Narrative Magazine

snowdog said:

Hi folks,

Can anyone tell me about Narrative Magazine? Here are their submission guidelines:

https://narrativemagazine.com/shared/submit.php

Thanks!

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I have actually looked over their website, and signed up to a free subscription. They explain everything on the website, including the minimal reading fee that they charge and also state that there is an exception to the reading fee when it comes to their two per annual open submission calls.

It is a very professional website from my perspective and definitely worth the time and the minimal reading fee (unless you wait for their open submission call where there is no reading fee charge). It looks as though they are definitely upfront about what they do, who they are and their purpose and mission regarding the magazine. I am definitely bookmarking them and working harder in cleaning up my own manuscripts that I have.

Hope that helps.

As has been pointed out, Narrative charges a reading fee. Sure, the fee is small--but with the large number of excellent magazine markets that charge nothing whatever to read submissions, I don't see why writers should waste funds on one that does.

- Victoria

Very slick. Looks like they have ties to the subsidized literary community.

The only thing about the site that strikes me as remarkable is the wave of boredom that hits me when I look at it. I've gone back three times now, and had the same thing happen each time. Just thinking about it makes me want to go to sleep. I'd love to get a look at their site statistics to see whether anyone actually reads it.

Other than that, what Victoria says: there are plenty of good, respectable magazines that don't charge reading fees.

Have you tried reading the stories? I mean, I haven't, so what do I know, but I get the weekly notifications, where they post the beginning of each story. None has prompted such an "OOOH" as to go ahead and pay the extra money to read the story.... But that's just me, I'd be curious to know what others think.

Apparently they take book-length submissions too:

http://www.narrativemagazine.com/award

HapiSofi said:

Very slick. Looks like they have ties to the subsidized literary community.

The only thing about the site that strikes me as remarkable is the wave of boredom that hits me when I look at it. I've gone back three times now, and had the same thing happen each time. Just thinking about it makes me want to go to sleep. I'd love to get a look at their site statistics to see whether anyone actually reads it.

Other than that, what Victoria says: there are plenty of good, respectable magazines that don't charge reading fees.

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Could you list a couple of these?

Mr. House said:

Could you list a couple of these?

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Look here www.duotrope.com

Absolute Write is the least dependable source of info about markets I know of. I seldom come here anymore. The forum seems to be loaded with comments, both negative and positive, from people who haven't taken even minimal trouble to do their homework. Personally, I don't care for Narrative Magazine myself, but the mag is taken seriously everywhere but here and a couple of crank blogs. The reading fees irritate a lot of people, including me, but the fees allow the mag to pay their writers - get it? pay them - comparatively well, and to fund substantial prizes. You pay substantial fees to enter contests, don't you?

Tell me: if this magazine is so flakey, why have Guggenheim fellows Gail Godwin and Bill Barich published there? Or Ted Kooser – the US poet laureate from 2004-2006?

Don't know why I'm bothering with this - it won't do any good. Just venting irritation, I guess. Bottom line: get professional, do your homework.

narrative magazine

There are different reports online about narrative magazine. They do charge fees to writers but it is run by a reputable person, Tom Jenks. Does anyone have experience or thoughts about this magazine?

This site? http://www.narrativemagazine.com/

If so, there's an existing thread on them here: <snipped>

Double Posting is FUN

This post from 2009 (rather angrily) pointed out the reading fee and a problem with spam after subscribing/signing up for free. In 2009 one person reported they couldn't unsubscribe. Another blogger wrote about spam comments advertising the magazine in '09.

I'd like to poke around their site, but I despise when a site spams me or sells my info. Anyone have any email spam problems after signing up? I hadn't found anything more recent about it, so perhaps they wised up.

For myself, I am not keen on the literary venues where high-profile writers publish by invitation and everyone else needs to pay a reading fee. Narrative's reading fee is also super-high compared to places like Sonora Review and Massachusetts Review, wher the reading fee is $3 IIRC.

From their website:

Open Reading Periods: During the first two weeks of April, we do not require a reading fee for general submissions made specifically to the Open Reading category via our submissions page. However, manuscripts submitted during this period are not eligible for the Narrative Prize.

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Has anyone submitted to Narrative in the last year or two? How was your experience? I'm unclear on what rights are given to them, when looking at the site.

I just looked at the website, and I'm confused. If their mission is to provide literature to readers for free, why are the issues available for sale in the online store?

A writing buddy of mine sent me this link today, I have a short story that I've been looking for a place to submit to.

http://www.narrativemagazine.com/node/220797

I dunno. Is it common to have a fee for a writing contest (especially more than $20) for a short piece of fiction? Are these contests reputable or does the organizers pals always win?

I'm going to peek around the site a bit more, but I'm kind of on the fence at them moment.