Fledgling Markets.

The Lady · Dec 6, 2006

I was just looking through Duotrope looking for somewhere to submit a story. Two of the nicest options in terms of response time and fit were fledgling markets. One looks more shakier than the other. Now baring in mind, I've only ever got one story published, is it worth submitting to new markets or should you just keep trying to crack the big ones.

The other (non fledgling)market that I thought might be a nice fit had response times stretching up to 200 days. I could submit to that and end up waiting almost a year just to get rejected.

A part of me thinks it would be nice to get published anywhere. Both those fledglings are print by the way. Another part says, test the quality of your writing, submit to the big boys.

Help me in my indecision please.

pdr · Dec 6, 2006

Find the markets which...

allow simultaneous submissions.
I'm assuming that the big names pay more than the little names/beginning mags. So if you can submit to several that pay and allow sim subs then do so.

Frankly I'd aim for the top if you think your story fits the markets. But then I've got a bit of a history of publishing behind me so if I get rejected I simply try again without angst. If you need the confidence of a couple of small acceptances then you'd better go for the new mags.

What do you want? To see your name in print now this instant or to build a decent CV to help you avoid editors' slush piles?

Siddow · Dec 7, 2006

Some of the fledglings take a long time, too. I have one out that I sent to a new market that reported a response time of less than 20 days. Mine's been there for 119. Now I see that a lot of other people are getting slow response from them, and I'm afraid that the market might just fold. The latest issue is late.

I'm with pdr. Sim-sub. The more people who see it, the more likely you are to find the one who will publish it. Good luck!

PeeDee · Dec 7, 2006

As Siddow touched on, magazine response times at small magazines can be faster sometimes....but unreliably so. There isn't usually a full-time paid staff working there, so what they manage is what they manage.

The Lady · Dec 7, 2006

Thank you all for your help. I've also come up with a new angle on this. I've read a theory somewhere that you should actually start with the small mags and then gradually build up your cv so the big mags will take you more seriously.

I'm know I'm looking like an obsessive but I've googled names of contributors to the big ones and they all have a bit of a track record of publications. Now I know that they're also more than likely pretty good writers but maybe it helps to have a few credits of lesser standing when you're submitting to a professional market.

Any opinions.

PeeDee · Dec 7, 2006

My opinion is that I've heard the opposite theory too: That you should start with the big magazines, and then work your way downward, because the theory says there's no reason to prematurely cheapen your work.

Mostly, my advice is the useless "Send it where it'll fit."

MacAllister · Dec 7, 2006

I've read a theory somewhere that you should actually start with the small mags and then gradually build up your cv so the big mags will take you more seriously.

Start at the top.

If you're not ready, yet, then you've got plenty of semi-pro 'zines to fall back on...but wouldn't you hate to miss a sale to F&SF, because you sent it to AlienSkin, first?

By the time you DO break into the pro markets, you'll have plenty of credits with the smaller 'zines. But if you're not submitting to the pros, how will you know when you're ready?

Kate Thornton · Dec 7, 2006

I think "send it where it fits" works best for me - but working "top down" is the wisest way to go.

Start at the top - and keep writing so you always have a batch of stories making the rounds. Don't wait a year for one story to be rejected: spend a year writing a batch of stories and sending them out and keep records of what, when and where you submit stuff. When or if something is rejected, send it on to the next market. Kepp all these plates spinning and you will be delighted with publication at the best possible rates for each story.

And you'll develop the business sense every successful writer needs, as well as the habit of writing more, more, more and submitting always.

Oh, and you'll get your name out there, makes some $$ and rack up a nice list of credits!

The Lady · Dec 7, 2006

Ok you all, I'm convinced. I'm going to submit to one of the bigger ones, so help me God.

piscesgirl80 · Dec 7, 2006

Glad you came to a decision you're happy with, The Lady.

Just wanted to thank you for the thread, b/c I'm an idiot who wasn't familiar with duotrope and the great service they provide. Much appreciated!

PeeDee · Dec 7, 2006

The Lady said:
Ok you all, I'm convinced. I'm going to submit to one of the bigger ones, so help me God.

Yeah! Go! GET THEM! Tell me which issue of Realms of Fantasy I'll need to buy, and I'll go get it.

The Lady · Dec 7, 2006

PeeDee said:
Yeah! Go! GET THEM! Tell me which issue of Realms of Fantasy I'll need to buy, and I'll go get it.

Oh, how I wish. I'm wishing now.

Birol · Dec 7, 2006

One of the reasons the fledgling subs would have better turn-around times is they receive fewer submissions. Once the fledglings prove themselves, the number of submissions they receive and their turnaround time will increase.

Siddow, have you followed up on your sub, since it has been there five times longer than the market typically takes?

AzBobby · Dec 7, 2006

One more vote for the top-down submission process, because hell, you're not losing anything by trying -- and the big four among SpecFics DO sometimes print newbies, albeit rarely. Remember, most editors at least claim to judge by quality over pedigree. But balance that rule with not wasting your own time, since most of the best markets disallow simultaneous submissions for good reasons, meaning you might circulate the pros for over a year before trying the semi-pros for each piece. Start with the top-down list and then sharply edit that list by following the "send it where it fits" advice to increase your chances overall (and my personal preference is to re-prioritize the list further to my own fussy choices such as 'pays on acceptance' and short turnaround getting higher placement). Selling something to The New Yorker is a cool pipe dream, but I won't bother trying until I (probably by accident) write something that comes awfully close to their idiom first -- if for no other reason than they'll tie up my valuable property for months whether I have impressive credits behind me or not.

JeanneTGC · Dec 7, 2006

The New Yorker doesn't tie up your property all that long. I know, I submit my (only 2 pieces per year) to them. Sure, I haven't made it in yet. But I have MANY more pieces to send. I would rather send in to the New Yorker and get their rejection, than discover years later the editor at the time would have killed to have run my piece.

I firmly vote top first.

BTW, I know that The New Yorker rarely takes Sci Fi/Fantasy (though I've read stories in it that sure SEEM like SF/F to ME), so those I send to the big 3 in SF/F first, take my licks there and then keep on moving down the scale.

Finally, my solution to having one piece tied up because I submitted to any publication that's going to take more than 2-3 weeks to reply is to, well, just write another piece.

The Lady · Dec 7, 2006

JeanneTGC said:
Finally, my solution to having one piece tied up because I submitted to any publication that's going to take more than 2-3 weeks to reply is to, well, just write another piece.

I do but I just want to know

JeanneTGC · Dec 8, 2006

The Lady said:
I do but I just want to know

LOL! Once it's out, I log it on my submissions spreadsheet and then, literally forget about it. Interzone (in the UK) took 9 months to reply to something I'd sent. I just figured that it had gotten lost, etc. They replied with a lovely, personal and encouraging rejection, and when they did I almost deleted the message because by that time, I'd forgotten I'd sent anything to them.

I'm getting a little better at this, but the only way I stay sane is to forget about who I've sent what to and just focus on something else.

The Lady · Dec 8, 2006

JeanneTGC said:
LOL! Once it's out, I log it on my submissions spreadsheet and then, literally forget about it. Interzone (in the UK) took 9 months to reply to something I'd sent. I just figured that it had gotten lost, etc. They replied with a lovely, personal and encouraging rejection, and when they did I almost deleted the message because by that time, I'd forgotten I'd sent anything to them.

I'm getting a little better at this, but the only way I stay sane is to forget about who I've sent what to and just focus on something else.

Yes but this could all be solved if they would just give us their home phone numbers so we can ring them and talk through any problems they might be having with the story.

JeanneTGC · Dec 8, 2006

The Lady said:
Yes but this could all be solved if they would just give us their home phone numbers so we can ring them and talk through any problems they might be having with the story.

Oooooh, I LIKE where your head's at! You are a visionary! (Think they'll go for it? I mean, even a little? If we included a box of chocolates or something with the suggestion?)

PeeDee · Dec 9, 2006

I generally don't mind if a place takes a little while to reply to my submission. It's time that I don't have to worry about that story and can get back to my writing.

Submission, for me, is another thing taking away from my writing time...

Birol · Dec 9, 2006

JeanneTGC said:
Oooooh, I LIKE where your head's at! You are a visionary! (Think they'll go for it? I mean, even a little? If we included a box of chocolates or something with the suggestion?)

No. Please no.

PeeDee · Dec 9, 2006

The Lady said:
Yes but this could all be solved if they would just give us their home phone numbers so we can ring them and talk through any problems they might be having with the story.

*RING* *RING*

2AM:

PETE: mmmfff...hello?

WRITER: WHY did you reject my story!?

PETE: mmmffff......mggrrggaqw

WRITER: HELLO!?

PETE: Gawd. Yes. What? Hello?

WRITER: I sent my story "A Hair Too Many" to BBT Magazine and you REJECTED IT! In your editor's note you said that it was "too long and too strange and I should do an edit."

PETE: mmmmffffff get offamy land

WRITER: What? Listen. The story is a DEEP LOOK AT SOCIETY! OKAY!? It's a social commentary on the socio-political situation in the USSR pre-collapse of the Berlin Wall, showing how that affected citizens of Russia, being the country closest to Germany.

PETE: Fargle Bargle nouse.

WRITER: Yeah, you say that now, well I'm taking my story and LEAVING. I'll publish it through one of the LOTS of magazines who want it. I hope YOU enjoy bankruptcy! ASS! What do you say to that?

PETE awakes. He looks at the clock. He realizes he has a phone pressed to his ear. His mind gives him a quick recap.

PETE: ***** ** * * * ********* **** YOU SODDING ******** TWO IN THE ******** MORNING ****** CALL ME AGAIN AND ***********

WRITER cries like small child, hangs up.

PETE murders his pillow.

The Lady · Dec 9, 2006

JeanneTGC said:
Oooooh, I LIKE where your head's at! You are a visionary! (Think they'll go for it? I mean, even a little? If we included a box of chocolates or something with the suggestion?)

Absolutely not! No bribery. Our stories stand on their own merit. It's just sometimes people need to have a few things explained. I've found.

The Lady · Dec 9, 2006

PeeDee said:
*RING* *RING*

2AM:

PETE: mmmfff...hello?

WRITER: WHY did you reject my story!?

PETE: mmmffff......mggrrggaqw

WRITER: HELLO!?

PETE: Gawd. Yes. What? Hello?

WRITER: I sent my story "A Hair Too Many" to BBT Magazine and you REJECTED IT! In your editor's note you said that it was "too long and too strange and I should do an edit."

PETE: mmmmffffff get offamy land

WRITER: What? Listen. The story is a DEEP LOOK AT SOCIETY! OKAY!? It's a social commentary on the socio-political situation in the USSR pre-collapse of the Berlin Wall, showing how that affected citizens of Russia, being the country closest to Germany.

PETE: Fargle Bargle nouse.

WRITER: Yeah, you say that now, well I'm taking my story and LEAVING. I'll publish it through one of the LOTS of magazines who want it. I hope YOU enjoy bankruptcy! ASS! What do you say to that?

PETE awakes. He looks at the clock. He realizes he has a phone pressed to his ear. His mind gives him a quick recap.

PETE: ***** ** * * * ********* **** YOU SODDING ******** TWO IN THE ******** MORNING ****** CALL ME AGAIN AND ***********

WRITER cries like small child, hangs up.

PETE murders his pillow.

Writer picks up from this that 2 am is not a good time to call. However editor has left feelings very unclear about 3am.

3 am next morning

Writer: Well? What do you think now?

PeeDee · Dec 9, 2006

The Lady said:
Writer picks up from this that 2 am is not a good time to call. However editor has left feelings very unclear about 3am.

3 am next morning

Writer: Well? What do you think now?

EDITOR realizes that it's like trying to wrangle a puppy. He gets sodding drunk and follows pillow murder with writer murder, then takes off his clothes and goes to live in the jungle.

Fledgling Markets.

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