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julian_griffith Do I want to consider writing anything for the Riptide Anniversary Open Submissions Call or the Torquere Monthly Sips?
So far, I've only ever written for Storm Moon. That is, I did the novel and was prepared to submit it everywhere, and Storm Moon accepted it, and since then I've answered a Storm Moon holiday open line call ("Therefore Be Merry, Set Sorrow Aside") and their Turning The Tables anthology call ("Your Most Humble and Obedient Servant") and now their An Improper Arrangement anthology call ("Cherish the Ladies"). I haven't had a rejection yet, though An Improper Arrangement isn't closed yet, and I doubt I'll hear back on that before August. Theoretically the turnaround on short stories is two weeks after the anthology closes. I know better.
I've reluctantly dropped the idea of answering Storm Moon's Uncommon Valor call (gay male, WWII) even though I have a plotbunny. Said plotbunny might work for Torquere's September theme, "In Uniform", though at 3000-8000 words, I'd have to make it kind of a condensed version or a "here's a scene from" trailer-type thing for what I'd originally envisioned for the plotbunny. But, hey. Spider Robinson was able to extend short stories and novellas into full length novels (I'm thinking of the novels Stardance and Mindkiller) so maybe I could. And 3000-8000 is a lot easier to contemplate finishing byJuly 31 (oh shit theirs is July 1 can I do it tonight?) than 10-20K by July 31, when I've got coursework to do.
But what I had in mind for my next-up was... well, I'm considering two possibilities: write the trans* Peninsular War soldier (in Rockingham's regiment, so part of my dear, familiar continuity) novel for Storm Moon, who, last month, were saying "we want trans* stories so badly we're considering offering advances," or turning my attention to my Jewish lady playwright and her bisexual Musketeer lover, and, when I finish it, trying to find an AGENT for it. Because now I've got a few credits, and I'm given to understand that having a track record works in one's favor when trying to get an agent. And. There's been a recent hiccup at Storm Moon, and, while they've been reassuringly transparent about it, it still makes me nervous that they've been running so close to the bone that their present situation can produce the aforementioned hiccup, and I'm wondering if I ought to branch out.
So. Experienced type people, friends, anyone reading this -- thoughts? Experiences with the aforementioned publishers? Advice about agents?
Discuss.
So far, I've only ever written for Storm Moon. That is, I did the novel and was prepared to submit it everywhere, and Storm Moon accepted it, and since then I've answered a Storm Moon holiday open line call ("Therefore Be Merry, Set Sorrow Aside") and their Turning The Tables anthology call ("Your Most Humble and Obedient Servant") and now their An Improper Arrangement anthology call ("Cherish the Ladies"). I haven't had a rejection yet, though An Improper Arrangement isn't closed yet, and I doubt I'll hear back on that before August. Theoretically the turnaround on short stories is two weeks after the anthology closes. I know better.
I've reluctantly dropped the idea of answering Storm Moon's Uncommon Valor call (gay male, WWII) even though I have a plotbunny. Said plotbunny might work for Torquere's September theme, "In Uniform", though at 3000-8000 words, I'd have to make it kind of a condensed version or a "here's a scene from" trailer-type thing for what I'd originally envisioned for the plotbunny. But, hey. Spider Robinson was able to extend short stories and novellas into full length novels (I'm thinking of the novels Stardance and Mindkiller) so maybe I could. And 3000-8000 is a lot easier to contemplate finishing by
But what I had in mind for my next-up was... well, I'm considering two possibilities: write the trans* Peninsular War soldier (in Rockingham's regiment, so part of my dear, familiar continuity) novel for Storm Moon, who, last month, were saying "we want trans* stories so badly we're considering offering advances," or turning my attention to my Jewish lady playwright and her bisexual Musketeer lover, and, when I finish it, trying to find an AGENT for it. Because now I've got a few credits, and I'm given to understand that having a track record works in one's favor when trying to get an agent. And. There's been a recent hiccup at Storm Moon, and, while they've been reassuringly transparent about it, it still makes me nervous that they've been running so close to the bone that their present situation can produce the aforementioned hiccup, and I'm wondering if I ought to branch out.
So. Experienced type people, friends, anyone reading this -- thoughts? Experiences with the aforementioned publishers? Advice about agents?
Discuss.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-26 07:04 pm (UTC)Agents are good.
Branch out.
I've heard of Torquere, which considering how little I know about non-sff publishing should tell you something. (But I don't know why I've heard of it, or whether it was good or bad, so take it FWIW.)
no subject
Date: 2013-06-26 07:26 pm (UTC)Torquere's a pretty established glbt romance publisher, so you may have seen fandom people getting signed with them.
I KNOW you want Mimi and Olivier! And I do like them too. And writing them will be fun. But, oh, then Rockingham isn't in it at all, and he is such a dear, and I'd miss him. (Well, there are short stories?)
I feel like I'd HAVE to use entirely different characters/totally different continuity if I branched out because a LOT of other publishers have more restrictive clauses than Storm Moon about whether you can ever sell different works with the same characters in them to other publishers. Storm Moon doesn't have any clauses like that at all -- no first refusal, no rights grab, nothin'. I don't want to find myself locked into one place just by selling one story if I want to write about my babies again!
the concerns of a wet-behind-the-ears writer.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-26 07:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-26 07:51 pm (UTC)The vampire's a short story, & could go anywhere that wants het contemporary vampires.
I'm currently poking the web for info about Navy bombers in the Pacific Theater. The 10-20K version would take a ton of research. A 3-8K version? Oh, hell, I can just pick a plane and a battle and look on the map for plausible small atolls and it'll serve, because probably at least half of a 3K version would be pure sex scene.
Having an in at Torquere wouldn't be bad.
But, oh, how I want to move into the land of advances!
no subject
Date: 2013-06-27 09:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-27 10:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-26 09:24 pm (UTC)And you can always write more stories for Rockingham later. Which you should definitely do, because he IS a dear.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-26 09:33 pm (UTC)I s'pose I could leave Rockingham out and even if I needed to mention that Polly used to be his cook-maid before she married one of the soldiers in his regiment she could have been some OTHER fictional major's cook-maid.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-26 10:09 pm (UTC)Yeah, you could. And he is a darling, but he'll have more chances to play.