[Ezine] Howl at the Moon

Replied to another ad today, requesting submission requirements for a new ezine called "Howl at the Moon".

Their reply looks just like what I got from "The Rag", as discussed in this previous thread.

Except -- they're charging $7, instead of $3.

But they're using the same kind of line:

Howl at the Moon said:

There is a $7 fee for online submissions. Why? We just can't deal with paper submissions, for logistical/management purposes, and they end up costing the author more than $7 to print and ship anyway. There is a cost associated with us handling submissions and we hope to actually cover our cost. By making the submission process revenue neutral we can offer a higher payout for accepted submissions.

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So they seem to be saying: A) Their costs of operation include a cost for looking at submissions that comes out to $7 per submission; and B) Instead of paying for their costs of operation through revenues from their customers (subscribers), like a normal business, they prefer to get money from the vendors who provide them with their stock (writers).

Oddly enough, their Submission page gives the size limit for short stories as "15 pages", rather than a wordcount. (It also says, "Single or double spacing", which would make a difference of a couple hundred words per page, easy.)

Okay; sent them an email, and got this response (from "Robert St. Clair"):

Robert St. Clair said:

Steven…..your lack of knowledge is over whelming…! I am a published Author….the last submission I sent to my Literary agent in New Orleans cost me $14.00
Our Magazine is a wonderful opportunity for Authors to make a little money…..Take your foot out of your mouth & educate yourself ……
Adios

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I think he's saying that it cost him $14.00 postage the last time he mailed a manuscript to his agent. With, I guess, the implication that somehow this justifies making a writer pay $7 for the privilege of emailing a short story submission.

CaoPaux said:

An eZine without a website ...?

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All I could find is their submission page.

I think it's the same deal as with The Rag: they haven't actually had an issue appear yet, but supposedly they're somehow getting paid subscriptions ahead of time. And I can't help wondering whether they've actually gotten any paid subscriptions, and how much they've taken in from writers.

Hm. It is kind of looking nonexistent. I wonder if they've already collected submission fees, and if so how many, and if so what became of them ....

Is it my fault? Did (published Author) Robert St. Clair go away because I was bad?