Simultaneous Submissions?

DetectiveFork

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Messages
251
Reaction score
22
Location
NJ, USA
Do you guys ever throw caution to the wind and submit to multiple publications when you're not supposed to? I just submitted a story to one place, then saw that today is the last day to submit to another before they close for several months. I'm not sure what my chances are at the first place, but they do have a strict "no multiple subs" policy. I don't want to be a jerk, but the other pub won't be an option again for quite some time. Arghhh... I think my conscience is going to win out, but have you ever taken that chance?
 

AbsintheWhisper

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 29, 2015
Messages
111
Reaction score
14
I did by accident once. I fixed the mistake as soon as I realized though. I'm too honest for my own good sometimes lol.
 

JJ Litke

People are not wearing enough hats
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 8, 2013
Messages
7,997
Reaction score
4,475
Location
Austin
Website
www.jjlitke.com
I've never subbed to multiple markets that don't want simultaneous submissions. I think the anxiety it'd give me wouldn't make it worth it. It wouldn't have matter most of the the time, but I have had a couple of stories published, so it would have caused trouble with those. I figure markets will always open up again, too.
 

DetectiveFork

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Messages
251
Reaction score
22
Location
NJ, USA
I've never subbed to multiple markets that don't want simultaneous submissions. I think the anxiety it'd give me wouldn't make it worth it. It wouldn't have matter most of the the time, but I have had a couple of stories published, so it would have caused trouble with those. I figure markets will always open up again, too.

Yeah, I think the anxiety would have gotten to me, too. There's always the next submission period.
 

gettingby

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
2,748
Reaction score
170
I've never subbed to multiple markets that don't want simultaneous submissions. I think the anxiety it'd give me wouldn't make it worth it. It wouldn't have matter most of the the time, but I have had a couple of stories published, so it would have caused trouble with those. I figure markets will always open up again, too.

Yeah, I think the anxiety would have gotten to me, too. There's always the next submission period.

I'm the exact opposite. When I have a good story, I want to send it to a bunch of places (as long as they allow simultaneous submissions). That way if it's rejected from one place there are still two or three or five other places where it is being considered. Most of the places I submit to take very long to respond. If I only sent a story to one place at a time, it would take years. It can still takes years doing simultaneous submissions. I do have a few stories that are at just one publication. I really felt like those pieces have a good chance at being picked up by the places I sent to. Those are more niche publications or for themed issues that I would really love to get in. I guess they are my first choices for those pieces.

Maybe if I got anything other than rejections ever, I would feel differently. And maybe if the response times were better, I could handle it. No, I still like the idea of sending my stuff to more than one place at a time. This way I feel like I'm not putting all my eggs in the same basket.
 

DetectiveFork

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Messages
251
Reaction score
22
Location
NJ, USA
GettingBy, I'm totally with you for places that accept simultaneous submissions. If they state that's fine, I see no reason to worry. But it seems like a lot of publications frown upon it. I decided that although it's such a slim chance that two publications would want one of my stories at once, I'd rather not get into that situation.
 

gettingby

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
2,748
Reaction score
170
GettingBy, I'm totally with you for places that accept simultaneous submissions. If they state that's fine, I see no reason to worry. But it seems like a lot of publications frown upon it. I decided that although it's such a slim chance that two publications would want one of my stories at once, I'd rather not get into that situation.

I hear that. It would be my luck that if someone took a story from me ever that I would somehow broken the submission rules. For the most part, I follow the rules when a place says no simultaneous submissions or hold off on submitting to those places all together. I think it may be a way for some of the big places to cut down on the amount of submissions they get and even get better quality submissions. I think you have to think your story is pretty good to send it someplace and wait several months before you can send it anywhere else. What I've seen a lot lately is that some places that you to be clear one way or another now say nothing, leaving the writer to wonder exactly what is allowed and what's not. That's pretty annoying. I am guessing those places don't want simultaneous submissions, but I really don't know. One thing that does keep me from submitting simultaneous submissions are reading fees. I hate reading fees, but if I pay them, I kind of want to see how it goes before sending to other places.
 

Cmalone

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
517
Reaction score
40
Do you guys ever throw caution to the wind and submit to multiple publications when you're not supposed to?

I've never even done simultaneous subs. I know in this business that's a self destructive decision, but I don't like being in a situation where I have to deliver bad news (even if the likelihood of it happening is so slim) and it's just less stressful for me to avoid it completely. It would be just my luck, you know.
 

divine-intestine

Hardened drinker
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 21, 2017
Messages
131
Reaction score
6
Location
The Big Smoke
I always believed that bad habits breed worse habits. Start with a small one and it'll grow into bigger ones that might overwhelm you in the end.

Having said that, yes I've multi-subbed by mistake once.
 

blacbird

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
36,987
Reaction score
6,158
Location
The right earlobe of North America
Places I have submitted to generally prefer that I send zero submissions at a time. So, to make them happy, that's the practice I've followed for the past two years.

caw
 
Last edited: