Where are you guys sending your stuff?

[gettingby]

I know there have been threads here about literary journals so I thought it would be fun to see where everyone submit to. I wanted to post this here because it seems like the majority of writers in the short story section write genre stuff. So where are you submitting? Do you aim for the top places like the New Yorker and The Paris Review? Do you submit to small places or places on line? What is your favorite journal and how many times have you tried to get in there?

[folkchick]

A list of some I've submitted to: Word Riot, The Journal, The Fiddleback, Black Warrior Review, Pithead Chapel, Back Porch Review, Midwestern Gothic, Mid-American Review, Parcel. Not all acceptances, though.

[gettingby]

Thanks for posting, folkchick. I have tried Mid-American Review and Black Warrior Review as well. I also send stuff to Tin House, Agni, Zoetrope, Blackbird and a whole bunch of places that end in Review.

But my question now is why is it so hard to get a discussion going in the literary section here other than people wanting to know if what they write is literary?

[Tedium]

Literary has always been one of the slower topics, in my experience anyway. Just the way it is, I guess.

Originally Posted by gettingby

a whole bunch of places that end in Review.

I think you answered your own question.

Literary journals are a funny thing. I think the SOP is to send your work to as many as possible and hope for the best. There are so many. I could spend an entire paycheck subscribing to each one. Sometimes you get a hit, sometimes you don't.

I find it more worthwhile, at least for me, to buy those year-end collections of short stories. My personal favorite is New Stories from the South. I think that one probably has been the most consistent for my tastes. That way I get a wide sampling of many publications. It's always felt like more bang for my buck.

You should check out Oxford American: http://www.oxfordamerican.org/

If I had to subscribe to one magazine it would be that one.

[folkchick]

But my question now is why is it so hard to get a discussion going in the literary section here other than people wanting to know if what they write is literary?

I think maybe we don't want to seem pretentious with our goals or successes. For me, I'm really focused on getting my stories published and there's not much to talk about. My eye is on the prize, each time, and I don't like to stray from focus.

Also, I think that in the literary world there's a sense of elitism at times. No one wants to harp on that. Again, it's about doing the work and finding the right place for our stories.

Oh! Also, if you think about it, there's no unifying theme in the mainstream/contemporary/lit world. There's no way to compare or share our themes. It's kind of a lonely process, really.

[laroche]

I don't think I could list all the places I've submitted to. Hundreds? Nay, half that.
I'm trying to re-asses my strategy to getting published, as I haven't been successful.
I did win a "gold medal" in the "bad trip" category in a Traveler's Tale's competition!

I think I lost my point and am just rambling now...

[blacbird]

Recycle bin, mainly.

caw

[clove]

At the end of the day I want to send my stuff to the top places. If they get rejected there, I don't think I would be happy with myself if I sent them to 'lower' places where they were accepted. It would just seem like settling for second best, if you forgive the analogy. Aim high because falling is fun.

Although you can argue if The New Yorker or The Paris Review are indeed the crème de la crème.

[you-think-too-much]

Originally Posted by Tedium

Literary has always been one of the slower topics, in my experience anyway. Just the way it is, I guess.



I think you answered your own question.

Literary journals are a funny thing. I think the SOP is to send your work to as many as possible and hope for the best. There are so many. I could spend an entire paycheck subscribing to each one. Sometimes you get a hit, sometimes you don't.

I find it more worthwhile, at least for me, to buy those year-end collections of short stories. My personal favorite is New Stories from the South. I think that one probably has been the most consistent for my tastes. That way I get a wide sampling of many publications. It's always felt like more bang for my buck.

You should check out Oxford American: http://www.oxfordamerican.org/

If I had to subscribe to one magazine it would be that one.

Love the Oxford-American...also, youused to be able to get their Southern music issue, which always rocked.

[you-think-too-much]

I find literary writers are under-represented everywhere online. On Twitter. In online contests. It makes me feel a bit like a dinosaur at times. And then I wonder if that's because no one reads literary fiction anymore, or if the literary writers just aren't online.