The W1S1 Check-in and Chill Lounge and Bar

How have you not seen any recent stories with greek myth? I mean- they're everywhere. Alex and I and at least one other AWer were in a recent Pandora's Box issue of a mag, and there are plenty others. Seriously, write it. Don't talk yourself out of stuff before you even start. There is always a market for a good read.

Also, best to nanoers! I always say I'm gonna try, then end up sidetracked. But I'm still gonna say it!

Hapax Legomenon said:

Good luck to all NaNoWriMoers!

...Come to think of it, I have not seen any short stories recently with Greek myth in them. I'm guessing it'd be an extremely hard sell.

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I've had at least 3 stories published in 2014 that reference Greek mythology in some way or another. Two Pandora's Box stories (as V1c pointed out) and Icarus Falls.

Don't overly concern yourself with what is a "tough sell" -- just write the best story you can and see if it can win over an editor with it.

Except for zombies. There's no good reason to write anymore of those

Okay, I sent a story to Crossed Genres in September, and they told me in the confirmation email that if I hadn't heard back by the end of next month (Halloween), I should query them. I checked spam and the reply hasn't gone astray.

They gave me a link to query, but what do I say?

I was thinking something like: Dear Editors, This is a follow-up letter to check on the status of my story, By the Queen's Command, submitted to your magazine in September. Do you have an update on its status? Sincerely, me.

Is that okay? And when should I send it?

Thanks in advance to anyone who might want to help me with this.

My short stories have really fallen by the wayside at the moment. I'm doing NaNo and editing novels, but I'm going to really focus on resubmitting pieces and either fixing or putting down older ones when the new year (or maybe December) rolls round.

I had a form rejection from Tor.com. It was at 213 days, which everyone else was getting personals at looking at the grinder as forms are down to between 20 and 90 days. I guess I was actually on the 'oops, forgot to reject it' pile. *sigh*

(that said, it had been there for that many days... and 290 or so before that as well since it was originally a lost sub, and it deserved to be formed. Still!)

Ugh, yeah...

One of my pieces has been out for 48 days now, which doesn't sound like a lot, except the magazine it's out to, according to the grinder, has a 2 day median and an 8 day average (it used to be 7 day, but I'm pretty sure I'm the one who skewed it). I'm wondering if it's in the "forgot to reject" pile as well.

CathleenT said:

Okay, I sent a story to Crossed Genres in September, and they told me in the confirmation email that if I hadn't heard back by the end of next month (Halloween), I should query them. I checked spam and the reply hasn't gone astray.

They gave me a link to query, but what do I say?

I was thinking something like: Dear Editors, This is a follow-up letter to check on the status of my story, By the Queen's Command, submitted to your magazine in September. Do you have an update on its status? Sincerely, me.

Is that okay? And when should I send it?

Thanks in advance to anyone who might want to help me with this.

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I sent them one within two days saying simply 'I didn't get the automated response and want to make sure you received my piece' and they were fine with it. I also thank them for their time and dedication.

I need to write. It's nano man, but my drive isn't there yet.

Not sure really where to put this, so I'll stick it here. http://www.spritzinc.com/

This app/technology has really worked for me, and has revolutionised my editing process (not to mention my book intake). Be interesting to see how you all find it.

Okay so I submitted to a magazine that said they wanted my pseudonym in the email body but I forgot that I have a pseudonym. I mean it's sort of a pseudonym... I'm published with my initials instead of my full first name, which is how it is on the manuscript I sent them. Is this worth emailing them about? I would guess this isn't really that big of a deal but I don't know...

Hapax Legomenon said:

Okay so I submitted to a magazine that said they wanted my pseudonym in the email body but I forgot that I have a pseudonym. I mean it's sort of a pseudonym... I'm published with my initials instead of my full first name, which is how it is on the manuscript I sent them. Is this worth emailing them about? I would guess this isn't really that big of a deal but I don't know...

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If they accept your story, mention it. If they don't, amend the byline on the MS before you send it somewhere else.

Strictly speaking, using a name which has a clear relationship to your real name (e.g. using initials, married women writing under their birth names etc.) is a working name, not a pseudonym.

Hey, all. Hope you don't mind if I grab a seat at the bar. I sent out five short stories on Monday--first ones I've submitted anywhere in several years.

So...now comes the waiting. *Drums fingers on bar.* Wish me luck!

Marlys -- Welcome, congrats on the huge leap, and good luck! I started posting here when I was making the same leap you are -- this is a great place for sharing the journey.

While you're waiting, you might check out Middling It, Rejectomancy and Braggage for a preview of what's ahead. And you might as well become addicted to The Grinder for submission tracking and market-watching while you're at it.

Got the columnist gig and am dealing with the be careful-what-you-ask-for fallout. I'm stressed.

Having a lot of growth in my social media accounts. Got back to blogging after neglecting it for a long time. I was pretty down about the results of my 13-month submission adventure -- the blog isn't the success story I hoped for, so I settled for telling the truth.

My finances haven't yet recovered from my fiction orgy, so I don't have the budget I wanted for launching the Gothic horror novel. I'm pushing myself to stick with publishing it next month anyway.

After a lot of insanity in September/October, I'm starting to settle into a new house and get a steady writing routine in place.

This week I finished up the SuperSecretProject on Monday, then buckled down on a Space Opera I started at the beginning of November while I wait for notes from the agent. So far I have 16k words on the novel and just starting to hit my stride. The goal is to finish the first draft before Christmas.

Aggy, digging in

Did a marathon resub session today and sent ten stories back out into the wild, bringing my total number of open subs to 14.

ACFantasy said:

Did a marathon resub session today and sent ten stories back out into the wild, bringing my total number of open subs to 14.

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Well done! I need to do that too. I wrote a list of stories to resub the other day... but that was as far as I got

Been doing NaNo, bringing my short-fiction writing almost to a halt. A recent minor rejectolanche has left me with just one sub (41 days at Ap3x).

However, I've had one really strong story nearly finished for a couple of weeks... just couldn't bring myself to write the ending. I finally just put a one-line "and then this happened" summary just to get closure on it and let my wife beta-read; review was very positive. Should have that ready to sub out this weekend. High hopes, as always.

Peace
Ty

Good luck, Ty!

ACFantasy said:

Good luck, Ty!

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Thanks, AC! Good luck on yours; your work rate and commitment is awesome to behold.

Peace
Ty

Good to see everyone's progress.
AC -- happy to see your first blood braggage.
Zanzjan -- I'm right there with you on the final touches on the novel.
Ty -- Wish you well on the Apex sub and new story.

I wrote five drabbles last night, first new fiction in weeks, other than bridge scenes for the Gothic horror novel. Went back to my surrealist days. Hoping to channel something magical tonight.

After today's rejection, I sent out another story, so I'm back up to 14 out.

Good going, AC.

I wrote two new drabbles yesterday, one torqued traditional fantasy, one contemporary fantasy. Managed to lift out of the grim zone.

Things with work and life have gotten fubar, so the exercise offered some relief. As with the last set, I find my obsessions fall out of the bottle naked.

I've been resurrecting blog posts -- finding a way to connect that time of peak fiction output with the challenges of having to devote most of my writing time to cranking out copy.

I enrolled Animals of London in Kindle Select to try out the lending program. I have the next episode of Vampire Madam in draft.

Sent in my submission to 'Temporally Out of Time'.

*collapses in the room*

So, my brain tells me that apparently I write shorts again? And that I'll be sending out three this month?

*waves from her corner*