Comments on: For The Love of God, People, The Slush Pile Isn’t Dead http://therumpus.net/2010/01/for-the-love-of-god-people-the-slush-pile-isnt-dead/ Books, Music, Movies, Art, Politics, Sex, Other Sun, 27 May 2012 16:56:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Sue Bursztynski http://therumpus.net/2010/01/for-the-love-of-god-people-the-slush-pile-isnt-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-31032 Sue Bursztynski Sat, 10 Jul 2010 05:25:30 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=43088#comment-31032 And I have a friend who has recently started her own small press. She became tired of rejection slips from big publishers, so she started a small press, initially to publish her own book. Because of her experience in semi-prozine publishing and editing, she knew what to do, chose her own artist and produced something beautiful to look at, then promoted it through her links in the SF community. And now she has published a second book by someone else and is on the point of publishing a third. Only a few hundred people will read the first edition of each book, but they'll read it. And maybe she can re-print. It's so very easy in this day of whizz-bang technology! I must admit, I couldn't do it. If someone isn't willing to pay me for my book, I'd rather not do it myself. But one size doesn't fit all. I should say, though, as a person who reads a lot of slush myself, I'd suggest that you study your market before submitting. I read for a science fiction magazine and I wish I had a dollar for every non-genre story I have had to read, and I know, just KNOW, that many of these come from people in writing classes who have been given a list of potential markets and just fired their masterpieces off to every market on the list, whether appropriate or not. Have mercy on poor wslush readers - and, in the end, yourself.It will spare you a lot of rejection slips. And I have a friend who has recently started her own small press. She became tired of rejection slips from big publishers, so she started a small press, initially to publish her own book. Because of her experience in semi-prozine publishing and editing, she knew what to do, chose her own artist and produced something beautiful to look at, then promoted it through her links in the SF community. And now she has published a second book by someone else and is on the point of publishing a third. Only a few hundred people will read the first edition of each book, but they’ll read it. And maybe she can re-print. It’s so very easy in this day of whizz-bang technology!

I must admit, I couldn’t do it. If someone isn’t willing to pay me for my book, I’d rather not do it myself. But one size doesn’t fit all.

I should say, though, as a person who reads a lot of slush myself, I’d suggest that you study your market before submitting. I read for a science fiction magazine and I wish I had a dollar for every non-genre story I have had to read, and I know, just KNOW, that many of these come from people in writing classes who have been given a list of potential markets and just fired their masterpieces off to every market on the list, whether appropriate or not.

Have mercy on poor wslush readers – and, in the end, yourself.It will spare you a lot of rejection slips.

]]> By: martha http://therumpus.net/2010/01/for-the-love-of-god-people-the-slush-pile-isnt-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-15719 martha Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:47:49 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=43088#comment-15719 I couldn't agree more with the point about building community. I've been self publishing a zine for five years. It gets a bad rap- self publishing- but guess what? My zine now has a greater circulation than a lot of journals, I've met tons of other great writers, artists and entrepreneurs, bookstore owners, etc. I've built up quite a little community all outside of the mainstream publishing world. I get tired of the "keep on plugging away and someday they'll recognize you" attitude surrounding getting your work published. That has its place but it's not the only way. I couldn’t agree more with the point about building community. I’ve been self publishing a zine for five years. It gets a bad rap- self publishing- but guess what? My zine now has a greater circulation than a lot of journals, I’ve met tons of other great writers, artists and entrepreneurs, bookstore owners, etc. I’ve built up quite a little community all outside of the mainstream publishing world. I get tired of the “keep on plugging away and someday they’ll recognize you” attitude surrounding getting your work published. That has its place but it’s not the only way.

]]> By: Brian Spears http://therumpus.net/2010/01/for-the-love-of-god-people-the-slush-pile-isnt-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-15718 Brian Spears Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:41:47 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=43088#comment-15718 One of my favorite online poetry journals right now is Redheaded Stepchild, and I sent to them because of their attitude toward the slush pile. They request poems that have been rejected elsewhere, and they want you to include the names of the journals which rejected them in your submission. It's brilliant, I think, and not just because they published one of mine. One of my favorite online poetry journals right now is Redheaded Stepchild, and I sent to them because of their attitude toward the slush pile. They request poems that have been rejected elsewhere, and they want you to include the names of the journals which rejected them in your submission. It’s brilliant, I think, and not just because they published one of mine.

]]> By: Lee http://therumpus.net/2010/01/for-the-love-of-god-people-the-slush-pile-isnt-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-15715 Lee Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:07:47 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=43088#comment-15715 It's not failure not to be read en masse! It’s not failure not to be read en masse!

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