pduff%ti-eg.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa (05/22/85)
From: Patrick_Duff <pduff%ti-eg.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa> I will soon be contacting a publisher with a story outline and a few chapters of an SF book I am writing; I am also considering submitting a short story to one of the SF magazines. Does anyone have any advice concerning which publisher an unknown author should contact? How much difference could it make if I waited to submit my book material until after I've had a short story or two published somewhere? I'm interested in both positive and negative reviews of publishers and magazines (or magazine editors). Please give the source of your information if possible (first- hand experience, from a magazine or fanzine article, heard at a convention, etc.). regards, Patrick Patrick S. Duff, ***CR 5621*** pduff.ti-eg@csnet-relay 5049 Walker Dr. #91103 214/480-1659 (work) The Colony, TX 75056-1120 214/370-5363 (home) (a suburb of Dallas, TX)
psc@lzwi.UUCP (P.S.CHISHOLM) (05/22/85)
In article <2051@topaz.ARPA>, pduff%ti-eg.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa writes: > Does anyone have any advice > concerning which publisher an unknown author should contact? In the November 1984 SCIENCE FICTION CHRONICLE's Market Report, Bluejay says, "Only looking for published authors". Donning/Starblaze says, "Willing to review material by new authors": is that supposed to be encouraging or discouraging? (No matter, this month's SFC would seem to indicate they haven't been publishing as fast as they're buying, anyway.) ALL of the other major publishers will buy a good novel. If you and Asimov sent them good novels on the same day, they'd buy both. (Note that for a novel, you should send a query with an outline and sample chapters, *not* the whole novel. You don't even need to have the novel finished.) > How much > difference could it make if I waited to submit my book material until after > I've had a short story or two published somewhere? A dozen stories, published mostly in a single magazine over a period of a few years, *might* make a difference. However, most book editors don't read SF magazines. Don't wait. As to advice on what magazines to submit to: send your stories to the places you'd like to be published in. ASIMOV'S is pretty clearly the most respected magazine in the field today. ANALOG is hungry for stories, especially but not exclusively hard SF. F&SF is a bit slow. AMAZING seems to be barely surviving, but responds promptly, and is better than most magazines at giving you some comments on what's wrong. PLAYBOY and OMNI don't buy much fiction. There are some other small magazines, too, and origninal anthologies looking for stories on a given topic; check market reports in SFC or LOCUS. Keep your manuscripts moving. One trick I've discovered is to address the "next" pair of envelopes when you address the first. For example, when you type up the envelopes to ANALOG, also type up a pair to AMAZING. Then, if the manuscript happens to come back, stuff it RIGHT AWAY in the next set, ship it out again, and prepare another set. Don't wait for one story to sell before starting (or even submitting) the next one. If you don't have a next one, write it. For more information: SFC and LOCUS are valuable sources of information, not the least being the occational Market Reports. WRITER'S MARKET describes manuscript mechanics, e.g., self-addressed stamped envelopes, a guide to estimating postage, suggested waiting times and pay scales. Once you've sold you first story, you can join the Science Fiction Writer's of America, which has a Handbook and a newsletter. Good luck! -- -Paul S. R. Chisholm The above opinions are my own, {pegasus,vax135}!lzwi!psc not necessarily those of any {mtgzz,ihnp4}!lznv!psc telecommunications company.