WRITING STUFF: SO MANY MARKETS, SO LITTLE OUTPUT
I know, all I hear from other short story writers is how the markets have all dried up and unless you are Ed Hoch or Stephen King, forget about sales.
It's true that the markets of today are different from the markets of the print magazine heydays. But there are lots of them. Today I discovered Spacesuits & Sixguns, a brand new online 'zine that is a paying market. Add it to the other paying online markets (check Ralan's for a partial listing) and if you write genre, you have enough to keep you busy submitting.
In fact, that's my current problem: I am not prolific enough to write & submit quality stories to all the places in which I'd like to be published. I can do them one-at-a-time and then pick what I think are the best markets, but I don't have a pile of great stuff just sitting around waiting for me to submit.
This is obviously a personal problem – but I'll bet there are plenty of other writers who have everything either now making the rounds, already in print, or in revision. Heck, I don't even have anything in revision at the moment.
I know I need to write more. And I know I need to write better.
So what do you use to help you write mo' bettah? I use online groups like Absolute Write and the letters columns of my favorite ezines. But maybe something you use could help me (and others) to up our output.
Or maybe I'm just slow because it's the beginning of the year and the weather is not beautiful and I have been sick and a multitude of other excuses. Oh, and I'm still waiting to hear back from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Sometimes when I'm waiting to hear back on a favorite piece, I sort of hold my literary breath and don't write anything for a while. But the delicious wait means the piece is still under consideration, and I don't want the wait to end unless it ends in acceptance. Sigh.
Well, I'm gonna go out and check the mail again. Then maybe it will be time to sit down and work on that germ of an idea I got last night in that half-time between sleeping and waking. Or wherever those ideas come from...
I know, all I hear from other short story writers is how the markets have all dried up and unless you are Ed Hoch or Stephen King, forget about sales.
It's true that the markets of today are different from the markets of the print magazine heydays. But there are lots of them. Today I discovered Spacesuits & Sixguns, a brand new online 'zine that is a paying market. Add it to the other paying online markets (check Ralan's for a partial listing) and if you write genre, you have enough to keep you busy submitting.
In fact, that's my current problem: I am not prolific enough to write & submit quality stories to all the places in which I'd like to be published. I can do them one-at-a-time and then pick what I think are the best markets, but I don't have a pile of great stuff just sitting around waiting for me to submit.
This is obviously a personal problem – but I'll bet there are plenty of other writers who have everything either now making the rounds, already in print, or in revision. Heck, I don't even have anything in revision at the moment.
I know I need to write more. And I know I need to write better.
So what do you use to help you write mo' bettah? I use online groups like Absolute Write and the letters columns of my favorite ezines. But maybe something you use could help me (and others) to up our output.
Or maybe I'm just slow because it's the beginning of the year and the weather is not beautiful and I have been sick and a multitude of other excuses. Oh, and I'm still waiting to hear back from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Sometimes when I'm waiting to hear back on a favorite piece, I sort of hold my literary breath and don't write anything for a while. But the delicious wait means the piece is still under consideration, and I don't want the wait to end unless it ends in acceptance. Sigh.
Well, I'm gonna go out and check the mail again. Then maybe it will be time to sit down and work on that germ of an idea I got last night in that half-time between sleeping and waking. Or wherever those ideas come from...
THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS
One of my bosses at work smiling at his desk, unaware he was being observed, enjoying his work.
The way the clerestory windows of the house showed a night sky full of stars overhead when I looked up. Sometimes all you have to do to see something beautiful is, well, look.
The moon shining on the wet rocks of the desert garden this morning. The black rocks sparkled like polished coal, mimicking a real stream.
7 comments:
Um, sounds like me.
Another beautiful thing is the comfort you gave me.
Bernita, you are so sweet. And a fine writer!
You are a Beautiful Thing in your own right.
Maybe it's cos you're too busy writing brilliant continuations for EE rofl (although I have noticed you've slowed down there)
I've never written short stories. I found it impossible to develop a story in so few words (except for children's stories).
I think you are a very talented writer. I'd give my right arm to write fiction the way you do. I'm sure that you will do well if you give yourself some focused time to work on your stories.
The other option is to get a writing partner. Some people work better if they have someone to bounce ideas off...
Talia! What nice things you say!
I *have* slacked off on writing over at Evil Editor - I felt like I was hogging the limelight over there and decided to give others a chance. I really enjoy writing short comc pieces, but I was innundating poor EE with my stuff and thought it best to slow down a bit.
But just hearing your nice words makes me want to write more. Thank you.
I think you are being too hard on yourself. And, you are very kind to shine a light on markets you have discovered.
Have a lovely weekend.
I'm sure EE gets a chuckle out of your pieces. He will welcome you back with open arms
I'm very impressed with EE. He's lovely to deal with and he's a comic genius. Reading his pages is a scream (although some of the commenters are way off track)
Don't entertain the doubts just write write write...
Hiya Kate! EE visitor here. You said:
"I *have* slacked off on writing over at Evil Editor - I felt like I was hogging the limelight over there and decided to give others a chance. I really enjoy writing short comc pieces, but I was innundating poor EE with my stuff and thought it best to slow down a bit."
So that's why my continuations are getting published!
I think I've hit the same point. Way too many pacatrue continuations lately, so I'm going to try to not submit for a while. We'll see how I do on that. I go in spells anyway with submitting 4 in one night, then taking three weeks off.
I'm enjoying your blog, and I have the same problem about not writing vast quantities of stuff.
Post a Comment