Suggest a market for my story?

JoNightshade · Jan 2, 2008

I'm stuck on where to place a story I've had around for years, and Duotrope isn't sufficing. (The editor who usually takes my stuff said this one was "too negative.") I'd be grateful to anyone who could suggest an appropriate market.

Plot: Middle-aged, mildly disabled guy ends up on a cruise without his wife (whose sister had a last-minute emergency). They had asked the cruise line for an assistant to help him, but somewhere the lines got crossed and he ends up with a (highly illegal) escort, a sexy young woman. Rather than turning her in he takes pity on her and lets her stay in his room on the condition she act as his personal maid. He knows there's no way a girl like her would ever "go for" a guy like him, and he takes pleasure in making her uncomfortable. Stuff happens, they get to know one another, etc. They both learn to see each other as people rather than stereotypes. She learns that maybe not everyone has to be as jaded as she is; he realizes how thankful he is to have his wife, even if she's far from being the most beautiful woman in the world.

There's no actual sex (although the subject is discussed), but there is some naughty language.

astonwest · Jan 2, 2008

Novel or short?

JoNightshade · Jan 2, 2008

Short story, hence me posting in the short fiction area.

Twizzle · Jan 3, 2008

well, I'd want to read it.

all I could picture was his neighbors, seeing this "maid" coming and going from his room-all those raised eyebrows...

I guess my ques would be how is it written? more literary, humorous, etc? and actual length?

mikeland · Jan 3, 2008

I'm with Twizzle. I'd need some better specs to make any suggestions. I like the premise, but it is the tone and style (and word count) that will determine the market.

Don't you love getting comments like "too negative." What does that even mean?

Pike · Jan 3, 2008

At first glance, it comes across as contemperary lit. I would suggest any magazine that takes life-affirming stories, cruise stories, relationships, adult (as in not teeny bopper) fiction, etc.

Sorry I can't name any zines, Jo, seeing how I typically score the genre racks. But the few taht come to mind would be Happy, Ploughsheers, The Strand, or maybe (hushed silence) New Yorker.

Good luck!

Pike

JoNightshade · Jan 3, 2008

Okay, more specifics: It's a little under 9K and is written in a sparse, contemporary lit style. If there's any humor, it's wry. Nothing fancy-shmancy.

And yeah, I dunno what "too negative" really means, since the same editor previously accepted what I feel is a much darker, rather disturbing story.

mikeland · Jan 3, 2008

9K is a long short, so to speak. That might be part of the reason you've had trouble placing it. To publish anything, editors at litmags have to love it, as you know. But to give that many pages to one story, the bar is set even higher.

Hmmm, that wasn't very helpful.

OK, I'll throw a suggestion in the hat, which also might not be helpful. Have you tried One Story? They've had stories in most of the year-end anthologies the last few years (O Henry, BASS) if you want to see if their sensibilities fit with your style. Um, the not helpful part is that their guidelines cap out at 8K. But if you could trim a few hundred words off -- and can't we always trim a few hundred words -- you might have a match there.

JeanneTGC · Jan 3, 2008

Start with the New Yorker and work down.

It does sound "literary", meaning you have a lot of options, particularly some good college-based mags that pay pretty well, too. The Novel & Short Story Writer's Guide is good for finding these.

Pike · Jan 3, 2008

And to edit a "doh" on my part: the Strand is a mystery mag. I must have been typing out of my piehole this morning. Sorry. Also, Jeanne is right in consulting the coveted S&N Marketplace. There's loads of publshers that you should be able to match up to.

Pike

JoNightshade · Jan 4, 2008

Thanks, guys!

Twizzle · Jan 5, 2008

Hey Jo, sorry, I was hoping I could help, but I'm going through the same thing. I have a piece at 8900k. I give up. I've turned to contests now. I just sent it to a long fiction contest that closed 12/15. I know glimmertrain has an open, and say just don't send a novel. After that, well, hmmm. I might take a bat to it. *sigh*

good luck, and let me know, too, if you find anything. and vice versa.

mikeland · Jan 5, 2008

Jo and Twizzle. I've got one more suggestion. There is a litmag called The Long Story that only publishes long stories (>8000 words). Truth in advertising, I guess.

here's the website:

http://web.mac.com/rpburnham/iWeb/Site/LongStory.html

Disclaimer: I know very little about this market except that I came across it awhile ago and knew that I didn't have any stories long enough. I had forgotten about it until this thread jarred my memory.

JoNightshade · Jan 5, 2008

Length is a dilemma I face with most of my "short" stories. It seems my natural, ideal length is around 10K. Oh well, someday when I'm a famous author I'll release them in an anthology.

Oh and thanks, Mikeland. I took a look at Long Story and it seems interesting. The stories described certainly fit in with what I write. On the other hand I found the "essay" from the editor to be rather arrogant and idiotic. Nor did I see any mention of payment under the submission questions...?

mikeland · Jan 6, 2008

Jo, when you're famous, forget the anthology. They'll take each 10K work, slap a hard cover on it and sell it for full price.

I didn't read the essay. Yeah, arrogant and idiotic is not a good combination. Maybe google the editor's name and see if you can find any third-party info about his mag.

HeronW · Jan 6, 2008

fiction markets:
http://www.writerswrite.com/fiction/markets.htm
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mslee/mag.html
http://www.fictionfactor.com/fiction1.html

Twizzle · Jan 7, 2008

thanks heron and mikeland. I'll check it out. you know, I also sent it to missouri review. they rejected it, but I got a great response. so, I'm guessing they must take that length-I sent it, right? doh. I sent it to orchid, too. but never heard. I've noticed on duotrope they've only had one response since july. so maybe, you might skip them.

Twizzle · Jan 7, 2008

okay. I double-checked. so, MR does take any length. explains why I sent it to them. so I didn't mess up. phew. (this time.

)

Spiral Stairs · Jan 7, 2008

I have no advice, but I would like to note how much I wish I had an "editor who usually takes my stuff." Where do you get one of those?

Soccer Mom · Jan 7, 2008

Spiral Stairs said:
I have no advice, but I would like to note how much I wish I had an "editor who usually takes my stuff." Where do you get one of those?

By submitting to them repeatedly until they either take out a restraining order or love you.

Srsly, when an editor has taken my stuff, I'm likely send them something again. I actually have a favorite editor who hasn't bought anything of mine yet. (yes, I'm weird that way) But each rejection has been personal and encouraging. He's told me why something isn't right for him and invited me to submit further and so I have.

JoNightshade · Jan 7, 2008

Spiral Stairs said:
I have no advice, but I would like to note how much I wish I had an "editor who usually takes my stuff." Where do you get one of those?

It's a very small regional publication, so it's nothing big. I think it comes out quarterly or something. He accepted a "long" short story of mine that filled up like a third of his issue, and we struck up a conversation over a personal note. Since then I send along whatever I have and he gets back right away.

Suggest a market for my story?

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