Hi all!
This week I'm going to talk about submitting short stories to writing magazines and anthologies. There are a lot of places out there that are willing to accept work from authors, no matter if they're published or not. Like querying, I thought I would list some dos and don'ts.
Do.
Be polite.
Make sure your cover letter is polite and pleasant. Anything offensive or arrogant will end up rejected.
Read the submission guidelines.
Make sure your story is within the specified word count and is a genre they are looking for. If it's not, find somewhere else to submit it. There are a few places that will accept writing that is a bit on the longer side.
Edit your work.
Don't send a first draft, unless it's immaculate. Like with everything you write, make sure you edit it for simple mistakes. For a short piece places will expect minimal errors so keep that in mind.
Be aware of fees.
A few places will require you to pay a small fee to submit. First, check it's within your budget and be sure that you want to spend it. Second, research the place you're submitting to. Is the price worth it in your eyes?
Be prepared to wait.
Like querying agents, these places get a lot of submissions. While some might get back to you if you've been accepted or rejected, others won't. Submit to a few at a time and wait a few weeks before submitting to a few more.
Read the fine print.
Some places will ask for first publication rights and ask you not to publish elsewhere for a certain amount of time. Make sure you're okay with this before submitting.
Don't.
Send nasty emails.
If you don't get accepted, don't send them nasty or rude emails. You will be blacklisted and they will not accept another submission from you again. Don't burn bridges just because you're upset.
Trash talk them on social media.
Not only will it make you look bad, but it's also a sure-fire way to burn bridges in the publishing world. Magazines and anthologies talk to each other, and you will find yourself unable to submit to many places after your outburst. Think before you post anything.
Steal work.
Don't steal someone else's work and pass it off as your own. Even if they don't catch it straight away, someone will find out eventually and expose you. Use your own merit to get your achievements.
Pay too much.
If the cost is exceptionally high for a short piece, don't submit. Chances are you won't get your money's worth and you'll be out of pocket.
Chase them constantly.
An email asking for an update after a few weeks is fine, but don't bombard them. It's a quick way to get your submission rejected.
Ignore submission guidelines.
Your story will not be the 'one-off' they accept. Not adhering to the genre will get you rejected almost instantly. Going above the word count won't work either, as especially in magazines they only have a set amount of space to fit stories in.
Give up your rights.
Don't sign over the rights to your story without thinking. They should only ask for publication rights for a few weeks to months. Don't sign over the whole thing and let them use it as they please.
Let rejection get you down.
Rejection is rife in the publishing world and its inevitable that you will receive one at some point. Don't let that put you off however, keep trying and you'll get there eventually!
That's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading. See you next week!
