One of the things I find frustrating is not knowing which publications will accept which works. I received another rejection, which doesn't bother me that much, apart from the reason given, "This didn't really move us."
I have read the publications I submit to, but I am horrible judge of my own work and 1. whether it is any good, 2. if it fits with their outlook.
Is there anyway to include a box on the page with a work we put up on Fictionaut to allow anonymous suggestions for publications that may accept a particular work?
I know the publishing world is competitive, and authors may not wish to give advise like that with their names attached, but it would be most helpful to me, and others, I assume.
Really, the best way to figure out where to send what piece is to read the journals themselves. Even then it's hit or miss. Fact is, publication always was and always will be an unknowable science. Focus more on perfecting the craft, send out tireless, and let the chips fall where they may.
Thank you, James. It is rather discouraging, when one questions ones own ability in the first place, LOL. I will heed your advice and keep plugging away.
Sally, also keep a look out for themed issues or magazines with a particular interest. In my experience that increases chance of acceptance. And please remember that most magazines accept very few stories from the slush pile.
Go thoroughly through Fictionaut Friendly journals seeking themed issues.
Thank you, everyone. I appreciate your help. I guess I was just feeling unworthy :D
Aim high.
In where you choose to submit.
In the quality of your work.
Never compromise.
Thank you, Sally. I'll try to remember that.
One more thing. A trick I use: read more books (instead of more Fictionaut) and pay attention to the credit/acknowledgement pages. This will give you some idea what those magazines are publishing-- and what you're up against.
That's really good advice, thank you, James.
I aim high with my work but after years of trying and getting only one very long story published, I am aiming much lower. For me now, it's quantity, not quality of publication sources because it's easier to get in the door and I need the ego boost. I just got sick of rejections. I've had about seventeen publications since joining Fictionaut and I'm proud of them all though they aren't in Agni. I advise quantity.
I'm also lazy and apply exclusively to online submissions. I will not use envelopes and stamps.
Yes, snail-mail is a problem when one's funds are otherwise tied up in rent. Thanks Gloria.
Aim high.
In where you choose to submit.
In the quality of your work.
Never compromise.
I think aiming high is relative. You get a hundred rejections, you need to be realistic to get published at all. Always compromise in submissions but never in the quality of your work.
"Always compromise in submissions"
Yes, if you place exposure over craft.
Good work will always find a good home.
I hate submitting. It isn't the rejection. I'm used to that. I hate all the work involved. It's so tedious. I have to be the laziest person alive.
Not lazy. Every single journal has different formats for sumissions, even with submissable, and you have to follow the instructions carefully. It should be standardized.
I've worked out a mixture these days, which works for me. I mean, I think Sally's advice is the best, but also I know the sadness of a submittable page filled with Declined Declined Declined.
I think it's important to never submit anywhere if you don't like their aesthetic or genuinely engage with some of the other writing published there. But also, these days when I aim high, I am aiming high high.
So for short stories, which I spend many months working on, I will start out sending to top tier places.
However, I also write a lot of flash fiction and poetry, and some of these I will send to more realistic places. Just because my fragile writer heart needs occasional good news in the inbox.
I would probably be a better writer if I stuck with each and every piece until it was good enough to go better places, but ah! I am not.
@John Riley
I am the same. So much paperwork involved.
I don't take submitting too seriously. If I have a poem I think is pretty good, I send it to one zine whose content I think is a good match. Then I forget about it. I never do simultaneous submissions and I don't worry if the zines I submit to are the cool ones. I send to the ones I actually read. Maybe that's the key.
Gloria, why should it be standardized? These places are deluged as it is, can you imagine how much worse it would be if it were easier? If I had a lit journal, I'd make people jump through a hoop or two, if only to show they cared enough to pay attention.
Although I've run out of things to send out, which is very sad, and find myself questioning the value of sending things out at all, which is perhaps sadder. Or maybe not. (Writing a novel and my grown up work is taking most of my time up just now.)
Why do you submit? Maybe that's best left for a different thread. Forget I asked. I'll be over there, in the corner.
@Lynn
I submit when I think "Oh, that's awesome, I want to be in that. SO BAD." (eg "50 Shades of Decay," "Oh Sandy," "Bad Robot Poetry.")
I'm also totally superficial and attracted by catchy titles. I feel like I shouldn't admit that because maybe you'll think I'm one of those people that wears the band shirt without listening to the actual band.
Now it's Frigg. But I have to choose (or write) one more nice thing to send them before I can sub.
@Lynn
I think the question of "why do you submit" a good one. I like to be read by as many people as possible--I'm far too generous to deny anyone a few moments of my sparkling presence--but sometimes I'll submit a piece so I'll stop screwing around with it. I get stuck in a fixation set on something and submitting wakes me up and lets me move on. Then I wait for it to be rejected to start the process over again.
Actually, Lynn, they are becoming more and more standardized with Submissable which has been a blessing and made it much easier to submit. It's easier for us and the publishers.
I submit because I expect to eventually publish a collection of short stories when I get enough published that I have credibility to find the best press possible. If I'm on my deathbed by then, I'll self-publish it, damn it.
I'm extremely wary of overly-specific submission guidelines. I'm getting better and better at reading content before I sub, and I always format my pieces to industry standards; however, if a zine is going to be precious about how they want to read a story, my interest drifts and sinks very quickly.
I agree. Start reading one of those precious ones with a tons of specifics and my ADD kicks in and I just drift off. Why complicate the damn process?
When I have my own zine, I will require at least one line in your submission to rhyme with "Beighley." I will leave it as an exercise for the submitter to figure out how that's pronounced.
I stared balefully into the neighborly bagel lee aw forget it
LOL thank you for all the comments, serious and humourous. This really is helpful. Keep the suggestions coming.
Matt, I think it rhymes with bailey. I'd offer you some Bailey's, but I don't drink.
@Lynn It's one of those trick English names that's actually pronounced "Smith", right?
Not tellin'.
Sally, I have an agent friend who did my very successful submissions for me. He's good at finding the right markets for each piece. He charges what I consider a not unreasonable fee. If you're interested, I can hook you up.
Perfect example. I wouldn't submit, nor would you like my writing anyway.
@Lynn
So, Unicorn Bacon then.
This article by Blake Butler about submitting is interesting.
http://htmlgiant.com/behind-the-scenes/22-things-i-learned-from-submitting-writing/
That's really a good article, John. It addresses a lot of what I have thought or gone through.
Interesting article, John. Thanks for the link.
"Eat the struggle. It's meat."
That's great.
John, that is a great article!
Frankie, Frigg <3
Sally,
I want to take the other side of Jim V's April 6 argument (Let the chips fall where they may).
My biggest publication coup, where I was published alongside some pretty good writers, came after I knew the heart and soul of the editor's preferences, knew the value system of the editor, knew childhood upbringing, knew attitude about family, money, spending, career.
I noticed that my story simply dovetailed with every known trait the editor possessed so much so that rejecting my story would mean the editor would be rejecting their own life.
I knew the piece would be accepted before I sent it out, and I was right.
The downside to this approach is that its hard to duplicate. I've never again been able to make the research fall into line like that.
I'm working on another piece that has potential. I know it's good because one editor couldn't take it, and acutally F-bombed me in a written rejection letter. Imagine that? Write a great story and you get cursed at because they can't take it? What a world.