Hatrack River Writers Workshop: What NOT to say in your intro letter.

This is topic What NOT to say in your intro letter. in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by JBSkaggs (Member # 2265) on :

I rec'd a kicker intro letter that caught my attention enough to print it out JUST so I could throw it away. (sometimes you just have to feel the paper wad up in your hand- and a simple e-mail deletion just won't do.)

This guy asked to be on my cover, asked to be paid, and informed me he was a professional- even though he broke almost every submission guideline I had. He never read (or if he did he ignored) my theme.

But he was a professional.

Please don't tell the editor where and how to place your story. Don't tell the editor your a professional if you didn't even take the time to read the submission guidelines. And if you are submitting to a themed magazine asking for horror stories about Wolves don't send a story about a romance between a guy and Xena who comes out of the TV to have sex and demand to be on the cover!

(if the submitter is on this board then I hope this wakes you up)

Lastly (this is in general and to no one in particular) do not send me your long list of pub credits and send a crappy story! Don't send crap to anyone- ever. Writers are craftsman and if you make garbage that is what you'll be known for.

JB Skaggs

Posted by HSO (Member # 2056) on :

On that note, JB... I had a thought that you might be appreciative of me resending my spider story in the proper, "professional" format (minus the demands, of course). Simply, I thought it would be a bit more respectful to you and your business/magazine. Even if you do end up rejecting it, please keep an eye out for it in your inbox.

-HSO

Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :

Maybe you could write back to the guy and suggest that he have Xena turn into a wolf at some point in the relationship?

(I think, though, that if you're only offering to pay for cover stories, you're going to run into people who're only interested in that.)

Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :

I agree with you that it is very important to read editorial guidelines and submit good work. Certainly it is ludicrous to send erotic stories which borrow from someone else's universe (probably without permission) to a horror magazine. On the other hand, some of the things you said got me thinking.

First of all, one man's crap is another man's gold. Obviously, in this case the person didn't even bother to read your guidelines, but I just wanted to point this out as not to scare off the newbie writers around here who are still scared to go ahead and send off that first story. As an example, one of my best short stories (still unpublished, alas, but parly because I refuse to sell this one to a low-paying market) made quarter-finals in WOTF and was passed up from the slugh pile (with encouraging comments to match) at two other markets. When I sent it to Strange Horizons, however, the editor's comments were cold and even brutal, suggesting the story was sub-par. Does that mean I sent out a sub--par story? No! It means that some editors like some things other editors don't. It's the way of the world.

I say this in the hopes of encouraging everyone to go ahead and submit those stories, even if they feel a little shaky. Don't spend the rest of your life on this story. Get it out there and make the next one even better!

Second, and please don't take this the wrong way...when you publish a magzine in which only the cover story is paid, it is somewhat logical to suppose that some authors will request that their story be considered for the cover only. (At least, this is what I understood from reading your magazine's guidelines -- that only the cover story received payment.) I must admit that part of the reason I have never submitted anything to you is that I would feel awkward saying that I would refuse publication except on the cover. Even at a very low rate of $5 or $10 a story (which is what I've been paid to date), I do expect to be paid for my stories. It's one of those things that we've discussed before at great length. I've avoided the situation by simply not sending anything in, but I'm not surprised that others are more bold.

[This message has been edited by Christine (edited April 04, 2005).]

Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :

ah, Christine, I was wondering what you'd do about mags like jb's that only pay the cover story!

personally I don't think the difference between getting $5 for a story and getting nothing for a story is big enough to worry about, for me. low-paying and not paying are essentially the same in my mind, so I just go with the ones I like. (big difference between low-paying and the ones that pay .05/word or so though!)

but in the case of JB's magazine I think the difference between $50 and 0 is very significant and I think I too would hesitate to sub again.

Posted by HSO (Member # 2056) on :

Regarding payment -- after acceptance or offer is made to publish your story, it is always up to the author to decide if they want to withdraw their story in the event of not being paid for it, or other.

Therefore, in my opinion, it isn't necessary to demand to be the cover story. Just decline the offer -- don't sign the contract -- whatever. It's business. It's not necessarily personal.

Still, and this is just me nosing around where I shouldn't, it might be worth considering a $25 cover, and $5 for others. Then most people are happy. It does require writing more checks, and perhaps that's a turnoff... I don't know.

[This message has been edited by HSO (edited April 04, 2005).]

Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :

Actually, HSO, I, too, have wondered why not go with an option like that....split the money more evently. $50 is a good price for the cover story. $0 is not such a good price for anything else.

And I suppose if it came to it, the option of simply not saying anything until a possible acceptance (with or without payment) would be my choice, but I said it was one of the reasons I haven't submitted. The others are that, (once again, no offense intended) I have noticed that JBSkaggs and I have very different tastes from wandering through Fragments and Feedback. Also, I am a little nervous to submit when on more than one ocassion he has impugned the authors who have submitted to his magazine on this board. I am not so confident of my abilities that I wish to invite that possible outcome.

Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :

I sometimes read articles by editors in which they vent about the awful things they've gotten: insulting, stupid, or arrogant query letters, or cliche-plot stories using copyrighted characters, etc. Venting is cool; I do it myself. But I was annoyed that Writer's Market would publish this! Write an angry letter and then burn it; or complain to your friends. Like I'm doing right now!

Posted by JBSkaggs (Member # 2265) on :

I don't mind being asked to consider only for the cover story. That's not the problem.

The problem was this guy wants to be the cover story but doesn't want to submit the story type we asked for. Does he expect me to change the magazine's theme to match his story?

AS to the other. I cannot afford to pay for every story I don't make enough in sales yet. But if you have a story that is damn good I'll pay for it even if it isn't the cover story. So far I have only had one story out of several hundred that was like that. I wish I could show yall what and how I receive stories. It would forever change your perspectives as writers.

I will say this. A list of prev pub's do not impress me. But membership in the SFWA or HWA does. Minus one person every submission I have rec'd from those guys have been right on the money as if they read my mind. Why? Because they researched what I wanted and how I wanted it, rewrote, polished, and presented the stories in a professional polite business manner. They expressed a desire to work with me and communicated what they wanted clearly. Hatrackers run a close second.

These other guys submit stories the way prostitutes hassle passersby. No research, no polish, angry and defensive.

HSO- I have no problem with the way you submitted to me. I only had one comment and I will email you when I get home. But it's not a bad comment.

Beth and Christine- I understand your
positions.

Here is another thought, I prefer to use the underdog for the coverstory. I know I could sell more magazines using a better known author- but something in me just wants the little guy come out on top. But of course if the little guy's story just can't beat the big guy's in a one on one bout- then I have to go with the stronger story.

JB Skaggs

Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :

oh and - I want to clarify that I was totally thrilled to be in jb's magazine and have only positive things to say about the whole experience! i don't mean to come off as critical.

Posted by teddyrux (Member # 1595) on :

Does this mean you won't accept submissions from me again??????? {joking}