Category: Submission Protocol
Back to Basics: The Cover Letter
Hey, let’s talk about cover letters again. I see this subject pop up a lot when it comes to submissions. There are a lot of opinions, and my opinion goes something like this: keep it short, keep it simple, and follow the guidelines. Let… Continue Reading “Back to Basics: The Cover Letter”
Even Good Stories Get Rejected
Stop me if you’ve heard this one. You finish a story, and you know it’s just the best damn thing you’ve ever written. Proud of your shiny new word baby, you send it out to a publisher you’re pretty sure will dig it. You… Continue Reading “Even Good Stories Get Rejected”
Story Acceptance Prep Kit
Hey, you got an acceptance letter. Awesome. Now what? Well, the editor is likely going to ask you for a few things, and I think it’s a great idea to have these items ready to go and at your fingertips. So consider the following… Continue Reading “Story Acceptance Prep Kit”
Evolution of a Short Author Bio
About two years ago, I wrote a blog post outlining how to write a 50-word author bio, or at least how I write one. I mentioned in that post that an author bio is a living thing and should change and grow as you… Continue Reading “Evolution of a Short Author Bio”
Reprint Submissions: Old Stories, New Markets
Looking to expand the ol’ publications list and get some of your best work to a wider audience? A reprint submission may be the way to go. If the term reprint is unfamiliar to you, it’s simply a story you’ve already published. (It’s also a… Continue Reading “Reprint Submissions: Old Stories, New Markets”
Submission Guidelines: Check ’em Twice
If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you’ve no doubt heard me go on and on about the process of submitting a story. Well, most of that has to do with one very important factor: following the submission guidelines. I’ve written… Continue Reading “Submission Guidelines: Check ’em Twice”
Acceptance Rates: What are the Chances?
We all know that top-tier short story markets receive tons of submissions, likely hundreds every submission period, but how many of those submissions are actually accepted? Excellent question, and we have some data that can at least get us in the ballpark. Since I’m… Continue Reading “Acceptance Rates: What are the Chances?”
Close Encounters: The Shortlist Letter Revisited
There has been a definite theme to my submission endeavors in 2017. I’ve received more shortlist letters this year than I have in years prior. So, it got me thinking, how close am I actually getting when one of my stories is shortlisted? Well,… Continue Reading “Close Encounters: The Shortlist Letter Revisited”
Submission Protocol: Don’t Fear the Query
I’ve previously covered the submission status query letter, but I thought it was worth a revisit mostly because I’ve seen writers questioning if they should send a query letter and wondering if a publisher would be offended or angry if they did. Let me… Continue Reading “Submission Protocol: Don’t Fear the Query”
The Rejection Scorecard
As some of you may know, my professional career with the written word (such as it is) started in the tabletop gaming industry, where I worked as an editor, a game designer, and a writer. With over a decade working in that environment, it… Continue Reading “The Rejection Scorecard”
Effectively Wild – A Baseball Horror Story
Night Walk & Other Dark Paths
Acts of War: Flashpoint
Acts of War: Aftershock
Acts of War: Stormbreak
Aeryn Rudel's Rejectomancy 