Very insightful. Where would you draw the line between the innovative and the same-old same-old? I get the feeling that while it often says in the submission guidelines they are looking for something new, original, and innovative, when confronted with something other than the usual editors get uncomfortable. I don't mean something inappropriate qua subject matter or theme (eg, a horror story submitted to Marie Claire), but something that uses 'non-standard' style and/or punctuation. On the other hand I can well imagine a story about a wizard boy waving a magic wand to fend off an evil witch or ork will also go straight to rejection. Or will it?
It depends on the editor's taste. There is nothing new under the sun, but each individual person has a unique voice / POV. I try not to write to markets. Rather, I write what I want to write, and then I find a market for it after. You will never please everyone. If you want to write about wizard boys with magic wands, go for it. Later, you can decide which market it might be appropriate for.
I came here because I submitted via Moksha! Kudos, Matthew, impressive work you do. Great tips overall, too, and I can't stress enough how important it is not to assume readers will “get it”. Things that will seem obvious to you as a writer, will most certainly be missed by the reader (not all, but most), which is why getting feedback (from other writers) is so valuable.
Thank you for your post. I feel you validated how I began my last book, so I don't need to look to my prose for lackluster sales, but to the subject matter instead. However, the content satisfied my soul, so I'll just have to be at peace with the small number of readers who purchased it.
Thanks for your comment! We can't control who reads our work, only how much effort we put into it. I do believe however that if we put in the work, if it's honest, then others will connect with it as we do.
Great post. I feel like I’m doing most of this but I am experimenting with small, succinct information dumps then immediately dialog that is near action (138 words, a clear space and immediate dialog following as if advertising “this won’t last too long”).
I’ve been going back and adding small info dumps between scenes that hopefully end up creating a set of rules for the climax (info dumps happen to be snippets from legislation that guide the prevailing society).
I just received a 27 day rejection for a novelette I submitted to “Fantasy & Science Fiction” (where I found this blog via Moshka). Do you think it got past a slush reader?
Thanks, George! One thought: I'm not sure you need to be so technical with your story's organization. If you can make your story flow, you can get away with most anything. There are no "rules" in writing, only customs.
Also, I have no idea if your novelette got past a slush reader or not. Send your novelette elsewhere and work on something new.
Thank You! This post is exactly what I need to 'clean up' my writing and make it more professional. I have a story submitted, and I was considering withdrawing it and re-working it to better fit your suggestions. However, it has been in there for almost eight months at this point, so I'll just see where that story lands, and hopefully learn from the experience. I am a disabled combat veteran and I started writing as 'something to do,' and have discovered that I enjoy it. As I finish each story, my writing has somehow fallen into the guidelines that you have described. So, all that said. Thanks again.
You're welcome. And good luck with your story! Depending on the publisher, you might want to query and see where your story is at. Also, it can be easy to get stuck in a rewriting loop where you constantly revise and edit a story and never send it out. Just make sure that you keep writing new stuff, and finishing your work and sending it out.
Actually... https://pulsepublishingsubmissions.moksha.io/submission/status?id=753&uid=61e96c92d64ad . It is currently in the Moksha labyrinth. Checking on status, I saw your link. I also agree with your warning against re-writing. I originally wrote full-length (290,000 words) about 'Battletech.' Searching for a venue for publishing, I found my way to submit material. In the instructions for format, it said to produce works that are 3000-5000 words, so I wrote three stories following the parameters that you outlined and picked the one I like the best. In using those parameters, it organized EVERYTHING ELSE so I could concentrate on putting words on the page. Finally, I signed up for Grammerly, because again, your guidelines gave me a taste of much needed structure.
Great post! Reading slush and paying a good editor to help me were the two things that unlocked the door to getting my work published.
Thanks James!
Very insightful. Where would you draw the line between the innovative and the same-old same-old? I get the feeling that while it often says in the submission guidelines they are looking for something new, original, and innovative, when confronted with something other than the usual editors get uncomfortable. I don't mean something inappropriate qua subject matter or theme (eg, a horror story submitted to Marie Claire), but something that uses 'non-standard' style and/or punctuation. On the other hand I can well imagine a story about a wizard boy waving a magic wand to fend off an evil witch or ork will also go straight to rejection. Or will it?
It depends on the editor's taste. There is nothing new under the sun, but each individual person has a unique voice / POV. I try not to write to markets. Rather, I write what I want to write, and then I find a market for it after. You will never please everyone. If you want to write about wizard boys with magic wands, go for it. Later, you can decide which market it might be appropriate for.
That is the way to go, I agree. Thanks for the reply.
I came here because I submitted via Moksha! Kudos, Matthew, impressive work you do. Great tips overall, too, and I can't stress enough how important it is not to assume readers will “get it”. Things that will seem obvious to you as a writer, will most certainly be missed by the reader (not all, but most), which is why getting feedback (from other writers) is so valuable.
Thank you for your post. I feel you validated how I began my last book, so I don't need to look to my prose for lackluster sales, but to the subject matter instead. However, the content satisfied my soul, so I'll just have to be at peace with the small number of readers who purchased it.
Thanks for your comment! We can't control who reads our work, only how much effort we put into it. I do believe however that if we put in the work, if it's honest, then others will connect with it as we do.
Great post. I feel like I’m doing most of this but I am experimenting with small, succinct information dumps then immediately dialog that is near action (138 words, a clear space and immediate dialog following as if advertising “this won’t last too long”).
I’ve been going back and adding small info dumps between scenes that hopefully end up creating a set of rules for the climax (info dumps happen to be snippets from legislation that guide the prevailing society).
I just received a 27 day rejection for a novelette I submitted to “Fantasy & Science Fiction” (where I found this blog via Moshka). Do you think it got past a slush reader?
Thanks, George! One thought: I'm not sure you need to be so technical with your story's organization. If you can make your story flow, you can get away with most anything. There are no "rules" in writing, only customs.
Also, I have no idea if your novelette got past a slush reader or not. Send your novelette elsewhere and work on something new.
Thank You! This post is exactly what I need to 'clean up' my writing and make it more professional. I have a story submitted, and I was considering withdrawing it and re-working it to better fit your suggestions. However, it has been in there for almost eight months at this point, so I'll just see where that story lands, and hopefully learn from the experience. I am a disabled combat veteran and I started writing as 'something to do,' and have discovered that I enjoy it. As I finish each story, my writing has somehow fallen into the guidelines that you have described. So, all that said. Thanks again.
You're welcome. And good luck with your story! Depending on the publisher, you might want to query and see where your story is at. Also, it can be easy to get stuck in a rewriting loop where you constantly revise and edit a story and never send it out. Just make sure that you keep writing new stuff, and finishing your work and sending it out.
Actually... https://pulsepublishingsubmissions.moksha.io/submission/status?id=753&uid=61e96c92d64ad . It is currently in the Moksha labyrinth. Checking on status, I saw your link. I also agree with your warning against re-writing. I originally wrote full-length (290,000 words) about 'Battletech.' Searching for a venue for publishing, I found my way to submit material. In the instructions for format, it said to produce works that are 3000-5000 words, so I wrote three stories following the parameters that you outlined and picked the one I like the best. In using those parameters, it organized EVERYTHING ELSE so I could concentrate on putting words on the page. Finally, I signed up for Grammerly, because again, your guidelines gave me a taste of much needed structure.