Category: Submission Protocol
Submission Rotation – May 2017
Right now, until I put the finishing touches on a few works in progress, I have five short stories in my submission rotation. Most of these stories have been around the block a few times with varying levels of success. Of course, none of… Continue Reading “Submission Rotation – May 2017”
Multi-Sub Publishers: Skip or Submit?
Occasionally, you will run into literary or genre markets that accept multiple submissions, where you can submit two, three, or more stories at the same time. These markets are pretty rare in my experience, much rarer than markets that accept simultaneous submissions. In general, they… Continue Reading “Multi-Sub Publishers: Skip or Submit?”
When Should You Reply to a Rejection Letter?
Should you reply to rejection letters? A good question, and 99.9 % of the time my personal opinion is a resounding NO. The most compelling reason is that many publishers will straight-up tell you not to reply to a rejection in their submission guidelines, and… Continue Reading “When Should You Reply to a Rejection Letter?”
Submission Protocol: The Escape Clause
I recently received a further consideration from a publisher that included what can best be termed an escape clause, and it prompted me to ask the following question. When should you, if ever, pass on a publication that is obviously interested in your story? First,… Continue Reading “Submission Protocol: The Escape Clause”
Submission Protocol: The Waiting Game
If you’re a writer who regularly submits short stories and who also uses submission tracking sites like Duotrope, then the following scenario will likely be very familiar to you. You send your submission to a publisher, noting on Duotrope their average response times for rejections… Continue Reading “Submission Protocol: The Waiting Game”
The Long View: Genre Markets for Novelettes & Novellas
If you regularly submit short stories to genre markets, you’ve no doubt learned the longer your story the fewer publishers who will accept it. This post isn’t meant be a condemnation of longer stories, but it is beneficial to understand where many genre markets stand on novelettes and novellas. I’m going to… Continue Reading “The Long View: Genre Markets for Novelettes & Novellas”
Picture Me: Some Thoughts/Advice on Author Photos
Along with a bio, a lot of publishers big and small will ask you for an author photo to display alongside your story, on the back cover of your book, and so on and so forth. I know lots of folks hate having their… Continue Reading “Picture Me: Some Thoughts/Advice on Author Photos”
7 Top-Tier Horror Markets: My New Story Gauntlet
Once I’ve finished a new story and it’s ready for submission, I have a short list of top-tier spec-fic markets that it goes to first. I have dubbed this list “The Gauntlet,” and they are some of the toughest but most prestigious publications I know of… Continue Reading “7 Top-Tier Horror Markets: My New Story Gauntlet”
New Kids on the Block: Evaluating Fledgling Genre Markets
In my search for genre markets, I often come across brand-spanking new magazines and webzines eagerly accepting submissions for their inaugural issue or issues. Duotrope has a handy way of identifying such markets, noting them as fledgling, which means, “This project is new and… Continue Reading “New Kids on the Block: Evaluating Fledgling Genre Markets”
Writing for Dollars: 4 Tiers of Freelance Payment
Getting published usually means getting paid for your work. Getting paid is a good thing, even if you’re “not doing it for the money.” At the very least, it’s some validation your writing is actually worth something. To further illustrate my feelings on the… Continue Reading “Writing for Dollars: 4 Tiers of Freelance Payment”
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 