http://advanced.jhu.edu/ft/forum/index.cfm?forumid=1 FuseTalk Enterprise Edition http://advanced.jhu.edu/ft/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=14&threadid=225 2008-06-16T12:34:12 -05.00 Eileen Anderson 5
Two questions immediately bubbled to the surface in my head, and I'm aware that I'm probably overthinking things...

1) I'd submitted a different story to a Glimmertrain contest for new writers who've never been published before. Does Ellery Queen accepting my story invalidate my submission to Glimmertrain? Or should it not count since I hadn't been published when I submitted it. Similarly, if, by some chance, Glimmertrain accepts my submission and publishes it before Ellery, would that impact the Ellery one, which was accepted into the "First Stories" department? Tricky

2) Between now and when Ellery physically publishes the story, do I mention on a cover letter (now that I actually have something to say on a cover letter) that a story was accepted for publication, or wait until the issue is out and nothing can fall through?

I'd appreciate any input from those who've been here before!
Eileen ]]> http://advanced.jhu.edu/ft/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=14&threadid=150 2007-04-03T19:57:28 -05.00 Thomas Gabriel-Ventimiglia 2
Just a heads up concerning zoetrope. I sent them a story in September and I just wrote a follow up email yesterday. This is what I got.

Dear Thomas:

Thank you for your email. "The Sluice" (MY STORY) was logged into our system on
December 18, 2006. Because we receive 12,000 annual submissions, it is
currently taking the two of us close to ten months to read and respond to
submissions. You may expect to hear from us in September of 2007.

There's only two of them!

My god! ]]> http://advanced.jhu.edu/ft/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=14&threadid=109 2006-12-04T08:55:58 -05.00 Eddie Jeffrey 1 Critical Mass

99-page rule ]]> http://advanced.jhu.edu/ft/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=14&threadid=107 2006-11-22T12:53:04 -05.00 Mark Farrington 4
Below (in alphabetical order by last name) is a list of the 20 literary agencies about which Writer Beware has received the greatest number of advisories/complaints over the past several years.

None of these agencies has a significant track record of sales to commercial (advance-paying) publishers, and most have virtually no documented and verified sales at all (book placements claimed by some of these agencies turn out to be "sales" to vanity publishers). All charge clients before a sale is made--whether directly, by levying fees such as reading or administrative fees, or indirectly, for editing or other adjunct services.

Writer Beware recommends that writers avoid questionable literary agencies, and instead query agencies that have verifiable track records of sales to commercial publishing houses.

While the 20 agencies listed here account for the bulk of the complaints we receive, they're just the tip of the iceberg. Writer Beware has files on nearly 400 questionable agencies, and we learn about a new one every few weeks.

We'll updating the list from time to time, as questionable agencies sometimes change their names, or sprout clones. Be sure to check back regularly.

* The Abacus Group Literary Agency
* Allred and Allred Literary Agents (refers clients to "book doctor" Victor West of Pacific Literary Services)
* Barbara Bauer Literary Agency
* Benedict Associates (also d/b/a B.A. Literary Agency)
* Sherwood Broome, Inc. (also d/b/a Stillwater Literary Agency, LLC)
* Capital Literary Agency (formerly American Literary Agents of Washington, Inc.; also d/b/a Washington Agency and Washington Literary Agency)
* Desert Rose Literary Agency
* Arthur Fleming Associates
* Finesse Literary Agency (also d/b/a/ Elite Finesse Literary Agency)
* Brock Gannon Literary Agency
* Harris Literary Agency
* The Literary Agency Group, which includes the following:
-Children's Literary Agency
-Christian Literary Agency
-New York Literary Agency
-Poets Literary Agency
-The Screenplay Agency
-Stylus Literary Agency (formerly ST Literary Agency, formerly Sydra-Techniques)
-Writers Literary & Publishing Services Company (the editing arm of the above-mentioned agencies)
* Martin-McLean Literary Associates
* Mocknick Productions Literary Agency, Inc.
* B.K. Nelson, Inc.
* The Robins Agency (Cris Robins)
* Michele Rooney Literary Agency (also d/b/a Creative Literary Agency, Simply Nonfiction, and Michele Glance Rooney Literary Agency)
* Southeast Literary Agency
* Mark Sullivan Associates (also d/b/a New York Editors and Manhattan Literary)
* West Coast Literary Associates (also d/b/a California Literary Services) ]]> http://advanced.jhu.edu/ft/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=14&threadid=86 2006-09-24T15:44:47 -05.00 Jerri Bell 1
"Dear Jerri Bell,

"How pleased we are to receive your story, ["..."], which you sent to [...] magazine! Submissions like yours are the very life-blood of our publication. We deeply appreciate your sharing with us your insights and the unique way you put your words together to enhance their meaning.

"In the coming weeks we will carefully read what you submitted and get in touch with you as soon as we have decided whether we can use it and, if so, in what way and when.

"In the meantime, please feel free to help us build [...] into a powerful force in regional literature by subscribing to our publication. Simply fill out and return the enclosed subscription form, if you choose to do this.

"Again, please accept our sincere thanks for all you are doing to help us encourage the literary arts here in the Southern Appalachian Region. Feel free to write, email, or call any time we can be helpful to you."

It's just a form letter....It's just a form letter....It's just a form letter....But why can't more literary magazines send form letters like that?

I may just be a sucker, and it may not help get my story published, but I subscribed right away. (If nothing else, I can analyze the stories in the magazine like Mark Farrington suggests elsewhere on this site -- and maybe they'll take the next one!) ]]> http://advanced.jhu.edu/ft/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=14&threadid=55 2006-08-16T21:37:19 -05.00 Jody Franklin 10 http://advanced.jhu.edu/ft/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=14&threadid=21 2006-05-11T08:05:16 -05.00 Mark Farrington 9
I asked students to look at one recent issue (more than one if possible, but one is sufficient), and to try to answer the following questions:

1. How much fiction do they seem to publish in a single issue? How many issues a year?
2. What is a typical length for the stories they publish? What is the longest story? The shortest?
3. How would you categorize the stories in that issue? Mostly linear narrative? Experimental? Quirky? Are there any similarities you noticed among the different stories? For instance, all of them had a very strong voice? Most were first person?
4. How experienced with publishing are the contributors? Have they published novels or collections? Is this their first publication?

Along with that information, it would be helpful to know the name and address of the fiction editor, the journal's reading period (many consider work only from Oct through May, for instance), and what pay, if any, a contributor receives. If the journal has a website (or sponsors a contest), that would also be helpful to know.

I did a report on Arts & Letters, and I'll try to track down that information and post it here in another message.

Anyone game to give it a shot? ]]>