Any advice on writing fiction that you hope to see published? How do you find the appropriate markets? How do you find submission guidelines? Are there rules about sending submissions to more than one person at a time?

Any and all input is appreciated.

First, get this:



It takes care of about half your post, giving you a slew of markets for writing of all types, and a number of articles, essays, and templates on queries, cover letters, etc., to help you out every step of the way, not to mention standard manuscript formatting guidelines and so on. Submissions guidelines (as well as URLs for more detailed guidelines) appear with each listing, and markets are listed by type to make searching easier. For short fiction and magazine articles, this is an almost essential tool. (Longer fiction, i.e. novels, almost always requires an agent, which is a whole 'nother hassle.)

Get it, write, read everything in the front three times, write, skim markets, write, get ideas, read everything in the front another three times, write, reject ideas, write, skim more markets, and write.

When you have four or five shorts you're comfortable with, create a spreadsheet for yourself to track where and when your stories are going out and rejection slips are coming in (that's not a knock on you, it's a part of the gig for EVERYONE), and get in the habit of mailing, mailing, mailing.

A few things to keep in mind:

Most publishers frown upon submitting to more than one market at the same time, aka "multiple submissions." Avoid doing this unless they say it is okay. That's why I say have a few stories ready to go, that way you'll almost always have something to send out rather than waiting a few months here and a few months there between submissions.

Think about getting a copy or two of the magazine to which you're going to send a story before sending. Read their content. Their listing may seem perfect for your story ... until you read the magazine and realize you don't fit at all.

Cover letters, queries and proposals suck, but they are pretty integral. Learn how to write them. The writing should be just as good as the story itself, because you're trying to sell your tale in just a few lines.

NEVER send something out unless you've allowed another set of eyes or three to read it first. Fully editing and proofing your own work is near impossible. You'll too often read what you intended to type and will be blind to errors obvious to others. Give yourself a better chance of having a clean manuscript and let someone you trust read it first.

Go to Barnes & Noble and get literary/writing magazines. Just get them at random. Read them front to back, even the stuff that does not seem interesting or applicable to you. You'll find there are lessons to be learned everywhere.

That's all I can think of for now. Hope that gets you started.

Thanks Eric!

In the days of the web, I find that most publications list submission guidelines on their web sites. If you can't find them, a simple phone can work. you can even write them.

My advice, and remember, I'm no expert, just speaking from what feels right and past experience, is to write what you want and what works for you. Find a place later. most genre magazines aren't so narrow that they won't publish a good piece of sci-fi or horror or a mystery regardless of it's "sub-genre." Besides, I doubt you'd write something that you're so unfamiliar with that you wouldn't be able to find a publication with at least minimal interest in it.

Literary magazines are a mixed bag and many are published by colleges. Beware these as you will end up on their mailing list forever. They also are generally run by aging English professors with graying pony tails.

For non-fiction, in the past I've just phoned the managing editor and asked if they were looking for freelance work. At time though I usually have some kind of idea of what I want to write for them. Sometimes theyr'e pretty receptive, other's will at least tell you who you SHOULD talk to.

Or, you could always just publish it here.

A few of things:

1) Strongly consider cutting your teeth doing some writing for a local newspaper. I’m not talking about the main newspaper in your area (you’ll need experience to get in the door there), I’m talking about the truly local paper – probably a weekly thing, small circ, distributed in a few grocery stores and the like. You might not even know it exists. Check the phone book for papers in your area.

Take my word for it, editors of such publications are ALWAYS looking for decent writers who can reliably deliver on a deadline, because such people are remarkably scarce. While it’s not writing the fiction many long to write, crafting stories on local events can be of great help in developing one’s ability to be direct and concise and clear.

Plus, it’ll get you some bylines, and some confidence, and some experience … and those are all good things.

2) It’s worth repeating: Know the publication you’re submitting/pitching to! Editors get an amazing amount of stuff that instantly screams, “This person did not even bother to read our publication, he just mailed it in at random.” Frustrating! That stuff goes right in the trash. But sometimes your name is remembered … for all the wrong reasons.

3) Boy howdy should you have someone look over your work! Stuff I thought was clean has been LITTERED with errors, misused words and other stuff that should be glaringly obvious to anyone. (Recently, in fact.) You simply can not be fully effective when proofing your own work.

Which, of course, makes outside editing so important.

However, is anyone afraid to give your really "good" stuff out to strangers for fear of theft? Is that type of thinking something that's been drilled into our heads since the day we set foot in a writing class?

Very good advice, guys. Thanks.

As to John's question, I'm never really worried about that. There are enough little tricks you can do to prevent against it if you're really worried, that I'm not too concerned.

I'd hope no one is. Anyone wanting to write for publication needs to get rid of that (frankly kind of amateur) way of thinking pronto. It's like when you get a submission in the mail and the author puts "Copyright (C) 2007 Joe Blow" on it. That just SCREAMS "I'm kind of new at this."

Besides, if you're seeking outside editing, your first best option should be seeking out someone not only with the skills needed, but someone you trust. If you're lucky enough to know someone who fits the bill, that worry should not exist.

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of posting on sites like this that are pretty much open to the public, or to myspace accounts that aren't private.
Just wondering is all.

It's something I see with my freelancers and columnists on occasion and some guys on another site a friend of my created then ignored.

Anyone for some scripts?

Ahhh, my mistake, I misread you. Sorry.

Personally, I'd advise against doing that with something you intend to pitch for publication. If you think you might be inclined to try and sell/publish something, don't post it in public, says I.

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I listen!

bump

Read lit mags.

It's expensive and not always enjoyable and can be a big pain in the ass, but a great way to find markets -- the BEST way, really -- is to be out there reading them. Many of their websites will offer sample stories, and most will sell you a sample issue for cheap. At the very least you should read some stuff from any magazine you plan to submit to.

While browsing websites during a market search for a story I planned to send out, I was reading a lit review pub out of Canada when BOOM, I saw this wacky ass story written in a wacky ass way that put a light bulb on over my head. I had this thing sitting in a file, this experimental piece of whatever, that I figured would always sit in a file. I wrote it only to play around and for no other reason, but when I saw this story I realized there might be a market out there for it. Maybe.

So, I gave it a coat of polish, drafted a cover letter, and sent it out this weekend. Why not?

Will it sell? I dunno. Probably not -- it's nonsensical rubbish -- but that's not the point. The point is, the best way to identify markets for yourself is to read, read, read.

I am grappling right now with the agent search. That I'm finding to be a pain. Not mailing queries (haven't even done that yet), just selecting who would be appropriate.

I decided to try my hand a writing superhero/comic stories. I pulled out a dozen or so charachters that I have dreamed up over the years and tightened them up a little bit. I think I have some pretty unique concepts, or at least pretty unique takes on charachters in a genre where it seems like virtually everything has been done. I have about half a dozen mostly formed stories partially written. If I actually wanted to try to see about getting published by an actual comic company, what do I do first? What companies out there are in any way receptive to a nobody sending them something? SHould I submit it in prose form? In a page by page script? Try to det it completely drawn and then submit it?

What about self publishing? Is that even feasable in this day and age?

Any thoughts?

I'd recommend doing a webcomic, if possible, just to get the experience of both creating actual comics, as well as hitting a deadline (even a self-imposed one), and getting feedback.

Barring that, I'd look at self-publishing if you can hook up with a decent artist.

Here's the thing about superhero comics - most non-Marvel or DC companies aren't interested. It's not an area where they're likely to compete with Marvel, and trying to compete with an unknown creative team just isn't going to happen.

Marvel has a submission policy on their website, but generally they're not going to hire someone who doesn't have some published work out there. I'm pretty sure DC doesn't accept unsolicited submissions at all.

Your best bet, even if you ultimately want to work for Marvel or DC, is to find a niche, whether it's horror, sci-fi, fantasy, crime, humor, or slice-of-life, and find an artist who'll work with you on that.

If you look at most of the "big" writers working at Marvel or DC today, they didn't start out at Marvel or DC, and they didn't start out with superheroes.

I hadn't considered that.

Thanks a ton!