Comments on: Dueling Columns – I’m all for Simultaneous Submissions

By: Richard Thomas

Richard Thomas — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 04:24:59 +0000

They’re crazy. On so many levels. You should wait a year for some place that is a 1% acceptance rate? And then do it again, and again? You’ll never get published. I outlined a few choices, so it’s really up to you, Phil, but I’ve yet to have it bite me in the ass. That lady must be a genius. The rest of us hacks aren’t that lucky. Hell, I had 20 stories accepted last year, and my acceptance rate was only about 12%. Good luck, and let me know if I can help with anything else. I write some columns over at Lit Reactor, they may be helpful too:

http://litreactor.com/team/richard-thomas

By: Phil

Phil — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 21:26:59 +0000

I really enjoyed this essay. I recently responded to a post on a writers’ website about simultaneous submissions. I said that I submitted to a few journals last year that do not take sim subs, and 3 people on the forum wanted to cut my head off. One lady even suggested to me that I was “cheating” and “desperate” to get published. She then went on for 3 angry paragraphs about how she’s such a good writer that she doesn’t need to sim sub because she understands the markets and has a high accepatance rate. Blah blah blah.

Anyway, thanks for this! I agree with you on all points, and it makes me feel better to know I’m not the only one who sim subs.

By: wickerkat

wickerkat — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:18:35 +0000

You’re welcome. It’s hard enough out here without the editors/magazines/management making it a long, slow, drawn out and painful death as well.

Peace,
Richard

By: ibexstudios

ibexstudios — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:13:44 +0000

Thank you for this! I have always felt quite awkward about simultaneous submission protocol… I’ve just done it sneakily!

Becca

By: wickerkat

wickerkat — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:32:36 +0000

Hmmmmmm. Interesting. Not sure why. Maybe the were caught up.

By: Joseph

Joseph — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:58:39 +0000

It was Low Rent. There shouldn’t have been any format/genre issue. Oh well, on to the next one…

By: wickerkat

wickerkat — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:55:36 +0000

Sometimes they cruise right through them. Without knowing which publication or what you submitted, it’s hard to say. I assume it was an appropriate submission and not a science fiction story to a romance magazine. Did you double check the guidelines? Sometimes they’ll reject them real fast if they aren’t in the right format. But that sounds really fast. Also, will schools back in session, they could just have a lot of people volunteering and excited to be back at it, if it is attached to a university. Good luck and keep submitting. Let me know if I can help.

Peace,
Richard

By: Joseph

Joseph — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:53:09 +0000

It’s weird that I submitted a story on a Saturday night (online) to one of the magazines listed and had a rejection by 9 am the following Monday. What does that mean? It’s listed at over 100 days up there.

By: TBell

TBell — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:23:56 +0000

Publishers who are against simultaneous submissions should learn to read faster.

By: wickerkat

wickerkat — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:50:11 +0000

Thanks Ilura Press, I love the work you are doing. Funny, I actually have submitted my novel, Transubstantiate, to you. It’s with you right now. I had to go back and check to see if you are SS or NSS…had a moment of panic there. (They’re okay with SS, by the way). Great to hear that what was getting people in trouble was NOT being professional and letting people know if they got accepted someplace else. That’s why I track ALL of my submissions at Duotrope, it’s the only way I can keep track of it all. I appreciate your input and thoughts.

Peace,
Richard