Some perspective when submitting work

[Meerkat]

I subscribe to lots of literary magazines. Today, I was reading the Mid-American Review. At the back, there was a roundtable discussion between past and current editors of the magazine. And do you know that one of them said that at any given moment they have TWO THOUSAND stories in the fiction queue to get through.

TWO THOUSAND.

This is not even a super-famous magazine! I only knew of it because someone I took a class with once was a professor at the university that publishes it.

They said that at times they just want to get through it all.

That made me realize a) long stories are bad b) no wonder I haven't been published yet!

I know most of us Litopians are novelists and not short story writers, but I'd imagine the novel competition is even fiercer.

 

[Stephen Drake]

That made me realize a) long stories are bad b) no wonder I haven't been published yet!

I've been wondering the same thing!

 

[Lex Black]

That helps put a lot of perspective on my own experiences. Thank you for sharing this.

 

[Meerkat]

You know, in this same magazine there was a story about a guy with an artichoke for a heart. He ends up joining a support group for people with vegetables for internal organs. I'm not sure, really, what the point of the story was supposed to be--I'm sure it had one--but I guess if you know you're going to be competing against thousands of other writers for just ONE magazine, you might well have to write stories about guys with artichokes for hearts.

In other words, maybe my prose just isn't startling enough to make the cut.

 

[Marc Joan]

You know, in this same magazine there was a story about a guy with an artichoke for a heart. He ends up joining a support group for people with vegetables for internal organs. I'm not sure, really, what the point of the story was supposed to be--I'm sure it had one--but I guess if you know you're going to be competing against thousands of other writers for just ONE magazine, you might well have to write stories about guys with artichokes for hearts.

In other words, maybe my prose just isn't startling enough to make the cut.

I think you just have to write what feels right to you - leave the vegetable prose to others. Having seen your work, I am certain that you will get published. Personally, I take the shotgun approach - if one writes enough stories and sends them to enough places, something will get accepted. It's partly a numbers game...

 

[Stephen Drake]

You know, in this same magazine there was a story about a guy with an artichoke for a heart. He ends up joining a support group for people with vegetables for internal organs. I'm not sure, really, what the point of the story was supposed to be--I'm sure it had one--but I guess if you know you're going to be competing against thousands of other writers for just ONE magazine, you might well have to write stories about guys with artichokes for hearts.

In other words, maybe my prose just isn't startling enough to make the cut.

If a story doesn't have a point, what is the point of writing it? Personally, the stories I like are ones that have a point of some kind, even if I don't agree with it. I agree with @Marc Joan . It is a numbers game. The more you write the better you get. The more you submit, the better your chances of being accepted. It's just my opinion...

 

[Marc Joan]

I subscribe to lots of literary magazines. Today, I was reading the Mid-American Review. At the back, there was a roundtable discussion between past and current editors of the magazine. And do you know that one of them said that at any given moment they have TWO THOUSAND stories in the fiction queue to get through.

TWO THOUSAND.

This is not even a super-famous magazine! I only knew of it because someone I took a class with once was a professor at the university that publishes it.

They said that at times they just want to get through it all.

That made me realize a) long stories are bad b) no wonder I haven't been published yet!

I know most of us Litopians are novelists and not short story writers, but I'd imagine the novel competition is even fiercer.

By the way, I suspect the super-queue at this magazine is because it is a University magazine, and hence is essentially - I suspect - run by volunteers in their free time. Commercial magazines generally [not always] are a bit more efficient - e.g. I submitted something to Fantasy & Science Fiction a couple of days ago, and it is now no. 163 in the queue.

 

[Emurelda]

Yes! When I think of the numbers that are submitted each year to agents and the handful that are picked it staggers belief.

Worth a shot though