Do you follow the money?

I typically follow the money, although it's hard as hell to force myself to do it sometimes. With the pros it often feels like I'm just wasting time and (in the case of postal subs) postage. On the other hand, if I don't give them a shot it won't happen, so I go through the motions.

I wanted to add one thing: I now hesitate to participate in pro contests. In many cases I have not been impressed with the winners, and always scratch my head when, for example, the winner happens to be the previous editor of said magazine sponsoring the contest! That said, there may be contests out there worth trying, and I would absolutely recommend Writer's of the Future. All I'm saying is that I wonder if crafting stories for specifically-themed, un-named, better-known, pro contests is a worthwhile use of my time right now - when I could be using it to write work that might be sent to a wider range of markets.

Yes, I do.

I'm still new to the short story submission process, and I'm not a patient person, so I've been trying the quickest of the pro markets first. Then the quickest of the semi-pro markets. I also like simultaneous submissions.

Also, I'm more likely to submit at the markets whose stuff I like to read. If I don't like the material certain pro places accept (which is the case with some of them), what are the chances I can write something they'll accept?

I've written very few short stories, but I sub them only to paying markets. Period. Same with my books. Yog's Law, yanno?

When I grow up and become a 'good' writer....I plan on subbing to paying markets. As it stands now, I am not a 'good' writer. SIGH

It depends. For my humor pieces, there are only a handful of paying markets, particularly since I write longer humor. So, I send to the Big 3 first (The New Yorker, Harper's and The Atlantic Monthly), because you never know, and then, if rejected, send to a nonpaying market. (These days, pretty much exclusively Raphael's Village. LOL. Yeah, I'm an editor there, but the Sr. Editor makes the decision on my stuff...the rejections don't stop no matter what side of the desk you're on...)

For other shorts, I usually keep on trying with paying. However, I have a limit, since I consider myself a novelist who happens to also write short stories, etc. So, for each story, I have a number limit of rejections from paying markets where, after that, I'll sub to nonpaying if I like them. For shorter pieces, as long as I know the market rejects, then them accepting me means I was good enough to be published.

I like to sub to places I know like my writing...per several of our more successful AW short story writers, that's a good game plan, too. It's always nicer to get a yes than a no, after all.

For my novels, however, no way in the world. Paid or shelved, period.

For me it depends on the story. If I think it's good enough I start with the pro markets, if I'm not as certain about it I start with the semi-pro and work my way down.

I have only started subbing recently, but so far I have sent to the pro-semi pro markets. I intend to work my way down as the rejections arrive.

I do this partly because it would be nice to get some kind of financial return (beyond token or non-payment) on all the time I have spent on writing and polishing my stories, partly because I want to test myself against the high standards the pro markets have, and partly because I have one eye on HWA membership.

What I'd like to do is follow the circulation. I suppose print mags publish their circulation data, and if I had some spare time I'd do some research and contact the various markets and see how many people actually read them. Getting paid $200 instead of $50 would be nice, but it ain't gonna change my tax bracket. Exposure is more important than the cash at my level.

Hell, if I had more time I could expose myself. (bada-bing!)

Besides, giving it away rubs me the wrong way. (Thanks folks, enjoy the veal and remember to tip your waitress!)

Besides even more -- you never know, a cool little outfit like Necrotic Tissue may become the next Clarkesworld or Aberrant Dreams.

I like to work my way down when subbing. Staring with the highest paying market that fits. However, I also agree that the new markets could be the pro-paying markets so if I have a story I think fits I will sub it to one of those.

For me (with short stories) I usually send them directly to one publisher that I've been published with before and who pays pro to sem-pro rates.
Why not try a new market? I'd rather spend my time writing than submitting, waiting, receiving rejection, rinse, repeat.

JeanneTGC said:

For my novels, however, no way in the world. Paid or shelved, period.

Click to expand...

Okay, I have to ask, "What do you consider paid?" when it comes to novels? I mean for me, paid equals - royalties to the author, author doesn't pay any fees associated with said publishing of book.

So what is your version? Do you require an advance to be considered 'paid'?

When you write ghost stories, you'll submit to anyone who'll take them. Most Horror 'zines won't touch them, so I end up going for the more esoteric publications (and occasionally the mainstream ones, just on the off chance). I figure once I've got a few credits it'll be easier to persuade paying zines that it's worth taking a shot on something less gory.