Showing posts with label publication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label publication. Show all posts
Thursday, January 09, 2020
News and Notes from the Writing Desk: January Edition
January tends to be the time when everyone has that push to do more and find a new rhythm. I'm no different, so there are a lot of plans that have been put into place.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Making Progress and Moving Forward
Just to see what kind of time commitment I would be making, I decided to start building a new version of TSW on Wix using a blog template. It seems that it would go smoothly, considering I was able to design the homepage and upload a single post in about fifteen minutes.
The biggest issue I see for doing this is moving all of my old posts onto the new blog. There's something like 1700 right now, and Wix doesn't do any sort of automatic importing from Blogger. Of course I wouldn't want to transfer every post, because a few are paid posts and since I'm not benefiting from them anymore, they don't need to make the move. They just need to stay here in perpetuity.
The other thing I've been exploring this week is publications on Medium. Apparently, that is how writers get so many views and have a better chance of getting those important money-making views. I have applied to join one, but I'm still thinking about what my first article submission would be. I've got some ideas, but nothing written yet. That's what I will be working on the rest of the week.
The biggest issue I see for doing this is moving all of my old posts onto the new blog. There's something like 1700 right now, and Wix doesn't do any sort of automatic importing from Blogger. Of course I wouldn't want to transfer every post, because a few are paid posts and since I'm not benefiting from them anymore, they don't need to make the move. They just need to stay here in perpetuity.
The other thing I've been exploring this week is publications on Medium. Apparently, that is how writers get so many views and have a better chance of getting those important money-making views. I have applied to join one, but I'm still thinking about what my first article submission would be. I've got some ideas, but nothing written yet. That's what I will be working on the rest of the week.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
The Good, The Bad and the Undetermined
After a lovely acceptance letter last week, I got another rejection. Not a big deal, but this is the one that I've been talking about because I really do think I can make it into this specific poetry publication, but the third time was certainly not a charm. I know I'm flipping the process upside down since normal writers write something, then look for a publication that fits the style of what they've already written. This is what I do with 99.9% of my work. It's just that this publication for some reason is very enticing, and I want to get in it. So I've been tailoring work towards the style of the publication. Both tactics have not worked. So, I'm giving that one a break and focusing on hundreds of other publications out there for a little while.
In freelancing news, I'm reluctantly back on Fiverr. The only gig I have available at the moment is the blog spotlight gig. The others are still in the process of being revamped so that I can ensure a higher percentage of clients who have a clear understanding of the parameters of the gig. I know I'm going to run into another jerk who doesn't read the description, but I'm not going to let issues arise due to something on my end. But the good news is that Fiverr sent out an email today saying that sellers no longer have to endure an additional Paypal fee on top of the company's 20% cut. That'll save me about $0.22 per gig, which does add up.
I'm also thinking ahead to January and what my major goals will be for the coming year. Mostly I would like to build my audience (who wouldn't?) and build it primarily on Patreon. I still haven't figured out the secret to that success, but that's not stopping me from trying. So I'm going to get back to that stack of poetry ready for revision which is the fun part of this whole wild ride.
In freelancing news, I'm reluctantly back on Fiverr. The only gig I have available at the moment is the blog spotlight gig. The others are still in the process of being revamped so that I can ensure a higher percentage of clients who have a clear understanding of the parameters of the gig. I know I'm going to run into another jerk who doesn't read the description, but I'm not going to let issues arise due to something on my end. But the good news is that Fiverr sent out an email today saying that sellers no longer have to endure an additional Paypal fee on top of the company's 20% cut. That'll save me about $0.22 per gig, which does add up.
I'm also thinking ahead to January and what my major goals will be for the coming year. Mostly I would like to build my audience (who wouldn't?) and build it primarily on Patreon. I still haven't figured out the secret to that success, but that's not stopping me from trying. So I'm going to get back to that stack of poetry ready for revision which is the fun part of this whole wild ride.
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Sub Season
Most literary publications close for submissions sometime between the middle of September and the end of October for winter/spring issues. Since I'm in the thick of submission season right now, I'm trying to figure out how to package submissions so that they stand out. Because of guidelines provided by these publications, this mostly comes down to packaging the required number of poems and putting them in the right order.
Publications that are looking for poetry in particular usually have a 3-5 poem limit per submission. This gives you room to provide your different voices and techniques, but I'm beginning to think that it's also a place for a poet's potential downfall. My evidence for this is the last few rejections I've received. These were encouraging rejections, which meant there was something in there that they liked. Many of these submissions had at least one poem in common, so maybe that one is the one that impresses? This leads me to a question that probably only a poetry editor can really answer: if you like only one out of three (or five), do you still reject the submission, or do you offer to publish one and not the others?
The answer to this question could lead me to change my submission tactics. If my worst poem in the submission is keeping my best from getting published, I would definitely stop sending in the maximum amount according to guidelines. However, years ago I was reading something somewhere online (I know--totally trustworthy source, right?) where editors preferred more than one piece to really get the feel of the writer's ability. So, there's that.
This isn't the only area of a submission that could be the issue. It could be that my submissions doesn't have a cohesive theme, or that it does have a theme, and they aren't interested in that. It could be because of length--every type of writing can get canned based solely on length, so that doesn't bother me at all. Though if length is a specific issue, it should be placed in the guidelines not to send work over a certain number of lines.
I'm simply looking to find ways to make each submission count. Everything is on the table at this point as I assemble my next round of submissions. How do you approach your submissions to publications?
Publications that are looking for poetry in particular usually have a 3-5 poem limit per submission. This gives you room to provide your different voices and techniques, but I'm beginning to think that it's also a place for a poet's potential downfall. My evidence for this is the last few rejections I've received. These were encouraging rejections, which meant there was something in there that they liked. Many of these submissions had at least one poem in common, so maybe that one is the one that impresses? This leads me to a question that probably only a poetry editor can really answer: if you like only one out of three (or five), do you still reject the submission, or do you offer to publish one and not the others?
The answer to this question could lead me to change my submission tactics. If my worst poem in the submission is keeping my best from getting published, I would definitely stop sending in the maximum amount according to guidelines. However, years ago I was reading something somewhere online (I know--totally trustworthy source, right?) where editors preferred more than one piece to really get the feel of the writer's ability. So, there's that.
This isn't the only area of a submission that could be the issue. It could be that my submissions doesn't have a cohesive theme, or that it does have a theme, and they aren't interested in that. It could be because of length--every type of writing can get canned based solely on length, so that doesn't bother me at all. Though if length is a specific issue, it should be placed in the guidelines not to send work over a certain number of lines.
I'm simply looking to find ways to make each submission count. Everything is on the table at this point as I assemble my next round of submissions. How do you approach your submissions to publications?
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Dear Literary Journals: You Can't Have it Both Ways
The writers today that are sticking to some of the tradition of the publishing industry by submitting poetry, short stories, and essays to literary journals know that the landscape is changing. Some literary journals have moved to an online-only format; some newer ones never had a print edition to begin with. More journals are moving from only accepting regional authors to accepting writers from around the world. But there's one shift that really getting on my nerves -- reading fees.
Don't get me wrong. I can sympathize with any publication that's barely hanging on financially to keep publishing the work that talented writers send in, but the fact that I spent hours yesterday looking for new places to submit and could find only a few without a submission fee is ridiculous. It's not the reading/submission fee that I oppose--what is making me want to pull my hair out in frustration is that almost all of these "please pay $2-$5 to submit your work" publications also do not pay writers they publish. Let me say it again: THEY DO NOT PAY WRITERS. You as the writer get to pay for the privilege to grace their publication. And I'm not the only one that sees this as a problem, as you can see (article is from 2015, but the problem is only getting worse).
The big, fat secret that's staring writers in the face on this topic? A writer could publish anything they want on their own platform (social media, blog, website) and with a good marketing strategy could get just as many views--without having to pay anyone a dime if they don't want to. Yes, you don't get to say "this was previously published in" but unless your audience is a bunch of fellow writers, is your audience really going to be that impressed that some other publication wanted it first?
All of the major names in the literary world still let you send in work for free, with the exception being contest entries, but those are often fair because of the chance at a large amount of prize money. Keeping these submissions free is a good thing, but writers know that the well-established publications want to see that you've made it into the smaller publications first. I know they'll say it doesn't matter if you've been published before, but no one really knows what's going on in the minds of any particular editor. I would say that it does matter to some of them.
Here's the thing, literary journals: I would gladly fork over $2 for you to read it if there was a chance at being paid for all my hard work. I'm not talking earth-shattering prizes, but $50 seems reasonable for publication. You give the sob story that you're barely holding on, and the only money you make is from these submission fees. So what counterargument are writers supposed to give? Well, here's our own sob story--no one values the written word as much as other professions, so we are constantly being told our work is not worth the money we ask for it. So, dear reading fee journals, it comes down to this: the prestige you try to portray is not worth the money you are asking for it. Go find some other poor sap to pay you for their next rejection letter.
Don't get me wrong. I can sympathize with any publication that's barely hanging on financially to keep publishing the work that talented writers send in, but the fact that I spent hours yesterday looking for new places to submit and could find only a few without a submission fee is ridiculous. It's not the reading/submission fee that I oppose--what is making me want to pull my hair out in frustration is that almost all of these "please pay $2-$5 to submit your work" publications also do not pay writers they publish. Let me say it again: THEY DO NOT PAY WRITERS. You as the writer get to pay for the privilege to grace their publication. And I'm not the only one that sees this as a problem, as you can see (article is from 2015, but the problem is only getting worse).
The big, fat secret that's staring writers in the face on this topic? A writer could publish anything they want on their own platform (social media, blog, website) and with a good marketing strategy could get just as many views--without having to pay anyone a dime if they don't want to. Yes, you don't get to say "this was previously published in" but unless your audience is a bunch of fellow writers, is your audience really going to be that impressed that some other publication wanted it first?
All of the major names in the literary world still let you send in work for free, with the exception being contest entries, but those are often fair because of the chance at a large amount of prize money. Keeping these submissions free is a good thing, but writers know that the well-established publications want to see that you've made it into the smaller publications first. I know they'll say it doesn't matter if you've been published before, but no one really knows what's going on in the minds of any particular editor. I would say that it does matter to some of them.
Here's the thing, literary journals: I would gladly fork over $2 for you to read it if there was a chance at being paid for all my hard work. I'm not talking earth-shattering prizes, but $50 seems reasonable for publication. You give the sob story that you're barely holding on, and the only money you make is from these submission fees. So what counterargument are writers supposed to give? Well, here's our own sob story--no one values the written word as much as other professions, so we are constantly being told our work is not worth the money we ask for it. So, dear reading fee journals, it comes down to this: the prestige you try to portray is not worth the money you are asking for it. Go find some other poor sap to pay you for their next rejection letter.
Tuesday, December 05, 2017
A Strange Dilemma
Last night I ran into quite an interesting circumstance. After my latest rejection, I was looking for another publication to send my poetry to because I think the handful of poems I picked for the last one is still a solid body of work for submissions. So, I dug into my research and found a publication where my work would be a good fit. And as usual, I did one more sweep of the publication's website for any other research information I had missed that would help me tailor the submission.
There it was, staring me down on the About the Editors page: one of the poetry editors at this newly chosen publication happens to have another job--as a poetry editor at the publication I just received the rejection from. What now? This little surprise changes my whole perception of the world of literary publications. Does this happen often? How many times have I unknowingly sent the same submission into the hands of the same editor without knowing it? And seriously, when it is a non-paying publication and these are most likely volunteer positions... how does this person have time to be an editor at two of them??
Now I'm left with a decision that I have to make quickly, if I want to meet the deadline of this new publication. I could go ahead and still submit to this publication, knowing that there's a good chance it will be rejected once again (though I wouldn't send the same poems, like I had originally intended). Both publications work on a blind submission basis, so unless I have a truly distinct literary voice, they wouldn't be able to tell it was me. Both publications also have multiple editors listed for poetry, so there's a small chance that it would never end up in the hands of the overlapping editor. Then again, I don't know if it's a collaborative decision or first come, first reject.
Or, I could just move on and find another publication. It would make it easier for me to think I had a better shot at getting accepted, but it would take more time to find the right one to submit to.
The life of a writer is certainly full of plot twists!
There it was, staring me down on the About the Editors page: one of the poetry editors at this newly chosen publication happens to have another job--as a poetry editor at the publication I just received the rejection from. What now? This little surprise changes my whole perception of the world of literary publications. Does this happen often? How many times have I unknowingly sent the same submission into the hands of the same editor without knowing it? And seriously, when it is a non-paying publication and these are most likely volunteer positions... how does this person have time to be an editor at two of them??
Now I'm left with a decision that I have to make quickly, if I want to meet the deadline of this new publication. I could go ahead and still submit to this publication, knowing that there's a good chance it will be rejected once again (though I wouldn't send the same poems, like I had originally intended). Both publications work on a blind submission basis, so unless I have a truly distinct literary voice, they wouldn't be able to tell it was me. Both publications also have multiple editors listed for poetry, so there's a small chance that it would never end up in the hands of the overlapping editor. Then again, I don't know if it's a collaborative decision or first come, first reject.
Or, I could just move on and find another publication. It would make it easier for me to think I had a better shot at getting accepted, but it would take more time to find the right one to submit to.
The life of a writer is certainly full of plot twists!
Friday, December 01, 2017
December Is Here!
The best part about it being December 1st? NaNoWriMo is officially over. At 24,755 words I didn't even hit half of the goal, but it's 24,755 words more than I had thirty days ago, so it's still a win in my little writer heart. The rest of 2017 will be dedicated to getting Melody's Valentine ready for publication in January, but you can be a part of what I'm going to work on in 2018. Become a Patron by December 15th and you can vote for what project I tackle next.
I also woke up to a rejection letter. Not fun, but not anything that's unusual. It will make me rethink about submitting to west coast-based publications for awhile, though. When I submit to Midwest or east coast publications, the rejection letters usually arrive between noon and 6pm. West coast publications like to give me something to wake up to. At least I'm at the point in my career where this little anomaly makes me chuckle. Five years ago I would have went all Betty-Draper-on-her-fainting-couch for a day.
And it did get me thinking about where to submit to next. 2018 is probably going to be the year of Go Big or Go Home, so I'm aiming high. The literary elite won't see me coming!
I also woke up to a rejection letter. Not fun, but not anything that's unusual. It will make me rethink about submitting to west coast-based publications for awhile, though. When I submit to Midwest or east coast publications, the rejection letters usually arrive between noon and 6pm. West coast publications like to give me something to wake up to. At least I'm at the point in my career where this little anomaly makes me chuckle. Five years ago I would have went all Betty-Draper-on-her-fainting-couch for a day.
And it did get me thinking about where to submit to next. 2018 is probably going to be the year of Go Big or Go Home, so I'm aiming high. The literary elite won't see me coming!
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
Missing Access to Duotrope? Here Are Some Alternatives
If you relied on Duotrope to find publications for your fiction, essays, poetry and more in 2012, this year may look a little gloomy. That is, unless you want to pay the yearly fee for full access to the site. Personally, I'm a cheapskate and even if I did have the extra money to spend, I probably wouldn't do it. The information is out there and usually for free, so I find it hard to justify paying for convenience in this case. However, if you are willing to pay the fees and you are writing full time, it can be a tax deductible expense.
So--if you are still looking for the convenience of a database or set of listings to search through, here are a couple of options.
Poets & Writers
This magazine's website has a list of literary journals under the Tools for Writers tab. The listings are pretty straightforward, giving you the information you need when it comes to submissions, payment and the reading period. From what I can tell, it has a mix of mid- and high-level literary listings, good for those who may have already been published once or twice before.
Ralan.com
If you are looking specifically for markets that want spec fiction or humor, this is the place to go. The listings are categorized by the amount of pay offered. The website is also updated regularly to keep the listings fresh.
Those are actually the only two websites I have found so far that do a similar job to what Duotrope did, but I will be on the lookout for more websites like this so we can all be frugal writers together.
So--if you are still looking for the convenience of a database or set of listings to search through, here are a couple of options.
Poets & Writers
This magazine's website has a list of literary journals under the Tools for Writers tab. The listings are pretty straightforward, giving you the information you need when it comes to submissions, payment and the reading period. From what I can tell, it has a mix of mid- and high-level literary listings, good for those who may have already been published once or twice before.
Ralan.com
If you are looking specifically for markets that want spec fiction or humor, this is the place to go. The listings are categorized by the amount of pay offered. The website is also updated regularly to keep the listings fresh.
Those are actually the only two websites I have found so far that do a similar job to what Duotrope did, but I will be on the lookout for more websites like this so we can all be frugal writers together.
Monday, July 30, 2012
To Pack or Not to Pack
Although the daily writing assignments have picked up a bit, the packing is slow-going. It's not that I don't have the motivation for it--if it were up to me, I would be living out of a suitcase and have everything else put away. But, I'm restricted in what I can do since my current place of residence is up for sale. I have to make sure that it looks good, which translates to not having boxes laying around all over the floor. So I've changed my attitude a bit. I'm focusing 110% on work for the next 10 days, then the two days after that will be devoted to whirlwind packing and moving. Hopefully, it all comes together.
It's also an exciting time, because at the end of every month I pick two new publications to submit my work. It's getting close to that time, so I'm dragging out the external hard drive and sifting through work that fits particular publications, or vice versa, depending on the mood I'm in tomorrow. However, my personal opinion is that it's easier to choose a piece for a publication than a publication for a piece. They are a lot more specific in what they look for than I am in what I write.
It's also an exciting time, because at the end of every month I pick two new publications to submit my work. It's getting close to that time, so I'm dragging out the external hard drive and sifting through work that fits particular publications, or vice versa, depending on the mood I'm in tomorrow. However, my personal opinion is that it's easier to choose a piece for a publication than a publication for a piece. They are a lot more specific in what they look for than I am in what I write.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Working on a Dream--And It's Working
I know I normally don't post on Thursdays, but today is a special occasion. Yesterday I found out that my poem, "Tuesday Morning Hangover" is being published over at Full of Crow in the July 2012 issue. It was a pleasant surprise to find out last night. Go check it out and let me know what you think!
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