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http://www.markjustice.blogspot.com

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http://www.davidtwilbanks.com

Thanks for the advice guys. I've been studying Ralan most of the day. I like Dark Discoveries but the authors they've published in each issue are pretty intimidating, Burke, Kene, JUSTICE! That issue you had a story in also had an interview with Ramsey Campbell. Sounds like an all around great issue. I may have to try and get it.
Also Dead Vault and New Genre sounded good. The response time on all of them seems kind of long. Most say that they except simultainous sumbmissions as long as you notify them but does this hurt your chances if you do so?

Basically, some non-paying exposure markets are only good as outlets for niche genres -- where else are you going to publish that story about transexual-little-people-vampires-with-club-feet-and-a-dinosaur-fetish?

Mark and Dave are right, though. Top down, a really good story will find a home no matter what. The only thing is that Horror is a pretty small genre in the scheme of things. The aforementioned story practically doesn't have a chance in Zoetrope or the Kenyon review, but I do have to take Mark and Dave to task one thing.

Sometimes, you absolutely should submit to journals that don't pay cash. There's a number of cheap skates out there with solid reputations, and while these tend to be more on the literary side of the things, it would a shame to totally write off publishing credits in academic creative writing journals like Boulevard or Pliedes or Third Coast, etc. You would be surpised that, in the name of poetic license, what can be published there. And I beg to differ, Exposure in those places never hurts you.

it also depends on what you write. If you write poetry, never plan on seeing a regular payday. The norm there is contributor copies, and the paying markets like American Poetry Review are next to impossible to place in. Payment is usually laughable too. I sold three poems to The Shantytown Anomaly once, and they paid me like three bucks, which paid for a forty ouncer and a chocolate bar.

The key to remember is that a journal is by no ways the same as a zine or even a website. They're even different than magazines. Journals are notorius for harsh editorial boards. Most times, even when you get published, a "postive learning experience is rare." Form rejections are souless, but so are form acceptance letters (only we're usually glad to see those). Anytime you get handwritten comments, either way, learn to cultivate a professional relationship with that editor.

The rule of thumb, at least in academia, is that the more real, credible sources under your belt, the easier it is to sell a collection of a short works down the road. Only established writers like Brian Keene can get away with collecting his blog posts into bookformat, for example.

So, don't write off non-monetary payment. Just avoid those who give nothing, or that they ask for a "contribution to defray publishing costs." Those types are vampires, and they'll suck out your money, if you let them.

okay, i'm going on and on. I'll stop. Bed is calling.

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Now Available:
INTO THE CRUEL SEA: A Tale of Abuse, Bermuda, and Mer-Man Violence!

http://www.skullvines.com/main/page_bookstore.html

I've said elsewhere in this forum, if you're going to submit for no pay make sure the publication is reputable.

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http://www.davidtwilbanks.com

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http://www.davidtwilbanks.com