Some online publishing opportunities with the arrival of spring

I've been remiss in keeping up this blog the last few months as the winter was exceedingly busy, but I think I've emerged on the other side of all those projects and I'd like to ease back into it by highlighting some interesting online outlets. Many literary journals and publishers go into summer dormancy (some starting as early as May 1 in anticipation of the academic year's conclusion), so there's no time like the present to get some prose and poetry into editors' inboxes while they're still in reading mode.

Using recent notices from one of my favorite market reporters, Duotrope's Digest (of which I've written repeatedly), here are some venues that piqued my curiosity:

The mission of Brink Magazine is "to bring good literature and art to light." Established in 2007, the editors of this uncluttered and eye-pleasing online journal are interested in the usual literary fare in addition to criticism, interviews and translations. They are taking submissions through June 30, for this reading period, via a form within their own site.

Another interesting online possibility is Conte, a journal of narrative writing, which "aims to celebrate, explore, and expand the boundaries of both narrative writing and digital publishing." The journal's web designers definitely work at bringing digital artistry to each issue. The editors are currently reading for their summer 2012 issue and only accepting work through Submittable (formerly Submishmash). See their submissions page for links to helpful tips.

Another online journal worth checking out is milk magazine, which features a simple, straightforward and easy-to-read design. Submissions are being accepted now through August via email to milk's editor, Larry Sawyer.

Orion Magazine is an online outlet with a specialized focus which "lies at the nexus of ecology and the human experience." Its editors are looking for short fiction, essays, narrative nonfiction, and interviews, but no unsolicited poetry. See the magazine's guidelines page for a thorough description of what the editors are interested in -- but the current reading period closes March 16.

These are just a few interesting places to submit your work with the coming of spring. Check out Duotrope's Digest plus NewPages.com for a wealth of information on outlets that are currently reading.

tedmorrissey.com
Men of Winter

Some summer writing contests to consider

In my January 22, 2011, post I talked about the benefits of entering your writing in contests, and while summertime may be a bit slow in terms of available outlets, there are numerous contests that are taking entries.

This line of thought was sparked by my receiving an email from Donna Talarico, the founder and publisher of Hippocampus Magazine, regarding her journal's Remember in November Contest for Creative Nonfiction. See the contest page for complete details, but some highlights include cash prizes, publication, and (maybe best of all) a significant portion of the entry fee will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association. Contact info@hippocampusmagazine.com with questions or comments. The deadline is September 15, 2011.

While I'm at it, I'll point out that the journal for which I'm a reader, Quiddity international literary journal and public-radio program, has two contests underway: The Book Trailer Contest for Writers and Small or Independent Presses. As the name implies, there are two categories -- one for writers who are promoting their manuscripts, and the other for small or independent publishers who are promoting books. See guidelines for complete details and a sample trailer. The deadline is December 10, 2011.

Quiddity is also sponsoring the Teresa A. White Literary Award: "Buck-a-Word" Contest. The journal is looking for flash fiction of no more than 500 words, including title. The deadline is October 31, 2011.

These are the proverbial tip of the iceberg. A good resource for finding contests that are currently accepting entries is NewPages.com's contest page. The site, which is a great resource in general, organizes the contest pages (one for magazines, one for books) by deadline month, and several are coming up in July and August.

tedmorrissey.com

Men of Winter

Three new journals planning fall launches

In my last post I talked about the fact that summer offers fewer publishing opportunities for writers and poets but "fewer" isn't none -- so I wanted to call your attention to some editors/publishers who are currently reading for their inaugural issues, all found courtesy of Duotrope's Digest's email newsletter.

Orange Quarterly caught my eye. It's a brand-new online market "showcas[ing] both emerging and established artists and writers from around the globe." Founded by Allison Leigh Peters, OQ is currently accepting work for their debut issue, which is scheduled to launch this Halloween night just before the clock strikes midnight. As a drama-building tool, the site has a countdown-to-launch clock. The editors are accepting work via email, and as such there are quite a few do's and don't's, so read their submission guidelines carefully. Prose writers should note that they'll read work up to 7,500 words, which is more than many journals are interested in considering. I must say I like the look of OQ's site; it appears professionally constructed and well thought out. In short, it looks to me like an online journal put together by folks who know what they're doing (even though it doesn't appear that any of the "OQ crew" will be applying for their AARP card anytime soon).

Whether you submit or not, Orange Quarterly will be a journal worth keeping track of as the editors get their first issues out into the cyberworld.

Here's another interesting-looking online journal in its embryonic stage: Specter Literary Magazine (also featuring a countdown-to-launch clock -- maybe that's a new trend).  SLM's editors have a somewhat narrower focus than Orange Quarterly's in that they want poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction with "themes rooted in the generation of the 1980s and forward from a multi-cultural/multi-sexual perspective." That sounds intriguing but to be honest I'm not 100 percent sure what it means, and in fact I'm not even certain who "the generation of the 1980s" is.  The editors' guidelines offer some clarifications, and, as you'll see, they're taking work via Submishmash. SLM's blog has links to additional information, like the journal's masthead.

The editors are eager to see your work regardless of background (publishing or otherwise), so check out Specter Literary Magazine. It will be interesting to see how their focus manifests itself once it begins to publish in (let me check) about three months.

Speaking of interesting-looking online journals in their embryonic stage, here's another: S/WORD. Founded by husband and wife Seth and Chelsea McKelvey, S/WORD (which can be pronounced a multitude of ways) has a very, well, philosophical mission regarding text and reader interpretation. Trying to paraphrase it wouldn't do it justice, so please read the editors' about page  -- but it seems to me an important distinction of their journal is that, at the risk of oversimplifying, the editors are interested (even) in pieces that are not necessarily "finished" but are clearly still forming in the author's mind.

S/WORD, too, is accepting work via email. The editors want to see poetry and prose, but they also want to hear about creative work that doesn't quite fit into either of those pigeon holes, which is interesting. See their submission guidelines. S/WORD's site has a sort of New Age feel, but it's visually engaging and easy to maneuver within.

These are just three publishing possibilities. Check out Duotrope's Digest and NewPages for even more opportunities.

tedmorrissey.com

Men of Winter

Yes, Summer Is a Quiet Time, But It Still Has a Pulse

For writers and poets eager to get their work into print, summertime can be a bit frustrating in that the vast majority of literary journals are directly or indirectly affiliated with colleges and universities; and thus their staffs take a break from reading (and also from the mundane bureaucracy of keeping track of incoming submissions) in the summer. However, "vast majority" is not "all," and there are journals that read during the quiet months of June, July and August. It just requires a bit more effort to find places to submit. In an earlier post, I talked said that when I became serious about getting my work into print, I vowed to make a minimum of six contacts per week. I managed to meet that number in the summer months, but it did require additional research.

When you start looking at submission guidelines, you discover that there are essentially two sorts of places that accept submissions in the summer: those that claim to actually read them (some of whom acknowledge that response times are slower in the summer), and those that accept submissions but say upfront that the submissions won't be read until the academic year commences. As I've said previously in this blog, it's important to read submission guidelines carefully, as there's no point in sending work to journal editors who say they don't want summer submissions; and by the same token, if you're truly "eager" to get work in print, you may want to think carefully before submitting to a journal that acknowledges its slow response time in the summer, or one that tells you your submission, while accepted, won't be read until fall.

By the way, it's worth mentioning that "summer" is a bit hazy (ha) -- meaning that the front- and tail-ends of reading periods tend to vary greatly. That is, one journal may stop reading at the end of April, another the end of May, another part way into June; and a journal may start reading again August 1, another September 1, or perhaps September 15 or later. So, again, read guidelines carefully.

A quick perusal of Duotrope's Digest's weekly email bulletin can give one a sense of the summertime submissions landscape. The bulletins list markets that have been added, ones that have opened or reopened to submissions, ones that have closed, and ones that seem to have dissolved or at least gone on indefinite hiatus. Here are some highlights from the most recent bulletin (this one tailored for fiction writers).

A Few Lines appears to be reading in the summer, and their editorial board "actively seeks emerging young writers."

Paper Nautilus reads year-round, but warns that their response time is slowest October through January (so this may be a good bet for the truly eager).

Stoked Press, which seeks a variety of types of work and which publishes them in a variety of print and electronic formats, appears to read year-round as well.

Caper Literary Journal reopened to submissions May 25. Caper, like Stoked Press, is looking to publish all kinds of creative material via all kinds of formats.

Also recently reopened to submissions is Knockout literary magazine. Note that its editors are "primarily looking for poetry," but they also want to see shorter prose pieces as well. They also emphasize that they are "as GLBT-friendly as ever."

These journals listed here tend to be start-up -- and up-start -- journals, and there's nothing wrong with that. Some writers/poets are mainly interested in more established (perhaps traditional) journals, and these sorts of summertime submission opportunities are more rare, but they do exist. A good source to begin one's search for the more established who may be reading in the summer is the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) database of members.

American Short Fiction, a highly respected journal, is open for submissions.

Granta reads year-found, but like all the well-established and well-respected journals, competition is, let's say, fierce.

Quiddity, a print journal that I helped found and now still read for, accepts submissions year-round.

Again, those more traditional/established possibilities exist, but it takes a bit of digging sometimes to unearth them.

tedmorrissey.com

Men of Winter

First publications with Ninth Letter

I thought it would be interesting and maybe even useful if from time to time in this blog I highlighted a journal editor who's recently published new writers and poets, and to also include the insights of those writers/poets whose work first found the light of publication with that journal. So I have.

I figured I would start close to home with the unique and well-respected journal Ninth Letter, a collaborative arts and literary project produced by the Graduate Creative Writing Program and the School of Art & Design at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Ninth Letter combines top-flight writing with way-outside-the-box design (some issues look more like the creative writing folk collaborated with U of I's School of Engineering -- it's that elaborately imaginative). Don't take my word for it. Here is a review of issue 7.2 by Sima Rabinowitz of NewPages.com.

Editor Jodee Stanley says, via email, that her number-one piece of advice for anyone wanting to publish in Ninth Letter is "don't oversell your work in a cover letter." And for new writers in particular she adds, "Don't try to cover up for that fact by summarizing or 'pitching' your work. Let your story, essay, or poetry speak for itself." 

Moreover, says Stanely, "It's a really good idea to read Ninth Letter (or any journal you are considering submitting to), just to see if our aesthetic fits with your own. If you read a few pieces in 9L and generally like what you see, chances are we have similar tastes to yours and will be more likely to be interested in your work."

Shes goes on, "If you don't really dig any of our stuff, though, you'll be better off submitting to other journals whose aesthetic runs closer to your own. That's not to say you need to write stuff that's exactly like what we've already published, though!"

Stanley emphasizes the need for perseverance: "Don't give up! Many, many writers appearing in our pages have submitted numerous times before hitting the mark with something."

Two previously unpublished writers who hit the mark in Ninth Letter are J. Nicholas Geist and Marianne Jay. Geist's essay "Completion" appeared in issue 6.1, and Jay's short story "Cherry Ripe" came out in issue 6.2.

Geist, via email, says that he had virtually no experience submitting his work prior to submitting his piece to Ninth Letter. "This was a piece that I'd put a lot of work into, and it was one of the few pieces at the time that I'd really felt was ready to submit," says Geist, who was an MFA student at California State University Fresno when he wrote "Completion." One of his teachers had cautioned him against sending out work prematurely: "The worst thing you can do as a writer is send out something that's less than your best, because if it does get published, then that mediocre piece will always be associated with your name -- and it may be what your reputation is based on."

Proud of his essay, Geist decided to send it to a journal that he "admired, with no real expectation of acceptance. That journal was Ninth Letter." He adds that he "love[s] the interplay between art and text.... They're open to new ideas, they like experimentation." Geist had also seen an essay on a similar topic to his in an earlier issue, and it encouraged him to think the editors may like his essay as well. 

Geist describes the "[g]reat, odd, troubling, anxiety-ridden, comforting, exciting, exhausting" process of having his piece accepted:

Maybe a month or so after submitting, I received a phone call from Steve Davenport, then editor of 9L, saying that their readers liked my piece, but because they'd recently run another (aforementioned) essay on the same topic, they didn't want to include my piece in their upcoming issue. But, he said, if the essay was still available he'd talk to Jodee Stanley, who would be taking over the relevant editorial duties for future issues, to see if she was interested in the piece as well. Yes please, I said. I got off the phone and my eyeballs exploded. This was one of the most anxiety-ridden periods of my writing career, such as it is -- the excitement that they liked my piece was at war with the panic that the other editor wouldn't. I don't know how long it was between the first phone call and the second, but if memory serves, it was something like forty or fifty years.

Obviously, Stanley wanted the piece, but they did delay publication for more than a year due to the similar essay they had recently run. "I was incredibly appreciative of the work that the 9L editorial staff put into making my piece work the way is was supposed to," says Geist.

Geist has since received plenty of rejections, including from Ninth Letter. "Publication is, I think, really all about finding the right fit. It usually feels like a pity dodge when you get a form letter saying 'It's not for us,' but it's entirely possible that every editor who read the piece absolutely loved it, but it really just didn't fit the magazine."

As far as advice, Geist believes he may be too selective with his submissions, but some selectivity is important: "We can't know every journal, but I feel like a lot of rejections probably could be avoided if we just payed a little more attention to where we're throwing manuscripts." Furthermore, he says to "love rejection" because it "means people are listening, people are reading your words, people are considering your work.... Rejection means you're in the game ... you're learning."

Marianne Jay received her MFA in poetry from University of Wisconsin-Madison, but took a fiction workshop her final semester that eventually led to her writing more fiction than poetry. She says, via email, that in the fall of 2008 she began sending out work and garnering rejections. Some of the rejection notices were encouraging, but, "[s]till, rejection is rejection. How do you not tell yourself, 'Not good enough' when you get an envelope, addressed in your own handwriting, which contains this news exactly?"

However, in April of the following year she finished writing "Cherry Ripe," which she thought "might be a good fit for Ninth Letter." A friend had wanted her to check out the unusual journal. "It was the first and only place I sent 'Cherry Ripe' and they accepted it within a month," she says.

Jay talks about what came after that joyful news:

But the story wouldn't be printed until the following winter, and whatever I'd been hoping for when I'd think, "If only someone would publish me ..." didn't happen. Writing was just as hard. The vulnerability of sending out work was just as hard. I still found myself at the mailbox, recognizing my handwriting, feeling wounded. And while it was great to see "Cherry Ripe" in print months later, in a lovely journal among work by such writers as Sherman Alexie and Benjamin Percy, I felt no transformation. What I did feel was a new thread of accountability. This publication came at a time when ... it was easy to retreat from the blank page into cozy self-doubt. But like the personal rejections, like the grad school experience, like the support of writing teachers from second grade through college, publishing a story told me that writing wasn't the most ridiculous thing I'd ever done, so I might as well keep it up.

Jay adds, "I wish I weren't so motivated by external validation and expectation; but I am."

Jay knows both sides of the mailbox, so to speak, as she's worked for a literary magazine for the past few years and has "read (and rejected) thousands of submissions." She says, "There are days when it seems that the most efficient thing would be to just mail myself rejection slips, rather than bother with sending out work at all. Most days, however, the piles of manuscripts are a reminder that writers write, and that I am in good company."

She says that she writes and sends out work "in spurts," but the more she writes, "the more I learn to write. Some pieces will be finished when they are published. Others will be finished when I grow bored of them, or embarrassed of them, or when I revise them into their best possible selves, have them rejected again and again, and eventually put in a drawer with old diaries."

For advice, Jay says to try to know where you're submitting your work: "Know the magazine and want to be a part of it." Moreover, "Life is short. Go ahead and simultaneously submit." And, if possible, "[M]arry my husband. If he's not available, find someone else who supports what you do, challenges you to do it better, and who brings you a full mug of coffee even when he knows you will probably only get through half."

tedmorrissey.com

Men of Winter

Some tips on keeping track of your submissions

In the last several posts I've been focusing mainly on how to find outlets for your prose and poetry and highlighting some specific venues. As such, it seems an appropriate time (maybe even overdue) to discuss the important nuts-and-bolts topic of keeping track of those submissions. Even if one isn't able to claim writing as his/her profession, being professional is paramount, and keeping close track of where you've sent your work, how you've sent it, what the editors have said about it, etc. is an integral part of being a serious fiction writer, poet, and creative essayist. And by the same token, I believe, it's an integral part of your being taken seriously by the editors, publishers and agents you contact.

(Note to self: I just used the term "creative essayist," and in a future post it may be worth exploring the topic of creative nonfiction, which by most accounts is a burgeoning field within the broad spectrum of creative writing -- yet there seems to be a broad spectrum of interpretations as to what "creative nonfiction" is and what it isn't. My recent sojourn to the Louisville Conference on Literature and Culture Since 1900 confirmed that creative nonfiction is increasing in popularity [to write, to publish and (one hopes) to read] but its definition is, well, indefinite.)

Back to the matter at hand: keeping track of one's submissions. I imagine it's only common sense that writers or poets should know where they've sent their stuff and what's happened to it -- but let's be honest: creative types are right-brainers, and matters of organization may not be their strongest suit. Recall walking down the English department's hallway at your university and peeking in English professors' offices ... right, enough said.

At the most basic level, it's useful to keep track of your submissions so that you don't submit a piece to the same journal or publisher twice, maybe after it's already been rejected, or while it's under review; or you submit another piece to that same journal/publisher while they're still reviewing a previous submission -- such confused contacting may be enough to make them reject your work as a matter of principle if it's been teetering on the brink of acceptance amongst editorial board members. I want to talk about other benefits of good recordkeeping, but I'll save that for later, as I'm going over some fundamental information you'll want to keep track of.

One can keep track of submissions in a very low-tech way. I used to keep a three-ring binder with all my stories and so forth in it, and on top of each piece I had a photocopied cover form that I'd developed. When I sent a piece out, I'd get out the binder and jot down the information, and as I'd receive responses (almost always a rejection) I'd go to the binder and note the correspondence. It actually worked quite well -- as long as I remembered to jot down the goings and comings, which I did pretty religiously. At a glance, literally, I could see where I'd submitted a piece, how long the editors considered it, and so on. 

A couple of years ago, however, I got more high-tech and started using an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of everything. It's pretty basic, as far as spreadsheets go, and I'm sure someone with a more sophisticated knowledge of using Excel (say, a sixth-grader) could figure out ways of improving my basic system, which is in essence an electronic version of my old-school three-ring binder approach.

Here are the kinds of information you'll want to include -- all in the form of different columns on your spreadsheet -- and some options that could make things even more useful. Keep in mind that these are suggestions, and you'll probably see ways of modifying them to match your own recordkeeping sensibilities; to which I say, modify at will.

Column A: The title of your piece. I'm a prose writer (used to write poetry and am getting the itch again, but that's another story ... or poem?), and I don't differentiate between the title of a short story and the title of a novel. I suppose that sophisticated sixth-grader could easily insert a formula to count the number of times you've submitted a particular piece, but I never bothered with inserting formulae of any sort. Things may be slightly more complicated for poets, who tend to submit several poems to an editor in a batch, but my way of thinking says to go ahead and list each poem separately (that is, in a different cell in column A), even though it's a bit of a pain at first. Excel, of course, will recall the information, and as soon as you begin to type that title again, it'll automatically fill in the cell for you ... the wonders of technology.

Column B: The date that you sent the piece. In my old binder I used to follow this column with a "perusal time" column, meaning the length of time the editor/publisher claimed they'd have your piece before getting back to you; but I left that column out of my Excel method for maybe two reasons: I'm not one to pester editors, even if they say it's all right in their guidelines. Having worked as a literary journal editor off and on for ten years, I know word will be received, for better or for ill, in its own good time, and there's nothing productive that comes from being a proverbial squeaky wheel. Also, that "perusal time" column made me overly hawkish -- that is, as the specified weeks or months would near, then, often, recede, I'd be unduly focused on (unduly watchful about) receiving a response. I could drive myself a little batty over it, to be honest. I've decided it's better to direct that nervous energy into my writing and revising, and into contacting more and more potential outlets. No matter how intensely one watches one's mailbox or email inbox, it doesn't expedite the appearance of notification.

Column C: Name of the journal or publisher that received your submission. One of the reasons this information is especially important is that you don't want to keep submitting to a place while it's already reading your work, especially if it's the work you want to accidentally submit again. If you're submitting pieces as vigorously as you need to, it's easy to lose track of where you sent a piece, and Excel is Excel-lent (see what I did there?) at helping you to avoid the publishing faux pas of sending the same piece to the same editor, especially if he or she has already declined it. A quick search of your spreadsheet for the journal's or publisher's name will tell you if you've contacted them before and what you've sent them. I've gotten in the habit of doing this search before submitting, and it's saved me more than once from blundering.

Column D: Method of contact. In an earlier post I discussed the three basic ways that one goes about contacting editors these days, and in this column you should record the specific method. If it's old-fashioned snail mail (i.e., postal mail), I'd include the exact mailing address here. If it's via email, include the email address in this cell (often times, there are various emails available and it's usually clear which one you should send to, but not always, so it's handy to be able to retrieve specifically who/what you contacted; of course, searching your "sent mail" folder can generally yield the same results, unless you've done as your network administrator prefers, and you've cleaned out your folders with regularity). If you find yourself in the pleasant position of having to withdraw your submission because it's been accepted elsewhere, having the specific email address in your spreadsheet will be extremely useful -- trust me. If the journal/publisher had you use an electronic portal (like Submishmash), I'd recommend copying the portal link into the cell. Recording the specific way you contacted the journal, etc., has all sorts of useful purposes later (like withdrawing an accepted piece).

(Note that these online submission services, like Submishmash, have recordkeeping functions, and may eventually replace the need for writers using their own methods -- but we're not quite there yet, and keeping track in the meantime is vital. In fact, the fast-changing technologies make accurate recordkeeping even more vital.)

Column E: Special information, like money you may have paid to submit your work. Some journals require a reading or submission fee (generally pretty nominal, like two or three bucks), and contests of course require fees (a little more than a typical reading fee, like ten to 25 bucks, depending). You can also record here if you paid electronically, via PayPal, for example, or sent a check (quaint, I know, but it's still a possibility), in which case recording the check number is worthwhile. You could also include here (or another column) if you're supposed to receive something for your money, like a subscription to the journal, or the winning entry in a contest (that is, the chapbook or what have you that was published as a result of the contest). One of those handy formulae that I never use could generate how much money you've paid out for your writing (nice for tax purposes perhaps).

Column F: Date of notification. Record here when you hear from the journal or publisher.

Column G: Result of notification, which is generally either (commonly) "rejected" or (joyously) "accepted." I write accepted in all caps and in red: ACCEPTED. For one thing I just like to look back through the spreadsheet and see those beautiful acceptances jump out at me -- it makes up, psychologically, for the dozens upon dozens of times I've recorded "rejected."

Column H: Comments. Sometimes the editor will reject you but give you some encouragement to submit again, which isn't as terrific as being accepted, but it beats the socks off of a coldly delivered rejection. Besides helping to balm the wounds of rejection, such an editorial note is very, very helpful when trying to figure out where to send new material. (Be sure to note in your cover letter or accompanying comments that you received this encouragement, and thank them for it -- editing a little journal or small press is a mostly thankless job, so any sort of thank-you is much appreciated.) Sometimes, though, you have a less-than-stellar experience with a journal or press, and it's worth recording here what went wrong from your perspective (like "took two years to respond" or "apologized for accidentally dropping my manuscript behind a filing cabinet ... in 1998" or "never sent journal I subscribed to").

Those are the basics: what you sent, when, where, what they said, when they said it. You can tailor your records to your own needs and interests, but I can't overstress the importance of good recordkeeping. It may seem like a pain in the neck, but once you set it up, it doesn't take that much time to record the data. This final point is very important, however -- VERY IMPORTANT: Constantly back up your recordkeeping spreadsheet. I've gotten in the habit of sending myself an email attachment whenever I work on my writing and whenever I update my spreadsheet information. You can of course use a flashdrive, and there are other online back-up options. Use several methods. Losing this submission information in part or in whole would be a tragedy. Again, using a spreadsheet may become obsolete in the near future, but we're not there just yet.

Keep writing, keep submitting -- keep keeping good track.

tedmorrissey.com

Men of Winter

Some picks worth perusing

Nothing too fancy this time (or any other time for that matter) -- just some journals that seem like they're well worth looking into for the un- and underpublished writer (which of course is just about all of us except Nora Roberts and James Patterson ... using the term "writer" pretty loosely here). These are by and large newer markets that sound especially open to new and emerging writers.

Fiction writers will want to take a look at Flywheel Magazine, whose editors "crave stories ... [even] the story the other magazine didn't want." See their submissions page for an exuberant narrative regarding what they're looking for (and not looking for); and for specific guidelines see their Submishmash page.

Here's an unusual journal, The Post Script, whose debut issue is due out soon. According to its homepage, it's "dedicated to preserving the art of the post card." Because of the journal's unique mission, its submission guidelines are nontraditional. They do both themed and general interest issues.

Genre writers, or writers whose work incorporates genre elements, will want to take a look at Pulp Carnivale, "an alternative short fiction site that follows in the tradition of the pulp magazines ... a space for authors to gain exposure and for audiences to discover quality new fiction without a lot of noise to sift through," according to their "about us" page.

Here's another fledgling journal to consider, for both prose writers and poets: StepAway Magazine -- "publishing the best urban flash fiction and poetry by writers from across the globe," says their submissions page. They are "hungry for literature that evokes the sensory experience of walking in specific neighborhoods, districts or zones within a city." The editors cite the Frank O'Hara poem "A Step away from Them" as the inspiration for their title.

I'll end with a more traditional suggestion: Artifice Magazine, which is "devoted to fiction and poetry aware of its own artifice," according to its "about the magazine" page. See Artifice Magazine's submissions page for further details.

Incidentally, I didn't have to go far for these suggestions as they're all included in my weekly email from Duotrope's Digest, one of my favorite sources for finding outlets.

tedmorrissey.com

Men of Winter

Contests can be an excellent avenue to publication and recognition

Contests, especially those targeted at new writers and poets, are another option worth looking into for un- and underpublished authors. There almost always is a fee associated with the contest, which is how the publishing entity (usually a literary journal or small press) can afford to publish the winning entries, but it's money well spent: Obviously one is purchasing the chance to have an entire manuscript published, win a monetary prize, and gain the publicity; but even if you don't win, you very well may place or show or receive an honorable mention -- which could get you noticed by another editor or agent who just might want to publish or work with you -- and almost always you get something back for your money, like a copy of the winning entry and/or a subscription to the journal. 

And, quite frankly, contests are a significant revenue source for many journals/small presses, without which they may not be able to publish at all, so at the most fundamental level you're supporting the literary community as a whole -- at a time when it sorely needs supporting.

Using NewPages.com (one of my favorite resources) and its book contests page, here are a few contests that seem to me especially attractive for the writer or poet looking for that first manuscript-length publication. Contests for poetry outnumber prose contests, but writers of fiction and creative nonfiction have good opportunities as well.

For poets, Tupelo Press' 12th Annual Award for First or Second Book of Poetry is a wonderful opportunity, as Tupelo Press is an excellent and well-respected small press. As its website reports, the contest is open to all poets who are looking to publish either their first or second full-length collection. In addition to publication and national distribution, the winning poet receives $3,000. Deadline for submission is April 15, and the fee is $25.

Also for poets, 42 Miles Press' Lester M. Wolfson Poetry Award also caught my eye as it is a new contest and therefore may not attract as many submissions as a more established one. In addition to book publication, the winning poet will receive $1,000, fifty copies of her/his book, and an invitation to read at Indiana University South Bend. Also of note is the fact that the editors are open to "experimental as well as work of a more formalist bent." Deadline for submission is March 1, and the fee is $25.

Permafrost literary journal sponsors contests for both poets and writers of fiction: The Midnight Sun Chapbook Contest, and the Midnight Sun Fiction Contest. The winning poet receives thirty copies of her/his chapbook and $100 (a chapbook is a stapled booklet), while the winning fiction writer receives $100 and publication in the journal -- all fiction entries are eligible for publication. Deadline is March 15, and the fee is $10.

Unpublished novelists will want to check out The 20th Annual James Jones First Novel Fellowship, sponsored by Wilkes University. In addition to novels in progress, "novellas and collections of closely linked short stories" are also eligible for consideration. The winner receives $10,000, and there are two runners-up who receive $750 each. Deadline is March 1, and the fee is $25.

Another notable contest is Black Lawrence Press' The Black River Chapbook Competition for either a collection of poems or short stories. Deadline is May 31, and the fee is $15. Black Lawrence Press has other contests as well, including book contests (in addition to the chapbook competition) for poets and short-story writers, and even a contest for novelists. Thus its website is well worth perusing.

Competitions for creative nonfiction writers exist, but at this time NewPages.com is not listing any with deadlines in the near future. And, of course, the contests listed here are just a small sampling. Go to NewPages.com for a wealth of information on upcoming competitions, especially if you're a poet.

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Men of Winter

Appearing alongside more widely published writers is worth looking into

When you're just starting to circulate your work, there really isn't any such thing as a "bad" publishing credit, but when your story, poem or essay appears alongside that of more widely published authors, it's all the better of course. So for this post I want to look at some journals whose stated mission is to showcase new(er) writers/poets along with their better-known colleagues.

Looking in Duotrope's Digest (one of my favorite sources for finding outlets), this journal came to light: Contemporary World Literature, whose editors "publish well-known authors to beginners," according to their "About" page.  They write further, "Our goal is to publish those who are not mainstream authors, but we are also interested in mainstream." An added plus, for new writers especially, is that Contemporary World Literature is a fledgling market.

A similar market is The Adroit Journal, similar in that it is fledgling and its editors have an eye out for experienced as well as newer (also known as "emerging") writers and poets. They write, via their Submishmash site, "We love to publish emerging writers, but also experienced, established writers. Don't let us scare you out of submitting!" Adroit has an interesting background, founded by a fifteen-year-old who was "frustrated" with competing with more experienced authors for publishing space. Moreover, Adroit supports the charity Guiding Eyes for the Blind, based in New York.

Far from "fledgling," Southern Poetry Review is the second oldest poetry journal "in the region," according to its homepage. Their semi-annual publication "showcas[es] poems by leading poets as well as those writers we think will become leading poets." It's worth noting that well-established journals, like SPR, tend to take great pride in finding and publishing unpublished or underpublished writers and poets. Competition for space can be fierce, but if you're able to place a story or poem or creative essay it's an especially fetching feather in your publishing cap. Incidentally, I used another of my favorite resources for locating publishing outlets, NewPages.com, to find Southern Poetry Review, which was a featured listing under literary magazines.

These of course are just a microscopic fraction of the journals that are openly looking to publish new writers alongside more seasoned ones. A little research will quickly yield a lengthy list of potential markets.

tedmorrissey.com

Men of Winter

Why 'fledgling markets' are worth looking out for

In previous posts I've talked about things like where to look for outlets for your prose and poetry, and writers' guidelines; today I want to talk about "fledgling markets," as Duotrope's Digest terms them specifically. These are new markets, often times these days, electronic journals, that tend to be more open to writers and poets who haven't been published, or published much, previously. In Duotrope's Digest, an outlet is "fledgling" if it's been around for fewer than six months.

The reason these markets may be your best bet if you haven't published much is largely a numbers game. While well-established journals will receive tens, even hundreds, of thousands of submissions in a year -- these newly established journals will receive only a tiny fraction of that number from hopeful writers and poets. You still need to read these new journals' guidelines carefully, and avoid sending them what they aren't interested in seeing. But there are enough of them cropping up regularly that you should be able to find a fledgling journal or two without too much bush beating.

As I recommended in my earlier post, you should sign up for Duotrope's Digest's weekly email update on markets, as it's your best resource for finding these newer outlets. Here are a few that I found via Duotrope's that sound intriguing -- and worth contacting, especially if you're an unpublished, or underpublished, writer/poet.

The Scarlet Sound -- According to its website, "Founded through Rutgers University, The Scarlet Sound builds upon the idea that through diversity and recognition of others, community arises." The journal's editors are looking for a variety of things, including flash fiction of fewer than 1,000 words and poetry of 25 lines or fewer. They're also interested in audio and video files, which is becoming increasingly common for online journals (or the online components of traditional print journals), as the technology is making it easier and easier to work creatively with sound and images.

Beecher's Magazine -- Established in conjunction with the MFA program at University of Kansas, Beecher's Magazine will have both a print and an online edition. Its editors are looking for poetry, fiction and nonfiction. I notice that they're willing to consider fiction up to 10,000 words -- which is a lot. So if you're a newish writer with a long manuscript, take a look at Beecher's Magazine's guidelines. Journals willing to read pieces beyond 5,000 words don't grow on trees, so take advantage of their editors' open-mindedness (and stamina).

Ad Hominem -- Its homepage says that Ad Hominem "publishes good art that can be enjoyed in minutes." The editors are looking for poetry, fiction, essays, and photographs. Founded by a group of artists in Hampton Roads, Virginia, their "about" page says they "spread the word about people we like." Unlike the previous two journals I mentioned, Ad Hominem has published some work already, so check it out to get a better sense of what they seem to like.

Let me stress: These three journals are just a sampling of the information available in one email update from Duotrope's Digest, and it took a modicum of effort to find some very interesting-sounding new journals. If you're serious about getting your work out there, you have to sign up with Duotrope's Digest.

tedmorrissey.com

Men of Winter