The W1S1 Check-in and Chill Lounge and Bar

Nathaniel Katz said:

For the most part I agree with you, though, for me, the real deciding factor is my respect for the market and/or desire to be a part of it,

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I think we're saying the same thing. Emphasis mine.

For me personally, I start at the toughest market I have a desire to be in and work my way down

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Not the toughest market, period. The toughest market I want to be in. And the reasons I want to be in them often vary widely. I'd like to get in Threepenny because it's so well-respected (and it pays well). I'd like to get in Cemetery Dance because that's a goal I set years ago. I wanted my story to be accepted for the monster hunter anthology because it just looked like fun.

Pay also has little to do with it, in many cases. Some of the most well-respect literary journals coming out of universities, for instance, pay copies. All other things being equal, however, I'll submit to the higher paying markets first. If a market that was really easy to get into paid well, heck yeah I'd submit there, though. Oh for there to be such places.

Shelley

shelleyo said:

I think we're saying the same thing.

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Oh, I agree. I wasn't really arguing so much as pointlessly expounding on my own publishing tactics, for lack of a better word.

Me too. We're both brilliant.

(Just let me believe it, shhh.)

Shelley

soapdish said:

WOW! That's awesome, Annie. Did you put your drabble on growth hormones? (And if so, can my WIP have some?)

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I wish I knew!The only change was a couple of character specifics -- anonymous inventors became a husband-and-wife team (& I don't think I even said that specifically). And in fairness, the drabble itself would only cover most of Book 1. ("only", right.) But the other two follow logically from it, so......

By the way, I'm looking forward to the Lovecraft anthology, as I'm a big old horror buff. Have you seen that Innsmouth is looking for futuristic Lovecraft stories now?

Shelley

Thanks for the hint about Innsmouth. I don't write Lovecraftian fiction myself, but my son does.

And ha, I wrote two (not very good, but hey) twitter fic pieces and submitted them, which catches me all the way up and I can quit futzing around and work on my short stories in a reasonable fashion. The being behind thing was bugging me

I've never written a short piece before. Even my short stories tend to want to turn into novels. It was rather fun.

So.... my plan....

I used to participate in the Sunday night Flash Fiction Challenge. I loved it, but got too busy and began focusing solely on my book. BUT I think I can get back to making time for the challenges and then editing one piece a month to submit somewhere.

If you haven't done the challenge... do it. It's awesome.

My problem has been figuring out where to submit according to my author voice or types of pieces certain places normally accept. I've used Duotrope to find journals and then gone to their website to seek out past publications. Any other ideas?

I tend to write more adult lit or YA.

Sometimes I play with horror or paranormal for fun. I've also tried erotica, but I don't think I'd ever seek publishing for my attempts at that.

shelleyo said:

By the way, I'm looking forward to the Lovecraft anthology, as I'm a big old horror buff. Have you seen that Innsmouth is looking for futuristic Lovecraft stories now?

Shelley

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I have. I've a story or two that I think might fit, though I'd have to do a bit of tweaking on both. And I'd never dispute your genius - after all, with the way you phrased it, I'd have to dispute my own as well! And I would never do anything as sacrilegious as that.

Izz said:

Now, a question: in the original W1S1 thread in the short fic forum, i listed some of the W1S1 participants' blogs. I was thinking, should we have a stickied thread here in our subforum with a list of our various forms of social media, so we know where to go cheer each other on offsite if necessary? Or is what we have enough?

And also, W1S1 peeps: i heart all of you. That is all.

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That might be kind of cool. Then again, it might be a distraction.

Aggy, easily distracted by all things internet

I've noticed that the spirit of W1S1 is causing me to send all of my stories out once they're finished, no matter what I think of them.

It seems that the key is to learn how to write better by writing more. I've learned more in the last 3 months than in the last 10 years.

Agree. It's helping me finish things, get them out. Also keep focused on writing which I need because I don't have that "must write" thing that seems to define other people. I'm perfectly capable of playing mindless games instead. Also feeling like part of something. I love the people in this group.

Izz said:

Yes, it could be a distraction, couldn't it?

I was thinking more a place where we had a list so if someone goes AWOL without explanation for a while we can check up and see if they're doing okay, less a place where we post blog updates (there's a whole thread in the blogging subforum for that).

However, i'm neither for or against the idea. Just thought i'd throw it out there for the peeps to consider.

Also, if anybody has any ideas for forum threads, go ahead and start them. The more activity the better.

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Hah. I figured that was what you meant. I just find that when I get stuck on something I'm writing I start farking around on the internet. And, while a list of W1S1 blogs would be awesome (help me get to know some of the other people who are doing this too) I can totally see how I'll waste time with it too. (Just me, personally. Not saying everyone would have this problem.)

And, I like seeing that other people get rejections too. Not in a meanspirited way. Just in a "Hey, I'm not the only one." kind of way. (Since we have a lot of threads on AW to celebrate success - there's a whole forum for it, isn't there? - but not so many talking about where we haven't yet succeeded.)

Egh.

Aggy, had a rough weekend but is trying to make sense

Izz said:

If you want to start a Rejectomancy thread here in the subforum, go right ahead

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*Googles rejectomancy*

Ah.



I was wondering what that meant. That's not a bad idea. (Although, I'm not sure I've ever gotten enough in a rejection to give me any clues about why it wasn't accepted.) But maybe someone can give me an idea about the short that's been sitting with a publisher for a year and still hasn't gotten the 'yea' or 'nay'. >_<

A rejectomancy thread could be neat. I usually try to avoid that sort of thing, but sometimes it is irresistible...

Aggy B. said:

But maybe someone can give me an idea about the short that's been sitting with a publisher for a year and still hasn't gotten the 'yea' or 'nay'. >_<

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A YEAR?!

Is that common for the publication? Did you get a confirmation when you submitted?

Actually this brings up a question I have...

Aggy, the place that has yours, is it no sim subs? I've waited almost as long for a couple of places--then ended up sending "withdrawal" emails because I found other places for the story.

If they are a no sim subs establishment, yet take a year to respond (especially if that's longer than their average, and/or longer than they tell you upfront), that's pretty harsh, IMO.

What do you all do in situations like that?

I've even had zines not respond to my withdrawal emails--or inquiry emails, so I REALLY don't know what to do in that case. Just call it quits and sub it elsewhere?

soapdish said:

A YEAR?!

Is that common for the publication? Did you get a confirmation when you submitted?

Actually this brings up a question I have...

Aggy, the place that has yours, is it no sim subs? I've waited almost as long for a couple of places--then ended up sending "withdrawal" emails because I found other places for the story.

If they are a no sim subs establishment, yet take a year to respond (especially if that's longer than their average, and/or longer than they tell you upfront), that's pretty harsh, IMO.

What do you all do in situations like that?

I've even had zines not respond to my withdrawal emails--or inquiry emails, so I REALLY don't know what to do in that case. Just call it quits and sub it elsewhere?

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No, it's not common for them. But I should clarify.

I sent the story in last February (as in '10) and got the confirmation email which said average response time was three months (I think). A lot of time went by. Nothing. Finally, I queried, got a response saying they had the story but hadn't read it yet.

Okay. Waited some more. Saw on their blog they had cleared the slushpile. Since I still hadn't heard anything I queried again (this would have been around September-ish last year).

Got a reply, we're trying to make up our minds whether we want it or not.

Okay. Waited until December, queried again. Was told it's short-listed with one of the editors but they won't know for sure if they really want it for "a while yet".

That was the last I've heard. During that time I've subbed to a couple of other places. (Including Tor.com before I finally realized they don't do sim-subs. >_<) But no luck yet.

I try to leave the "no sim-subs" publications for last. (Unless they have a really quick turnaround on responses - three months or under.) But there are a few things in my queue that I know could take a few years to make the rounds through the "best" markets for that particular story. ("Best" meaning closest fit as far as content cross-referenced with most money paid. The ratio varies depending on the story.)

That being said, I have yet to sell anything for more than token payment so, take my two cents for what they're worth.

Izz said:

Write another story (or twenty) while i wait?

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Well yeah, there's that LOL. But sometimes, a new market opens up with a theme or something that suddenly just FITS that one story perfectly. And meanwhile it's sitting with a publication who's gone silent.

As soon as you've sent a withdrawal email you're fine; you don't need to wait for them to respond before resubbing. If the withdrawal request goes to the same queue as the slush it might take them just as long to read it as it would to read your story.

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OK, that's good to hear.

I'm just not ever sure if they even receive the withdrawal request, considering they don't even give confirmations of receiving the sub in the first place sometimes. Jeez, I guess theoretically I could be "withdrawing" something they never even got originally No wonder they don't respond to my request

@ Aggy, ah, that clarifies things. So you've had contact with them at least. That's something.

Aggy B. said:

I try to leave the "no sim-subs" publications for last. (Unless they have a really quick turnaround on responses - three months or under.)

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Seems like most places I look at are no sim subs.

("Best" meaning closest fit as far as content cross-referenced with most money paid. The ratio varies depending on the story.)

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oooh, we do the same thing And I also factor in response time and simultaneous sub policies. Honestly, I don't even understand my own way of ranking the list sometimes.