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DirtyMartini
Over 90 days ago
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Hey M., one more article I think should be required reading for anyone looking to actually get published...

One of the things I've learned, both from experience and talking to other published authors, is that very often if you get rejected, it's not really the quality of your submission that's the problem, rather it's usually other factors...for instance, your manuscript doesn't fit what the publisher normally publishes ie. if you write horror stories, you wouldn't think of sending your book to a romance publisher like Harlequin...

Same with short story submission calls...if the sub call says they're looking for stories about black cats, no matter how good your story about brown dogs is, it will not be accepted...I think you get the idea...and once you find a publisher or journal that fits your style, you're more likely to get published with them again in the future...

I think this article should be required reading for anyone looking to get published...time and again I've heard it emphasized the importance of following directions, and I think this article spells it out the best I've seen...

What Happened To My Submission? The Chance You Take When You Don't Follow Directions
http://naughtynightspress.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-happened-to-my-submission-chance.html?zx=3d3cbae53316f6dc[/size]
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Let's see what we can do here...I think a good number of these questions have been addressed in the forum here before...

Quote by mhend90
Hi! I'm a fairly 'green' writer when it comes to actually aiming to get published (though I've written small pieces here and there for years now) and frankly, I just can't find any good/reliable resources. I've been browsing the forum here (and that's helped a lot!), along with several dozen other places it seems, and I am having a hard time getting the facts.

So here's some questions, if anyone can help point me in the right direction!

1) Who are good publishers to aim for when I'm working independently (no agent or third-party working with me)?


Check out DuoTrope...can be a bit tedious, but they do list everything in a searchable database...

Duotrope's Digest...A Neat Way To Search For Fiction Markets...
http://www.storiesspace.com/forum/yaf_postst151_Duotrope39s-DigestA-Neat-Way-To-Search-For-Fiction-Markets.aspx

Quote by mhend90

2) What is the best way to present a manuscript? Should I have it all complete and ready to go first? Does it need to be fully finished before submitting?


Should be finished first...for a couple of reasons, just read an article recently where an editor said she sometimes had to read the whole piece to make a decision, and even if they don't, they might not always have the patience to wait if there is a major delay on your part...

Quote by mhend90

3) Concerning poetry, what is the best way (and the best publishers) to go about submitting only a couple pieces of poetry?


Here's a start...

50 Highest Paying Journals/Magazines for poetry...
http://www.storiesspace.com/forum/yaf_postst310_50-Highest-Paying-JournalsMagazines-for-poetry.aspx

This one I recently posted will give you an idea of how hard it is to get into some of these...

How hard is it to get a poem published? Well, this should give you a clue...
http://www.storiesspace.com/forum/yaf_postst709_How-hard-is-it-to-get-a-poem-published--Well-this-should-give-you-a-clue.aspx

Quote by mhend90

4) If I decided I just wanted to self-publish a book, what are some good resources in that direction?

Thank you!

M. Hendrix


Not a big fan of self-pub personally, though some here have had success with it...ask Vanessa, but usually most who actually make money in self-pub have a bit of an established name...

Here's a couple of articles to consider on the subject...

Good Article on Self-publishing...
http://www.storiesspace.com/forum/yaf_postst196_Good-Article-on-Selfpublishing.aspx

Stop the press: half of self-published authors earn less than $500
http://apps.facebook.com/theguardian/books/2012/may/24/self-published-author-earnings

That should keep you busy for a little while...good luck, btw...

Cheers,
Alan.
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
What you miss E? Your bus? You have a bus...cool...

I am getting so many Spanish speaking Twitter followers this past week, since I posted a story in Spanish on the sister site...I must have got four already this morning...I think it's kinda funny actually...
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Quote by VanessaFinaughty


Writing is a fantastic release, for sure. I'm half convinced that many writers would be serial killers or another type of sociopath if they didn't have that release!


Something tells me they just might be serial killers and sociopaths anyway...btw, someone posed the same question here over in a Facebook writing group...I answered "So we can call ourselves writers and hang out in Facebook writing groups with other people who call themselves writers?"

I thought that made sense to me...
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
STORY CALL (submission due June 15th) passed along to me & I'll pass it on to you:

Smokin’ Hot Firemen: Firefighter Romance Stories
Editor: Delilah Devlin
Publisher: Cleis Press in Summer 2013
Deadline: June 15, 2012 (although sooner is better!)

Smokin’ Hot Firemen is open to all authors.

Editor Delilah Devlin is looking for hetero firefighter stories for a romantic erotica anthology tentatively entitled Smokin’ Hot Firemen: Firefighter Romance Stories.

A firefighter is one of those iconic heroes who inspire a jumble of sexy images at just the mention of the word—a soot-covered face, sweat dripping from hard, chiselled muscles, the sexy snap of suspenders—yes, only a fireman can make suspenders sexy!

Smokin’ Hot Firemen will seek sto ries that satisfy the reader who craves the romantic idea of that soot-covered, smokin’-hot man while exploring stories set in American cities and small towns, as well as international settings. The stories will be contemporary. While traditional themes are likely to be featured, writers are encouraged to imagine greater in order to create tales that, while featuring this iconic hero, may also surprise.

Think about the big-city firehouse, teaming with sexy firemen, responding to a high-rise fire; firefighters arriving at the scene of an accident to pry a victim from a burning car; a strong, sexy man carrying a child from a burning house... All heroic acts we expect from our local heroes. Then think about the smoke-jumper parachuting into the hot zone of a forest fire; the sexy rancher next door, who’s also a volunteer firefighter, responding to an out-of-control brush fire; or even an oil-rig worker whose extra duty is to respond to a catastrophe on a rig in the middle of the ocean...

Then imagine the romantic possibilities of being held against that massively muscled chest by a man whose mission is to protect and serve...

Published authors with an established firehouse world may use that setting for their original short story.

The stories may be as kinky or vanilla as the writer wants—but a deep sensuality should linger in every word. Exotic locations and scenarios are welcome. Keep in mind there must be a romantic element with a happy-for-now or happy-ever-after ending. Strong plots, engaging characters and unique twists are the ultimate goal. Please no reprints. We are seeking original stories.

How to submit: Prepare your 1,500 to 4,500 words story in a double-spaced, Arial, 12 point, black font document with pages numbered (.doc, NOT.docx) OR rich text format. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra li nes between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) is required.

In your document at the top left of the page, include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 words or less bio in the third person to . If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. Authors may submit up to 2 stories. Delilah will respond in September 2011. The publisher has final approval over the stories included in the manuscript.

Payment will be $50.00 USD and two copies of the published book upon publication.

About the editor: Ms. Devlin has published over a hundred erotic stories in multiple genres and lengths. Her published print titles include Into the Darkness, Seduced by Darkness, Darkness Burning, Dar kness Captured, Down in Texas, Texas Men, Ravished by a Viking, and Enslaved by a Viking. Her short stories are featured in Zane’s Purple Panties, and Cleis Press’s Lesbian Cowboys, Girl Crush, Fairy Tale Lust, Lesbian Lust, Passion, Carnal Machines, Dream Lovers, and Best Erotic Romance. She is published by Avon, Kensington, Harlequin, Atria/Strebor, Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing, and Berkley. In Fall 2011, she debuted her first antho logy with Cleis Press, Girls Who Bite. In 2012, Cleis Press will release She Shifters and Cowboy Lust.

Direct any questions you have regarding your story or the submission process to Delilah at .
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
This is interesting, me thinks..."Must be your own true (nonfiction) short story occurring during your midlife. We define “midlife” as ages 40 – 65. There is no word minimum. However, we recommend a length of 250 to 400 words. Weekly contest. The winner of the vignette with the highest average star rating enters the Winner’s Circle and receives a cash prize of $50."...check it out my middle age friends...

Guidelines for Midlife Story - Midlife Collage | Midlife Collage
http://midlifecollage.com/submissions/[/size]
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
OK, now this is different..."Maximum count 10,000 words. Deadline June 30, 2012. “Oz Fiction” is defined as any story about or pertaining to the Land of Oz as originally created by author L. Frank Baum in the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequels, but stories need not be confined to Baum’s vision"...first prize $100...go for it my friends...

Hungry Tiger Talk: Oz Fiction Contest at Winkie Con 2012
http://hungrytigerpress.blogspot.com/2012/04/nicZioMmDw9rUZdL[/size]
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Quote by VanessaFinaughty


I've heard of people buying ISBN numbers before, but as far as I know, all authors can get these for free. Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and Amazon give them for free, and in South Africa, we can also ask for an ISBN from the national library, and that's free (you just have to fill out a lot of looooooong forms and give them a free copy of your book in whatever form it's published in).


Interesting, it seems they are available for free almost everywhere except the U.S....

How To Get A Free Canadian ISBN Number
http://blog.karenwoodward.org/2011/07/how-to-get-free-canadian-isbn-number.html

But yeah, if you go through CreateSpace or whatever, they'll give you the number...and it is important to have, btw...I've heard stories of people publishing without one...the problem with that, is you won't be able to actually sell the book anywhere...
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Quote by Rumple_deWriter
Congrats on this latest acceptance, DM, of one of your stories, that is. ;)



Thanks Reverend...and good news again today...

RE: [eFiction] Arrested By The Grammar Police
Inbox
x


eFiction via email.submishmash.com
6:25 PM (10 minutes ago)

to me
Hey Alan!

Thanks for contributing so many pieces to eFiction. It is great to see the whole breadth of your work.

This time, I have good news. Arrested By The Grammar Police and The Dirty Martini have been accepted for the August Humor issue. Thanks again for contributing!

Your editor,

Doug
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Oh yeah...looks like every story I have on this fine site known throughout the free world as Stories Space, will now be officially published...OK, I know that's only four...but, just got this back regarding "Maria's Chance To Celebrate"...

Actually, it should be my chance to celebrate...or something like that...

Rosemary J. Kind
3:56 PM (10 minutes ago)

to me
That is much better – thank you this is accepted and will go live on 17th June.

Regards

Rosemary J. Kind

Managing Director

Alfie Dog Limited

Tel: 00 44 (0)1347 827178

www.alfiedog.com

From: Alan Jankowski [mailto: ]
Sent: 24 May 2012 19:27
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
This just came out in the P & W newsletter this morning, and may be of interest to some...

Earlier this month, the shortlist was announced for the Caine Prize, a contest that awards a ten-thousand-pound prize for a short story.

Head over to G&A: The Contest Blog to read first lines from each of the five finalists' entries and learn more about the award, which aims to widen the global audience for new and innovative African fiction.

Five Stories From the 2012 Caine Prize Finalists
http://www.pw.org/content/five_stories_from_the_2012_caine_prize_finalists[/size]
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Quote by magnificent1rascal

I wonder if they'd give me a badge for that...



Not sure about a badge right now, but we could probably find something...maybe a ribbon...
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Hey Larry...sounds like you been running into that DirtyMartini guy a lot...

Scooter...what you need, a Deluxe Stories Space Gold Membership package? I'll tell ya' what...and I don't do this for everyone btw...but, leave a box of small, unmarked bills addressed to Mr. DirtyMartini c/o Stories Space headquarters, and I'll see what I can do about that gold star...

Might even be able to get you one of them there Editor Picks too...oh, you might have to write something first though...
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Funny, I thought this whole site set back the craft of writing...or maybe it's just my stories...

And I'm not really sure who those Bulwar and Lytton dudes are, but if they're new here, tell them to send me a friend request...
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Funny, I thought this whole site set back the craft of writing...or maybe it's just my stories...

And I'm not really sure who those Bulwar and Lytton dudes are, but if they're new here, tell them to send me a friend request...
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DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Quote by magnificent1rascal


(And yes, I do have a favorite pen. I suppose it could be considered my thing.)


This wouldn't by any chance be your favorite pen...would it?
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