Submitting different stories starring the same characters to different mags: Good idea or bad?

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Chris P

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I have about 10 stories starring the same two main characters, and my original idea was to try to sell a magazine on running them as a series in multiple issues. This idea has gone nowhere, nor has the idea of compiling them as a book of shorts. The stories are too different to try to make them chapters in a novel.

Since the stories don't need to be read in any particular order, what do you think of sending each story to a different magazine? I imagine that would ruin any series potential if two get picked up by different outlets, or is the point moot because magazines don't do that much anyway?

I could think myself in circles; what's the word on the street?
 

OJCade

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I don't see a problem with it. If they're stand-alone stories it doesn't really matter if they're in separate markets.

If you want them to be all together you can always publish a short story collection of them later - they don't have to be linked, just do what Isaac Asimov did with Azazel. That was a collection of stand-alone stories featuring the same characters with no over-arching narrative. He published the individual stories separately, and not all in the same magazine, and then he published them in as a book.

Publishing them first as individual stories might give you some traction when getting them published as a group.
 

williemeikle

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I do it all the time.

I have 7 stories in different publications for THE MIDNIGHT EYE, 5 different publications for CARNACKI stories, 3 for my Scottish swordsman and sorceror AUGUSTUS SETON and several others.

I've never had a problem, and several magazines have appeared pleased to recognize the character from elsewhere.
 

alexshvartsman

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Likewise, I've sold stories from the same series to different magazines. In fact, I;m yet to sell two stories in the same series to the SAME magazine :)

As long as each of them stands fine on their own, there should be no issue submitting them to different markets.
 

Jamesaritchie

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It's no problem, but any magazine that buys one should want to see others.
 

thothguard51

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UNLESS...

The publication has restrictions on using characters, world, or story line elsewhere, for a certain set time period.

I think though this would be rare, but with the way publications are trying to grab rights these days, you have to be careful of what your contract reads...
 

Chris P

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Thanks everyone! I knew folks here would have direct experience. I just wanted to be sure there wasn't some hidden pitfall. It looks like Thothgard has found the only one: avoid anyone taking perpetual rights (which I do anyway) or anyone claiming ownership of the characters.

I know how I'm spending my Saturday now!
 

Jamesaritchie

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UNLESS...

The publication has restrictions on using characters, world, or story line elsewhere, for a certain set time period.

I think though this would be rare, but with the way publications are trying to grab rights these days, you have to be careful of what your contract reads...

They don't grab rights, they buy them. This is a good thing.
 
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