need them. This helps though, so thank you.
Posts: 69 | Registered: Oct 2008
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Well, as you say, Ralan only lists fantasy and sci fi, and I write fantasy and stuff that would be called "horror" for lack of a better word...and Duotrope has listings for every type of fiction including non-speculative.
Duotrope also has a submission tracker which will display for you where the piece was sent and when, how long its been out and both the average and stated return times for the market. They also have various useful statistics on most markets...response times, whether they take simultaneous submissions, general pay rates, when the last responses and submissions were reported, acceptance and rejection rates, how long they take for both acceptances and rejections etc etc etc.
Ralan is easier to scan but Duotrope has a lot more features and information and can really be used as an overall information, resource and planning tool for a writer.
It is a course a matter of preference and I wasn't putting anything down...just putting forth information.
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