The W1S1 Check-in and Chill Lounge and Bar

Aggy B.

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I'm not saying it's a bad idea to read up on a publication before submitting a story, but I read way too much into what's published. (I'm currently satisfied that the technical aspects of my writing are in the semi- to pro- range. Even though there's always room for improvement.)

However, the story that's short-listed I subbed without reading in the mag. Then a friend who was also thinking about subbing there commented that they didn't seem to publish anything with swearing. My response? "F*ck." The story I'd sent them was pretty heavy with 'adult' language. I was sure they'd bounce it back as soon as they saw it. That hasn't been the case. (Yet.) If I'd been reading as thoroughly as my friend I would have missed a possible sale.

But this is just me. The really large markets (like Tor.com) I try and at least glance through their content to see what they seem to like. And one I subbed to last week I read through a few stories because they're new, online and pay pro-rates and it made me suspicious. I wanted to see what they were putting out.

If another year goes past with no pubs I'll probably reconsider and cut out a chunk of writing time to use a reading time instead. :)
 

Aggy B.

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Enough time to send the story to F&SF.

I like sending to F&SF. Filling out a self-addressed stamped envelope and actually printing out the manuscript makes me feel like a writer.

:)

Even when I sub electronically I tend to print out a copy for myself. Makes it more real.
 

Nathaniel Katz

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I got into short fiction in a sort of reverse way. It occurred to me after a month or two of submissions that, if I enjoyed reading short fiction collections and writing short fiction for magazines, there was very little reason why I wouldn't enjoy the actual magazines. Since, I've started regularly reading Shock Totem, F&SF, and a series of randomly selected Strange Horizons stories. A few days ago, just to broaden my exposure a bit, I went to a bookstore and bought the most recent issues of Analog, Asimov's, Weird Tales, and EQMM. I think I also have a Shimmer issue and a Realms of Fantasy sitting around somewhere. I'm not sure that reading the magazines has totally changed how I write, or even how I submit all that much, but it has given me a better idea of the kinds of stuff they publish - or, more accurately, the kinds of stuff they don't publish. I've read a pretty broad range of stories in my three issues of F&SF, but there are some things I've never seen, and I doubt they'd be interested in them if I sent them in.

:)

Even when I sub electronically I tend to print out a copy for myself. Makes it more real.

I always do my line edits on a printed version. I can visualize how it might appear in a magazine far better that way. Scrolling's automatic, but with paper I've sense that, if I've turned six pages and not much's happened, something's gone wrong.
 

shelleyo

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Several of the places I want to appear in the most, I'm already reading for pleasure anyway. I've always loved short fiction, particularly horror fiction and some sci-fi, which is what made want to write it. It's just that it's impossible to read everything, and some mags aren't really to my taste all the time (like Andromeda Spaceways--that one's very hit and miss with me so I'd never buy a subscription). I get the Daily Science Fiction email, I check weekly or monthly on certain other online pubs when they update, but most I read are because I like the stories, so naturally I hope to get in there.

I read a story today that apparently was a collaboration between four authors, one quite well-known and award-winning and whom I've enjoyed in the past, and found myself wondering why it took four people to write that, because I just hated it, starting about five paragraphs in. I always find that discouraging for a minute or two, because I think if my name or another no-name was at the top of that submission, it wouldn't be there. I'm picky, though, with kind of snitty tastes, I'll admit. :) Still, that does make me discouraged, though only briefly--both reading things by big names that I think suck, and reading things that seem spades above anything I write. Goes both ways I guess.

I do stick to my preferred genres, since that's what I write. I've read some short stories and a couple of novels outside my genres, and I think they were pretty good examples of stories and books I don't ever want to write and things I'd rather type exclusively with my tongue than have to slog through again, even though these are wildly popular, millionaire authors.

The F*ck thing--unless their guidelines say explicitly not to curse, it's not something to worry about if you're not seeing f-bombs in stories. It could be that they'll kick it back because they don't like that, but if it bothers them that much, usually they'll say so. More likely, they buy the stories they like and edit the curse words out.

Shelley
 
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AnnieColleen

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And Strange Horizons is open again (though still sitting on a few stories from early in the year).
 

Nathaniel Katz

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Several of the places I want to appear in the most, I'm already reading for pleasure anyway.

Shelley

Exactly.

And Strange Horizons is open again (though still sitting on a few stories from early in the year).

Including mine, I guess. Damn, I really hate querying. I feel like I'm just begging for a rejection when I send those emails.
 

AnnieColleen

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Mine's not quite to the query point (sent late January rather than early), but yeah, I know what you mean.
 

NicoleMD

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I read a story today that apparently was a collaboration between four authors, one quite well-known and award-winning and whom I've enjoyed in the past, and found myself wondering why it took four people to write that, because I just hated it, starting about five paragraphs in. I always find that discouraging for a minute or two, because I think if my name or another no-name was at the top of that submission, it wouldn't be there. I'm picky, though, with kind of snitty tastes, I'll admit. :) Still, that does make me discouraged, though only briefly--both reading things by big names that I think suck, and reading things that seem spades above anything I write. Goes both ways I guess.

I agree, and haven't been impressed with those four-person stories either. BUT knowing this, instead of retiring all of the stories no one wants to buy, I'm just going to stick them in my "Sucky Story Vault" and sell them for 25 cents a word when I'm famous!

Nicole
 

shelleyo

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BUT knowing this, instead of retiring all of the stories no one wants to buy, I'm just going to stick them in my "Sucky Story Vault" and sell them for 25 cents a word when I'm famous!

Yes!

Shelley
 

alexshvartsman

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Annie & Nathan:

Did you get any indication that the story got past the slush reader? I had a 30-day rejection from SH very recently, but I am pretty sure it was from a slushie.
 

AnnieColleen

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Nothing from them since they acknowledged receipt. Mine's at 59 days now.
 

Nathaniel Katz

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Nope. No word, I'm just assuming that, since it's now over the max time, that it got to the top. I've never subbed to Strange Horizons before (well, I've published reviews there, but this is different) so I've nothing to compare it to.
 

Izz

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From my (rejection-only) experience with SH, you don't get any notification if it makes it past slush.
 

Nathaniel Katz

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While refreshing my email to see if the SH rejection popped up, I got a different rejection. Oddly enough, this improved my mood. The rejected story is already resubmitted at Ray Gun Revival.
 

shelleyo

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Nathaniel, I got one today, too. I've resubbed it, but frankly it's the thing I wrote for Enchanted Conversation that I didn't submit there because I buggered the deadline date, and I really don't think it's going to place anywhere. I sent it somewhere that has a really, really, really high acceptance rate on Duotrope (while admitting I know it's probably not quite as high as the records show). The place that just rejected it is new, so I thought I'd send it while they were still not inundated. The place I sent it today isn't new, but seem like an easier market. Still, they may not take it just because it's based on an old fairy tale and isn't an entirely new one. Mine is sort of an epilogue to Rumpelstiltskin, and actually gives his motives and a bit of a twist at the end (or so I thought), so hopefully that'll help.

If it doesn't get accepted here, there may be be one or two other places I'd try, maybe, and then it's trunked. That probably seems harsh, but the more I look at it, the more I think I wrote it that week because I was supposed to write a story that week, and not because I really had a good fairy tale story in me. Deadline for a neat market, needed a story, boom.

If it's rejected here and maybe those two other possible places, I think my mental energies will be better spent thinking about other projects instead of what the heck to do with that one.

But anyway, yay, we got rejected today. ;)

Shelley
 

alexshvartsman

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Shelley,

What markets do you find to be appropriate for those rejected EC tales? I sent mine to Cabinet Des Fees for a quick rejection, but beyond that I have no idea what to do with it.
 

Izz

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Friday night here in NZ. I've turned down the offer of movie and socializing to write.

My new short story feels like it's going to be a superhero space-western. Possibly with investigative/detective tendencies.

Wonder if i can throw some talking animals in there too? :D
 

Izz

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Looks like i've used up all my writing energy on a blog post.

Time to recharge for a quarter hour, i think. Maybe have some cereal.
 

MattJ

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I've noticed all these shared universes out there, many of them peopled with stories from pro writers.

Has anyone ever thought of a W1S1 shared universe? Might be a fun experiment.
 

Aggy B.

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Well, last night I finished up my rewrite of Insomnia. Just trying to figure out where it would fit best before I do a final read through and send it off. Also waiting on a rejection from Clarkesworld which (if their stats hold up like they normally do) will probably come this afternoon some time.

I started a new short story last night (Repossessed). Prolly going to try and finish it up this afternoon while the toddler is with my step-mom and the house is quiet. :)

MattJ: my experience with forum-run shared universes is that they tend to fail because there's no unifying vision. Better when one person has created a world and then other people join in.
 

MattJ

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I thought it'd be fun to have all these editors saying "Why am I getting all these stories set on the planet Xandar?"

I've also been toying with the idea of seeing how many Clarkesworld Hard Sells I can fit into a story.

MattJ: my experience with forum-run shared universes is that they tend to fail because there's no unifying vision. Better when one person has created a world and then other people join in.
 

Aggy B.

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I thought it'd be fun to have all these editors saying "Why am I getting all these stories set on the planet Xandar?"

I've also been toying with the idea of seeing how many Clarkesworld Hard Sells I can fit into a story.

Hahaha. That would be fun. I'm just saying, having been involved in trying to organize a shared universe before, when there's a lot of people involved in the world-building process it gets very messy.

I never worry to much about the "hard sells." I figure if it works then it doesn't matter what's in the story. If it doesn't it's probably not because I had a kid discover something in a field. ;)
 

Nathaniel Katz

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I counted up my 2011 stories and found that I'm, I believe, only one short for the full W1S1 (though they were written in bursts and dry spells, not one a week). My story for this week's being edited, and the one for next week is almost done being drafted, so I think I may try and catch up.