Link: http://thewalrus.ca/magazine/submissions/ How many of you have read through a publisher's wants and don't wants and by then end still had ZERO idea of what they wanted? They want something earth-shattering, soul-realizing, flabbergasting, face punching, cow-milking expressing! Those description really say shit all on what they actually want. You probably have to buy their magazine/books to have a remote idea of what they might like. This, the Walrus, is the FIRST I have ever seen that is both professional, reputable, and actually tells you straight up what they are interested in in a way that actually coveys that information.
yeah I think they want modern stuff about Canada. some how the magazine does not appeal to me even it was about Australia, where as a themed magazine would interest me regardless of what country.
Every story should be all of the things under the first on this list. All this tells me is that they want something about your opinion of Canada lol
I much rather be told "Send us a story about Canada" than "Send us a story that will leave us paralyzed in awe" I'm sure you've all read the submission guidelines for publishers where, in the end, you had no real clue what they wanted besides something good.
I did have a story idea about Canada somewhere... Maybe I ought to scrounge it up, write it up, then submit to them?
I think that's why writers research magazines (ie, read a few issues) to see what they're looking for. For me, a publisher that is very detailed is putting a lot of restraints on my writing - I'd rather submit to those willing to be flexible. (And frankly, other than it being about Canada, those other things are still pretty broad.)
The only specific thing is the bit about Canada. The rest is just the same vague concepts of quality that seems to be the standard for any and every publisher ever. I mean 'It's readable'. WTF? Of coarse it has to be readable! A REAL list would be: Your story is a Kickass Publishing story if: 1 - It is between 63000 and 65000 words, 2 - It is a crime drama/thriller 3 - It's Noir, or Tech Noir. 4 - Your Hero is Christian. 5 - Your Villain is foreign. 6 - It has at least one scene at the beach. 7 - You have not used the word 'voluptuous', 'incredibly', 'orgazmatron', or 'flange.'
Yeah ...send us a story that will leave us paralyzed in awe, but is pretty much the same as everything else we publish. That's honesty. Why not just say 'send us stories?' That's how you'll get the unexpected gems. Just read the first paragraph or two. If it doesn't grab you, dump it. It doesn't take any longer to read the first 2 or 3 paragraphs of a story than it does to read a query letter. I'd say bypass all that query crap. If it's stories you want, as a publisher or agent, just ask for them.
