Rachel Randall - Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market 2016: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published

WritersDigest .com
Cincinnati, Ohio

P HOTO: S TACEY D OWNEY

Lately Ive been thinking a lot about brains.

Not the cow brain you dissected in high schoolchilled, reeking of formaldehyde, plopped on a stainless steel tablenor the kind often seen on the menu in an episode of The Walking Dead. No, were fiction writers here, so Im waxing metaphoric. Im talking about my creative brain and my editing brain.

When I think of my creative brain, I think of the whimsical nature of storytelling. As a child I adored making things up: spinning characters, narratives, dialogue, and scenes from nothing. It was magical; it was euphoric. It was the reason I started writing.

My editing brain was a late bloomer. After college I discovered I had a knack for revision, for snipping and cutting and sometimes hacking away at my work. But my creative brain struggled with this. For years I wrestled with how to satisfy bothto write untethered and uninhibited while my editing brain prodded me in the back with a sharp elbow: No, you cant write that; its stupid. Often Id settle into a debilitating paralysis, unable to write the next word, let alone the next chapter.

But over time I (we?) realized that I needed both the loose, carefree nature of my creative brain and the more rigid, structured viewpoint of my editing persona to write successfully. The trick was in balancing them, of letting them thrive in parallel.

Novel & Short Story Writers Market 2016 is filled with ways to help you achieve that balance. Youll find in-depth discussions on crafting stronger dialogue, strengthening your voice, and revising your work until it gleams. Youll read the inspiring thoughts of best-selling authors like Chris Bohjalian, Lisa Scottoline, John Sandford, and more. Youll gain exclusive access to a webinar from fiction instructor K.M. Weiland on the overlooked but essential elements of story structure. (You can find it here: www.writersmarket.com/nsswm16-webinar.) And, in the listings sections, youll find comprehensive information for seeking the best venues for publishing your work.

Balancing the creative brain with the editing brain is a challenge I suspect many writers face. But when you succeed in melding the indigenous spark of inspiration with the tenants of solid writing craft, youll be ready to write and publish your best work.

Rachel Randall

Managing Editor, Writers Market

To make the most of Novel & Short Story Writers Market, you need to know how to use it. And with more than five hundred pages of fiction publishing markets and resources, a writer could easily get lost amid the information. This quick-start guide will help you navigate through the pages of Novel & Short Story Writers Marketas well as the fiction-publishing processand accomplish your dream of seeing your work in print.

1. READ, READ, READ. Read numerous magazines, fiction collections, and novels to determine if your fiction compares favorably with work currently being published. If your fiction is at least the same caliber as what youre reading, then move on to step two. If not, postpone submitting your work and spend your time polishing your fiction. Reading the work of others is one of the best ways to improve your craft.

Youll find advice and inspiration from best-selling authors and seasoned writers in the articles found in the first few sections of this book ( where you can meet fellow writers and attend instructive sessions to hone your skills.

2. ANALYZE YOUR FICTION. Determine the type of fiction you write to target markets most suitable for your work. Do you write literary, genre, mainstream, or one of many other categories of fiction? For definitions and explanations of genres and subgenres, check out the section of the book. Many magazines and presses are currently seeking specialized work in each of these areas as well as numerous others.

For editors and publishers with specialized interests, see the Category Index in the back of the book.

3. LEARN ABOUT THE MARKET. Read Writers Digest magazine (F+W Media, Inc.); Publishers Weekly, the trade magazine of the publishing industry; and Independent Publisher, which contains information about small- to medium-sized independent presses. And dont forget the Internet. The number of sites for writers seems to grow daily, and among them youll find www.writersmarket.com and www.writersdigest.com.

4. FIND MARKETS FOR YOUR WORK. There are a variety of ways to locate markets for fiction. The periodical section in bookstores and libraries is a great place to discover new journals and magazines that might be open to your type of short stories. Read writing-related magazines and newsletters for information about new markets and publications seeking fiction submissions. Also, frequently browse bookstore shelves to see what novels and short story collections are being published and by whom. Check acknowledgment pages for names of editors and agents, too. Online journals often have links to the websites of other journals that may publish fiction. And last, but certainly not least, read the listings found here in Novel & Short Story Writers Market.

5. SEND FOR GUIDELINES. In the listings in this book, we try to include as much submission information as we can get from editors and publishers. Over the course of the year, however, editors expectations and needs may change. Therefore, it is best to request submission guidelines by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). You can also check each magazines and presss websitethey usually contain a page with guideline information.

6. BEGIN YOUR PUBLISHING EFFORTS WITH JOURNALS AND CONTESTS OPEN TO BEGINNERS. If this is your first attempt at publishing your work, your best bet is to begin with local publications or those you know are open to beginning writers. After you have built a publication history, you can try submitting to the more prestigious and nationally distributed magazines. For markets most open to beginners, look for the symbol preceding listing titles. Also look for the symbol that identifies markets open to exceptional work from beginners as well as work from experienced, previously published writers.

7. SUBMIT YOUR FICTION IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. Take the time to show editors that you care about your work and are serious about publishing. By following a publications or book publishers submission guidelines and practicing standard submission etiquette, you can increase your chances that an editor will want to take the time to read your work and consider it for publication. Remember: First impressions matter. A carelessly assembled submission packet can jeopardize your chances before your story or novel manuscript has had a chance to speak for itself.

8. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SUBMISSIONS. Know when and where you have sent fiction and how long you need to wait before expecting a reply. If an editor does not respond in the time indicated in his or her market listing or guidelines, wait a few more months, and then follow up with a letter (and SASE) asking when the editor anticipates making a decision. If you still do not receive a reply from the editor within a month or two, send a letter withdrawing your work from consideration and move on to the next market on your list.