Before Bust Down the Door had a minimum word requirement, it was very hard to fill an issue because 90% of the stories submitted were flash fiction. Now that we have a minimum word requirement 90% of the stories sent are still flash fiction. I really don't know what the fuck is wrong with people.
Rejecting stories based on an inability to meet the word requirement goes pretty quick though. I will read a paragraph or two. If I do not want to continue reading, I will reject it. I will not give the author the benefit of the doubt. I will assume if the author failed to pay attention to the minimum word requirement, they also failed to absorb the rest of the guidelines. If they send flash fiction, it is most likely a story that is not appropriate content-wise.
But I will let it go if it's a within a couple of hundred words of the minimum. And if it's within a thousand words and the author writes something like this in their cover letter: "I know this is shorter than your minimum guideline, but I'm willing to take the chance."
And I show favoritism. If I "know" a writer, I do not care about the word requirement. If I solicit a story, I do not care about the requirement.
It is very hard to fill an issue.
I am very tired.
I am at work. I just got back from Utah this morning. I might write more about that tomorrow. I am very tired.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
This problem must be one of many irritations that go with editing a magazine. I am sorry people are stupid. I am stupid sometimes, too. But I think I am embarrassed by my stupidity and learn not to be stupid in that way again.
I want to write something for Bust soon. My brain is soaked in absurdity.
Going from west coast time back to eastern is a huge drag. Takes days to recover. For me anyway.
The time difference isn't really a problem. It's more like that my sleep schedule is all screwy because I usually sleep in the afternoon but didn't during the convention.
Yes, submit to Bust. Would be cool.
I wish I was in Utah. I am stressed. I need to find a new place to live before the end of the month.
Post a Comment