Build It and They Will Come
Well, I just spend some time staring at my spreadsheet of submissions, lamenting the fact that some are overdue and some I don't even know when the magazines report, and I haven't heard much lately. It seems like reporting times get longer and longer, and I know I have discussed with some of you that even if you have a guideline of a reporting time, it usually ends up meaning that you need to tack a few months onto that.
I was thinking of how we've already discussed that despite the advent of new markets, there seems to be a bit of a glut out there, and with the online markets, it's pretty sure that the editors have separate jobs, and lives, which of course probably tacks on the response time. It must be hard for them to keep up with everything since it isn't like their primary focus in life or something.
And then there's that idea of short story glut out there... with the subsequent backlogs involved. I remember Jen mentioning that the online markets likely have made people submit stuff that isn't even all the way done yet... Sigh. Adding more for the editors to slog through.
What's my point? Dunno. I was just sitting there thinking about all the short stories floating around out in the world, hoping to find homes, and came up with that old saying, "build it and they will come." Back in the old days, it did take a lot longer to put together a manuscript with the requisite paper copy, tyvek, SASE, and cover letter. (Lord knows I have complained to no end about how I hate to do it, myself.) The advent of online markets, it seems, has opened up the floodgates.
Ah well, this just means I've got to get cracking on my other pieces that are currently in the works instead of obsess about the ones that are already out there. So I can have an even longer list of submissions to watch in that spreadsheet!
Thanks for reading,
LLB
I was thinking of how we've already discussed that despite the advent of new markets, there seems to be a bit of a glut out there, and with the online markets, it's pretty sure that the editors have separate jobs, and lives, which of course probably tacks on the response time. It must be hard for them to keep up with everything since it isn't like their primary focus in life or something.
And then there's that idea of short story glut out there... with the subsequent backlogs involved. I remember Jen mentioning that the online markets likely have made people submit stuff that isn't even all the way done yet... Sigh. Adding more for the editors to slog through.
What's my point? Dunno. I was just sitting there thinking about all the short stories floating around out in the world, hoping to find homes, and came up with that old saying, "build it and they will come." Back in the old days, it did take a lot longer to put together a manuscript with the requisite paper copy, tyvek, SASE, and cover letter. (Lord knows I have complained to no end about how I hate to do it, myself.) The advent of online markets, it seems, has opened up the floodgates.
Ah well, this just means I've got to get cracking on my other pieces that are currently in the works instead of obsess about the ones that are already out there. So I can have an even longer list of submissions to watch in that spreadsheet!
Thanks for reading,
LLB
posted by LadyLitBlitzin at 11:49 AM
3 Comments:
Wow. A spreadsheet. Much more organized than I am. I work off a hand-written list tacked to my door. I need to contact a few as well, though.
Hey, whatever works, you know? :)
As Tom Petty says, waiting is the hardest part, especially when you're a short story writer! Keep the faith, sister! THB
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