Submitting question

[Rhush]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this question, but here I go. I've heard that sometimes writers will submit a chapter of their ms to magazines as short stories in an attempt to generate interest in the entire ms. Is this right? Can you do this? If so, I was contemplating sub'ing to Realms of Fantasy, but I wasn't certain what the deal is with rights and all that. Can anyone help me out on this one?

[Mike Coombes]

Query the editor. The chapter has to work as a stand-alone piece, obviously.

[katiemac]

I don't have any solid knowledge on this, but when I've seen excerpts from an ms in magazines, it's from a book that's already published, or just about to be published. I would assume the editors and publishers would work on this as a marketing scheme.

[Mike Coombes]

At NFG we published an excerpt of a 'soon to be published' novel, but several writers I know have used this as a way of getting interest in an unpublished work.

[maestrowork]

I am not sure about unpublished work -- obviously, it depends on the magazine.

But some literary magazines would print "excerpts" of a published or "soon-to-be-published" novel. Again, check with their guidelines or query them.

[Rhush]

What if their guidelines don't clarify either way? I checked over the ROF site and the sub guidelines, and they fail to mention. :Shrug:

[awatkins]

Becky, I'd drop them a very polite e-mail and ask.