Newbie looking for Publications

[SOLDIER]

I posted this on the welcome thread from that other member, but I think I'll get better help making a seperate thread. Sorry if there's a thread specific for my question though, I'm new here.

I consider myself a capable writer, one with both good ideas and the means to execute them. I've spent some time writing for a few college writing contests, and an unfinished fanfiction that I swear I'll return to someday, but I constantly dream about going proffesional, or at least semi proffesional. I've got some ideas that I'd like to turn into full fledged series, and I'm looking for any publications that might be interested in my ideas, and won't immediately turn me down for being an amatuer at work.

I've got a copy of the Novel and Short Story Writer's Market (2004), which lists quite a bit of publications, what they specialize in and what they pay, etc. But I was hoping that perhaps a few people here are in the same position I'm in, and could perhaps recommend some publications I could start with, right off the bat. In other words, a good publication that a newbie like me could look into, and one that won't turn away from a first timer's work.

The only things I'm looking for with a certain publication are:

1. Must pay for my work: Yes, I've heard it before that I should think about the writing and not the money, but that's what fanfiction is for. For ideas like the ones I have, I want them to florish as professional works.

2. Preferably Online: Not a must, but it would be easier to have the publication online, so I can simply copy and paste any stories I type, and I find e-mail to be far easier to manage than a phone call. That's just me.

3. Different Genres: I don't want to be restricted to just one genre. I've contemplated writing all sorts of different stories; romance, sci-fi, drama, horror, and the good old fantasy. I'm not sure which genre I excel at (my gut says fantasy though), so I want to try them all. A publication that accepts all types of stories would be nice, but I'll take multiple one genre names if you have them.

Well I hope a couple of you aspiring writers can help me out. I really appreciate it, thanks.

[Trapped in amber]

:hi::welcome:
I'm a bit unclear as to whether you're thinking of novels or short stories (could be me, it's hot here and my brain is melting).
The advice I've read many, many times is that you should have a finished manuscript before approaching a publisher or an agent (I think the situation can be different with non-fiction).
With magazines I'd compile a list and start at the top, i.e. the best paying, most prestigious and highest circulation, and work my way down.
Good luck.

[Unimportant]

Soldier, I am assuming you are looking for short story markets. Probably the best all-round market listing for speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and horror) is www.ralan.com (http://www.ralan.com/). Probably there are other godsends like ralan who maintain market listings in other genres; a google search might turn up some likely sites.

Very few short story markets, with the exception of closed anthologies, will refuse to look at the work of an unpublished author. A history of professional publication will help get an editor's attenion, certainly, but a lack of such is not a death knell.

Pretty much every writer who submits stories to editors considers themself to be a capable writer with good ideas and the means to execute them -- otherwise, why would they be submitting their work for publication? If your story gets rejected by an editor, it's unlikely that it will be because you're an amateur, but rather because your work wasn't right for their publication. While most writers hope to sell their stories to the big-name, high-paying magazines, the competition is enormous, and the reality is that even top writers regularly get rejection letters. Small, non-paying e-zines aren't as prestigious but publications in such mags can be the first step up the ladder, and editors of smaller zines are more likely to provide helpful feedback rather than form rejections.

my $0.02

[SOLDIER]

Sorry, I should have made that clear. I was thinking of novels, not short stories. I have some ideas for potential series, spanning one or more books. And I mostly plan to create fiction material present in fiction worlds (thus, fantasy, and maybe sci fi). I'm considering real world fiction stories too.

So like what you posted for the short stories, I'd like some names concerning novels becoming published.

I do have some short stories that I wouldn't mind submiting, though. I'll have to look into that last link.

[Trapped in amber]

Thanks for clarifying.:)

Which publishers you approach would depend on what you're writing.

Look in a bookshop at books similar to the ones you are thinking of writing, and approach those publishers (once you have completed your manuscript). None have barred their doors to new writers.

Could you expand on this a little? It sounds like you're thinking of ebooks, but I'm not quite sure:

"2. Preferably Online: Not a must, but it would be easier to have the publication online, so I can simply copy and paste any stories I type, and I find e-mail to be far easier to manage than a phone call. That's just me."

[jackie106]

Hi SOLDIER,

Welcome to AW!


2. Preferably Online: Not a must, but it would be easier to have the publication online, so I can simply copy and paste any stories I type, and I find e-mail to be far easier to manage than a phone call. That's just me.


Most editors do not want phone calls from unknown writers. They cannot judge the merits of your writing over the phone. If you are submitting a novel, follow the instructions on their web site or their WD listing.

If your gut tells you to go with fantasy, start with fantasy. You can always branch out into different type of writing. It is not uncommon for novelists to write in several genres and have a different psuedonym for each genre.

I'd recommend reading Lawrence Block's books on writing. Telling Lies for Fun and Profit is my favorite, but Spider Spin Me a Web isn't bad. Block is a successful mystery writer, but his advice isn't genre-specific.

Jackie

[jackie106]

So like what you posted for the short stories, I'd like some names concerning novels becoming published.


Look on your bookshelf. Where are your favorite authors published?

[Unimportant]

Soldier, I'm not aware of any genre publishers who will look at a novel on spec from an unpublished author. They want to see a finished product. My advice is for you to write the novel, then revise the novel as necessary, then get feedback from a workshop, then revise the novel again as necessary, then polish the novel as necessary, then write the synopsis. After all this is done, make a list of publishers who publish work similar in style or content to yours and/or a list of agents who represent authors whose works are similar in style or content to yours, and start sending out query letters/submissions. Any list made today is likely to be outdated by the time your novel is ready to go, since the publishing world (in terms of who is working where, and who accepts what) can change dramatically in six or twelve or eighteen months.

There are publishers and agents who will accept e-submissions. Baen, a big name in SF, takes e-subs. Ralan's market list also covers novel publishers, so you might want to visit that site. The Critters workshop site also has links to market listings and publishers; in addition, it's not a bad spec fic workshop to consider joining if you're looking for feedback on your writing.

[James D. Macdonald]

1) Don't think of a series: Think of one novel. If it doesn't sell there won't be a series.

2) There are very few e-pubs for novels that are worth considering. Ellora's Cave is one but they have a highly specialized market.

3) If you haven't yet read Slushkiller (http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/004641.html), do so now.

4) The door isn't closed to new writers, provided those new writers write as well as folks who have been writing and selling for twenty years.

5) There is no substitute for sitting down and writing your novel. Then writing a better one.

6) Look around. There's a lot of good material here.

[LightShadow]

Have you thought about pursuing an agent? I think it will help your odds. Agents, however, can be wolves just like the publishers so be sure to check out http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/ to be sure.

[Unimportant]

Along with the must-read "Slushkiller", here's another interesting post from a Tor editor:

http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/index.php?cat=35

The post identifies Tor's number of submissions:number published novels. It's sobering, to say the least.

"We get between about 7,000 and 20,000 submissions every year, not counting stuff from authors we already publish, and agents.... [We publish] about 180 books every year. Subtract from that the number of authors we work with on a regular basis and… well, the odds aren’t good. How many of those 20,000 [slush] submissions actually become real grown up novels? Not many. In fact, in the last five years, I can count on one hand the number of books that we pulled out of the slush piles and published."