Scott Francis - 2013 Novel & Short Story Writers Market

213

Novel & Short
Story Writers

MARKET

Scott Franics, Editor

Hello, fellow writer. Its my pleasure to welcome you to another installment of Novel & Short Story Writers Market. Whether you are new to writing or an old hat, I expect youll find some worth in these pages. Of course, youll find all the resources youd expect in a resource devoted to getting your work published: listings for book publishers, literary journals and magazines, online markets, literary agents, contests and the like. But thats just the foundation. My challenge is to make NSSWM something more than just a research toolthis book should be a trusted friend that you meet with regularly to catch up on the latest news, to learn new things, and to be inspired. So this years installment includes articles and interviews covering a range of fiction-writing topics from helpful insight into craft and technique to insider advice for getting published and marketing your work.

Youll learn how to hone your craft with articles like Crafting Emotion: How to Make Your Story Resonate With Readers by renowned literary agent Donald Maass (page 46), and an interview with best-selling novelist Christopher Golden on Weaving Character, Structure, and Theme (page 41). Youll then go on to learn how to effectively spread the word about your writing with articles like Beating the Competition: Insider Tips for Making Your Fiction Stand Out From the Crowd by longtime NSSM contributor Jack Smith (page 65) and Sell Your Fiction Like Wildfire: Marketing Tips for Fiction Writers by book- marketing guru Rob Eagar (page 116).

Its an exciting time to be a writer. The publishing industry is ever changing with the increasing popularity of e-books and opportunities to promote your writing via social media. Its important to stay on top of the latest trends, keep up-to-date with changes in submission guidelines, and be vigilant about all of the new information and technologies out there. This resource is a great place to start. I wish you the very best in writing and in all things.

Scott Francis
Content Editor, Writers Digest Books

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 wind your way through the pages of Novel & Short Story Writers Market, as well as the fiction publishing process, and emerge with your dream accomplishedto see 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. Writing and reading the work of others are the best ways to improve craft.

For help with craft and critique of your work: Youll find advice and inspiration from best-selling authors and top fiction editors in the articles found in the first few sections of this book (Craft & Technique, Getting Published, and Promoting Your Work). Youll find contest listings in the Contests & Awards section and even more listings to help you locate various events where you can hone your craft in the Conferences & Workshops section.

2. ANALYZE YOUR FICTION. Determine the type of fiction you write to best 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 Glossary and the Genre Glossary in the Resources section of the book. There are magazines and presses 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.

Also, dont forget to utilize the various category Indexes at the back of this book to help you target the market for your fiction.

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. And for an even more comprehensive and continually updated online markets list, you can obtain a subscription to www.writersmarket.com.

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. Then, after you have built a publication history, you can try 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 last; a carelessly assembled submission packet can jeopardize your chances before your story or novel manuscript has had a chance to speak for itself.