Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Electronic vs. Snail Mail submissions

This is topic Electronic vs. Snail Mail submissions in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Netstorm2k (Member # 2279) on :

Here's a query for you folks.

How many of you have submitted something online rather than pay for the envelope postage? And why?

I'm not saying one is better than the other, though we all know that the older markets typically don't accept e-subs, at least not yet. And it is the older markets that tend to pay more, although there are some new journals that have both a print and an online edition, and they pay well. Pedestal Magazine, for example, accepts online subs(they even have a form for it) and they pay 5 cents a word, and 30$ per poem.

Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :

I do it. Most places I've tried only do one or the other. I'll do online zines or others, based on the pay, though I'd rather have those people have heard of.

Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :

A lot of places only let you submit one way or the other, but if they allow both I always e-mail. I have not found any evidence to suggest that if a market allows both that they take the snail mail more seriously. If that were true, they would only accept snail mial.

In fact, I have a rule of thumb that I use but may or may not be right for anyone else. Professional markets warrant snail mail submissions. Semi-professional markets don't. That is to say, when I start from the top and work my way down on a story I begin by printing it off, making it look neat, and sending it to a professional market. If it comes back, I may try another one. I don't usually try more than three unless I get some good feedback, as with a short story that I just sent to a sixth professional market yesterday. (made quarter finals in WOTF and got past slush at Realms of Fantasy)

After that, I only submit to markets that accept e-mail submissions. There are a lot of them. Most semi-pros will take e-mail. There is some gray area at the 3-5 cent a word, no pro markets. I may break my rule of thumb at that level and snail mail to a market that demands it, especially if I have something that I'm sure is good and don't want to receive $5 for.

But if a market pays a flat 5, 10, 15 dollars they better take e-mai or they won't see anything from me. Heck, postage and printing costs more than that.

So that's what I think of snail mail versus e-mail. After a while, I simply realized that it's more to do with how selective I believe the market can get away with being. BTW, one pro market, Strange Horizons, does take e-mail submissions and I submit to them regularly, partly because they are a pro market that takes e-mail and e-mail is easier and faster. I also like their stuff...I wish I could get past the "close...but no cigar" responses from them.

[This message has been edited by Christine (edited February 01, 2005).]

Posted by Netstorm2k (Member # 2279) on :

Christine, you said you'd email them every day at the top of your post. What did you mean by that?

Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :

Confusing and probably misused figure of speech. I have corrected it.

Posted by Robyn_Hood (Member # 2083) on :

So far I haven't tried snail-mailing anything. Mainly because I haven't really had anything that is ready to send, but also because international submissions are expensive.

I haven't really researched Canadian markets, and the ones I've looked into in the States mostly require snail-mail. International reply coupons aren't cheap, so I'm waiting for my sister to mail me a pack or two of US->Canada stamps.

Last year I sumbitted to an on-line 'zine, and that was electronically.

Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :

Ditto Christine, except about Strange Horizons but only because I haven't explored them yet. I'm now off to look at their submissions page.

[This message has been edited by MaryRobinette (edited February 01, 2005).]

Posted by Jules (Member # 1658) on :

So, you've presumably discovered now that they have the best submissions guidelines ever?

Posted by Netstorm2k (Member # 2279) on :

I thought their pages on 'what we see too much of' were funny, although I think it might turn off some with a good story that might partially fall into one of those categories.

Which is the point, I guess, but it still seems a shame.

Posted by Daniel Thurot on :

I've had far more success with email subs simply for the fact that they're simpler. I've had far too many snailmail subs come back because of a hundred reasons... PO Box changes by one number, the word count accidentally included the title and byline, outdated addresses of publisher offices, mail interception (one letter was seriously picked up by someone not affiliated with the address. He sent it back wanting fifty dollars cash so he could pay publishing charges -- yeah right!), incorrect postage, sloppy handwriting on the address, etc.

Even the ones that DO go through and are eventually accepted, it often takes in excess of four months. Most online subs have been accepted or rejected within their three to six week timeframe.