An 80-day rejection from Bards and Sages for their Best Indie Speculative Fiction anthology, with scorecard attached. This was for a reprint, so I'm not too torn up about it, but it's a little hard to parse. The reviewers were mostly positive. My best guess based on their comments is that they wanted to see more subverted expectations.
Just got a personalised rejection from Missouri review: Dear William Bradbury, Sincere thanks for sending us "Piano Boy" for consideration. Our staff especially admired the story’s strong, compelling voice. Though we've decided not to publish this piece, we are interested in seeing more of your writing and hope you'll send other work in the near future. Sincerely, The Editors
I've recently tried to follow up with two publications that have had my work for well over a year. I didn't think I would hear anything right away, but it's been long enough for me to think my email's been lost in the mix or that there's no one checking into these things right now. They are both well-known and established publications. On submittable they both say "in-progress." But let's get real. I don't think there's much progress going on with these.
So that anthology I had heard nothing from for months, I emailed them a few weeks ago with no reply but today I followed up on their last post on Twitter from April and they replied. They said yes, the anthology is not going ahead: You will receive an email this weekend, hopefully. After the last interaction with Washington State department of revenue this week, we will be ceasing operations. Which is a shame. But slightly later they posted again to say: Just got an interesting message, and I may have spoken too soon. All the same, I will be in touch ASAP. So we’ll see!
Honest question - what do you guys think about letting certain websites that have somewhat of a readership put up your work for free? Cos with these lit mags, even if it's published, most of them don't have links to it...so who'd even read it? I'd have to encourage friends and family to buy the magazine, which would feel a bit dodgy. Obviously this would be better for status as a writer, but another part of me cares just as much about sharing what I've written. I guess I think to myself it's better it be on some site for free than never read by anyone on my computer. However, I understand the counter argument that might have a psychological effect devaluing your own work. And perhaps some imagined gatekeepers might judge you as unworthy if they see you putting your stuff up everywhere for free.
i think any way of getting your material out there is reasonable, save vanity presses. My mission is traditional publishing but I’m quite prepared, probably if I can’t sell my second book, to try self published routes and as you suggest just get material out there somehow
I do like the accessibility of online lit magazines. I can send the link out to relatives and they could essentially have it forever. Yet, i do like having the printed books on my shelf. Sort of like trophies (plus the covers are really pretty). I like both and have submitted to both. Until a few days ago, they (printed and online publications) have been unpaid...so it has been for readership/audience
I think you just have to know where you're submitting so you have the right expectations. There are some really good online magazines, and there are some really good magazines with very little online presence. There's also the best of both worlds where a great print publication also puts your work online. I've had this happen a few times where I was asked if they could also put my story online as a teaser for the issue. I wasn't paid anything for that, but I did want the exposure and my name connected to those publications. Things to think about: Outside of friends and family, who is likely to find and read this story? Does this publisher nominate for awards like The Pushcart Prize and such? How many followers (and who is following) this publication on social media? If they are going to publicize your work, that's a pretty good thing and if they are going to reach more people than you could, that's also a good thing. What do you think of the other stories they publish? Are you in good company and proud to be in an issue with other talented writers or is your story the best they got? Don't get me wrong. I like my work being online, but I still care who's publishing it. Now, I do like some smaller and lesser-known publications. I have been paid for most of my writing, but I still want to get into The Mid-American Review which doesn't pay. And I know there are some magazines that only pay if you're in the print issue but will still accepts and publish stories for some online-only content. I don't love that, but I would still take it. Whenever we talk about online publications I go back to Blackbird. That's where I want to publish online. But most publications do have some stuff online as well and if you sell a story to a print publication, you can always offer to let them use it online as well. I don't think it always matters how much you're paid or if you're paid at all. But we should like the publications we are submitting to. So, if you're a ready a fan of some great little online publication, chances are there are other readers. I like to become a reader before a writer for online publications. There is one place that is online only where I was in their first issue. I really didn't know what to expect, but I knew the publisher's history with other projects that have been successful. I was paid for this one, but regardless of that, man, was I lucky to have landed a piece with these guys. Sometimes, publishing online in small places can turn out to be a really good thing.
Right, I mean some of the stuff I write is really specific stuff about living in Japan or Canada and so the interest tends to be websites specific to the areas I write about, some of which pay and some of which have many readers. Some of which don't pay but still have a readership, certainly more than I have just posting something on social media. I understand print mags are better but I tend to resort to putting stuff on sites when it is not suitable for those magazines or as a secondary option once they are rejected by the more respected publications. I also write quite a lot about comedy and stand-up and I know websites that would put my writing up, but I think it's way too nuts and bolts for a general readership and they don't pay. I guess for that it would be exposure more than financial reward. I don't feel as satisfied if something I write is put on a site with no pay. But if people read it and comment on it, I think that's valuable. But it might be a bad habit to indulge in too much. Honestly, if it is put on a website and I am paid AND it gets a reaction/gets people talking/has eyeballs on it, that's probably better to me than it being in a 'real' journal where I have no idea what the reaction to it is (if any).
@Zeppo595 -- Do you really need feedback on published work? At that point the editor or publisher buying your work should be all the feedback you really need. It means it was good, better than many other submissions that came their way. Who really cares what random people think about your story if it's in a good place. If you're published by somewhere good, it means your story is good. And the better known a publication is, the more readers it has. I'm just not into these fly-by-night publications. It's a risk. Even with new or online-only publications look at who the publisher and editors are. Look at how professional everything seems. I don't think it's a good idea to submit to places because you think they are the only ones that will publish your stuff. I always say aim high, and that could still mean a non-paying, online-only publication, but it should still mean something to you. Publication should feel like an accomplishment. I've done a few pieces both fiction and creative nonfiction that are not set in America nor deal with anything really American. And they were published by places I desperately wanted to break into. There are places for these stories. If you want to message me a little about your international writing like the focus and fiction/nonfiction, I'll try and help. Recently, I almost sold a story. I worked really hard on it, and it was definitely considered. I already have somewhat of a relationship with this editor who gave me a chance to do a rewrite, but he said that if they published it the way it was it would not do me any favors. As much as I wanted him to be wrong, he was right. That piece just wasn't as good as the other things I've published. I don't want to sink my average or my image just to have things published. What we publish does contribute to our reputation and standing as a writer. This is always something to consider. Comedy and quirkiness can be hit or miss depending on the publication, but done well there is a market for it in what you refer to as "real journals." Another place to try with your comedy is McSweeney's Internet Tendency. This is separate from their print journal, but has been quite popular for many years. Check them out. They do have different categories you can submit to. I don't believe they pay, but they're one I would love to get into myself. I've tried a few time, but no luck. I have no doubt you are probably much funnier than I am so this place might be a good fit for some of your stuff.
Well, firstly I'm talking more about opinion pieces/non-fiction here. When I wrote something and I saw people talking about it, even strongly disagreeing, it gave me a bit of a thrill. Reaching a general audience of 'ordinary' readers felt good or at least relevant. Of course, I'd prefer it to be in a respected place AND being read a lot/reacted to. Also, it depends how you get rejected by the other magazines. If it is just flat out said to be not good enough, that's one thing. But if they were into it and about to publish it, but said they only wouldn't put it out cos of covid (that's actually what happened to me) then it gives me confidence it is in fact good enough for a major publication. I am still earnestly trying to get into literary journals for my fiction/non-fiction. But I am also aware that getting in would really just be appealing to this one gatekeeper and I wouldn't ever really know what 'regular' people think about it. I guess I like getting a reaction, yeah, and from a wide variety of readers. My essays are pretty personal sometimes and a big thing is I want people to read them and hopefully people who like them would feel less alone - I think that's my ultimate goal. I will send you a PM with some info about what I write but it's really specific to certain areas, meaning I sell my stuff in the local mags/websites - or try to. It is not of general interest, I wouldn't say. I have tried writing more in that direction as well though. I think some kind of balance is better. I don't want to just refuse to allow my work to be out anywhere unless it's the New Yorker, because I might die without anyone reading anything I write. But I think you're right, if we keep allowing anything we write to be put out there, it devalues our work. I have a lot of regret about my self-published first novella, which I have taken down. Btw, when I say writing about stand up, I don't meant comedy writing. I'm talking essays about being a stand up, experience of life as a low level stand up. Pretty much the only audience for that is other aspiring stand ups, and I have written for sites tailoring to that niche. I agree with your last sentence. When I just sent something to a site and they immediately accepted it and put it up without changing a single word, it just didn't feel right. And to be quite honest, the only reason I let that happen was because I had given up completely on my hope of ever achieving anything better. I guess it's a bit like settling for less at a nightclub or something. I also feel that I should have been a harsher editor of my own work in those cases.
The Missouri Review is a big deal! I would try them again really soon and mention what they said about this story and that they wanted to see more. I read an interview with one of the editors there that said if they say they want to see more, they mean it and to drop that into a cover letter. Plus, they said "near future" to you. I would jump on that. They obviously see something in your work. Good luck.
I know how frustrating this process is. Believe me, I know. In about a week so many of the magazines and journals reopen to submissions. Last fall I averaged close to making a submission a day. So many of these places are really hard to get in. And so many people are going to be trying, but I want to encourage you all to keep at it. You don't need to lower your standards (whatever those may be), but sometimes we have to elevate our work. I'm going through my best stories this week. I thought they were polished. I thought they were done. But I'm finding things to change, passages to rewrite. I'm just saying have your work ready to go. I believe in you, my writing friends. Now, let's land some awesome publications. Happy submitting!!!
Anyone going for the masters review contest? https://mastersreview.com/short-story-award-for-new-writers/ I am a bit jaded from contests as I don't know if I have the kind of style that tends to win. Basically, my stories are too dreary and not particularly life-affirming. I tend to think the stories that win are about like a dying man connecting with memories of his youth through the flowers by the window and stuff like that. Oh, I'm also bitter. Sorry.
I like The Masters Review. You can read the stories by past winners on their website. I think you might have the wrong idea of what they're looking for in stories. This could be a good thing for you, but check out a few of the stories on their website. Enjoy the read! I would enter every contest out there if I could afford the fees. There are some I like to try, but $20 is a little too rich for my blood. The good thing about contests is that someone always has to win. When it's not a contest, a journal could fill up an entire issue with solicited submissions. And, I believe, that does happen. A regular submission is basically still a contest. You still have to be the best to get in, but you're competition might have big names or long publishing histories. But with an actual contest, you just need to be the best out of those who enter. I still think this is a crazy, hard competition to win (as most or all are), but if you're looking for a competition, this is one I would try.
