Hatrack River Writers Workshop: How do you choose your market?

This is topic How do you choose your market? in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Igwiz (Member # 6867) on :

Hi all:

I'm pretty new to writing and really new to Hatrack. I've seen the stuff on Duotrope and Ralan, but I'm a little confused about the whole "choose your target and submit" concept.

I've never published anything outside of a High School or Work newsletter, and that was by request, so I certainly didn't have to query.

I found Duotrope most helpful in getting a better idea of what the short story market looks like. However, I still have a couple of questions.

1) How do you decide the most appropriate genre to target. Right now I have two WIP. One is soft SF, with emotion drinking aliens, and the other is Dark/Horror/Psychological, with a guy who has a crappy Thanksgiving and then whacks the family at Christmas. What's the best way to select your submission genre? Or do you play it safe and shop out a market that publishes everything?

2) Do you generally shoot high (pro market, SFWA-qualifying markets), get lots of rejection letters, and then start subbing to the semi-pro market? Or do you shoot low for your first story or two until you feel like you have things under your belt?

3) What are the rules on sending your story to more than one market at a time. Can I send a story to six different magazines at the same time, hoping one will bite? Or do I sent it one by one?

4) What do you actually do if they decide to publish the bloody thing? Do they mail you a contract to sign? Or just a check? What's the actual process between sending it in and seeing it in print (or on the web)?

I feel like I'm working on some things that can be submitted, so I'm hoping to have at least an idea of where to start.

Thanks, and sorry in advance for such a long post,

[This message has been edited by Igwiz (edited December 01, 2007).]

Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :

Well, I'll tell you my take on it, but I do very few short stories so maybe I'm not the best to answer.

I mainly go with pubs that are genre specific. It's best if you've read the pub you're submitting to (and I try) but there are more than it is really practical to read so sometimes I submit blind. I try to get a feel for at least what subgenre they like. If they hate S&S and my story is that, no point in sending it. Sometimes if it seems like a good fit I sub to non-genre pubs but not very often.

I always tell people to shoot high and then don't do it myself. But I'm not very impressed with my own short stories. Maybe if I ever write better ones I'll shoot higher.

3) What are the rules on sending your story to more than one market at a time. Can I send a story to six different magazines at the same time, hoping one will bite? Or do I sent it one by one?

Sending to more than one is called a simultaneous submission. Many pubs forbid that. If you want to do it, there is a simultaneous sub check box on Duotrope. Check that and the pubs that come up don't mind.

The ones I've sold emailed me a contract that I signed and mailed back. Then they mailed me back a copy with their signature added. I doubt that's universal though. I've heard not all pubs even bother with a contract. You want to be very clear on what publication rights they're buying though.

Hope that helps.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited December 01, 2007).]

Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :

When I submit, I just find what seems to be closest to what I've written and try that first. After that, I branch out to anything that could be close. As long as you don't violate their submission guidelines, you're okay.

Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :

Well, when I started out, I submitted to the magazines I've read, and I've pretty much stuck to that. Occasionally I sought out other markets and sent things out blind---sometimes I found a magazine that was rewarding to read, as well---but lately I'm down to the magazines I read. (Or "did read," 'cause I rarely read even the survivors from cover to cover anymore.)

There was a certain hierarchy among the markets when I sent things out. I started with my favorite (and highest paying at the time, I think), moved on to one with a more literary bent (which paid almost as much), moved on to another that published somewhat irregularly (which paid less and more slowly), then to a magazine that published relatively regularly (but paid bottom-of-the-market rates). Now it's down to, oh, maybe four markets, and actually an effective two markets.

Generally I avoid the semi-pro markets...it's a lot of fun, but I feel it's a phase in my career I've passed through and am done with. (The closest I've gotten to a sale-for-money was with a semi-pro, ten dollars on publication---then they folded up shop before publishing.)

Most of the markets I've known have been down on simultaneous submissions---if they don't actually say they approve of the practice, don't do it.

Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :

On the issue of payment, so far I've always been paid through my paypal account. lol

Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :

I say, start from the top markets and work your way down. What's the idea place for your story? What's the best match, and the best market? Submit to them first. Once it gets rejected, send it out to the next pub on your list, and so on.

I used to think one should have read at least one issue of the place you want to submit to. Given the number of pubs, and the cost of their issues, I'm beginning to think this is a bit ambitious. But certainly you should be familiar with the ones you want your story to be placed in. Each pub takes different kinds of stories (not just genre, but also style and content), and you increase your chances of getting published if you send it to pubs who you believe will be interested in your story.

Posted by Jon Ruyle (Member # 5943) on :

annepin wrote:

quote:
"Once it gets rejected..."

Now there's optimism!

Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :

Actually it is. That first rejection is a rite of passage.

Posted by Igwiz (Member # 6867) on :

Well, I took my first "real" jump as a writer today. I sent my first-ever publication attempt to 9 markets that allow simultaneous submission (and which I think match the style and genre of the piece). Wasn't as much of a "shotgun wedding" as it sounds.

Here's to all those soon-to-come learning experiences!

Thanks all for your feedback. I'll let you know who punted as they come in...

Thane

[This message has been edited by Igwiz (edited December 04, 2007).]

Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :

Good luck with the submissions, Igwiz. Hope you get some good feedback if they are rejections. (And expect rejections. That isn't a comment on you or your writing, but on the nature of writing and publishing in general.)

Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :

Igwiz, good luck. And congratulations on getting your work out there. Remember keep writing and keep submitting.

Posted by Igwiz (Member # 6867) on :

lehollis - Jeanne T:

Thanks to both. I can't decide whether I am rationally hopeful or hopefully rational. I am fully expecting 9 "no, thank you" responses.

But, in either case, I shipped this out at this time for several reasons. A) It's a dark holiday/christmas story, so if it's going to get published at all, it will have it's best chance soon (or more likely, two months ago, but oh well). B) I felt like I hear a lot about writing, revising, polishing, editing, reviewing, etc. on this forum, but little about submissions. and C) I'm an experiential learner, so I needed to know what it's like to shove something out there into the cold dark world. I figured I might as well feel like the rest of the published and aspiring authors here who have actually had a small and shining hope sit like a shadow in the corner of their eye, just out of sight, but always almost somehow seen...

In either case, here's to taking a chance...