Monday, August 13, 2007

LWOT

THE MARKET
  • Magazine: LWOT
  • Editor(s): Ryan Ross
  • Pay rate: exposure
  • Description (from the editors): LWOT publishes the very best writing by the very best writers in Canada (and sometimes by Americans who pretend, in their cover letters, to be Canadian). We only publish fiction, though our understanding of the term fiction is pretty loose (and can be summed up, for the most part, by our title). Quite simply, if you're lying, it's fiction. (Takes all genres. More in guidelines.)
  • Submission Guidelines: www.lwot.net

NOTE: Horror author D.L. Snell conducted the following interview to give writers a better idea of what the editors of this specific market are seeking; however, most editors are open to ideas outside of the preferences discussed here, as long as they fit the basic submission guidelines.

THE SCOOP
1) What authors do you enjoy and what is it about their writing that intrigues you?
Our editorial staff has pretty eclectic personal tastes, which is reflected in the kind of stories we like to publish (namely, anything). We read everything from John Updike and Thomas Pynchon, to Peter Straub and Bentley Little, and tend to be intrigued by technically proficient writing. That doesn’t necessarily mean dry and boring and straightforward, but prose that is--in some sense--easy to read. Like drinking a glass of milk, as opposed to drinking a glass of rock salt. For example, Lovecraft writes with amazing complexity, but still retains that milky smoothness. We’re also intrigued by absurd similes. The more absurd, the better.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which of these genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
Our publishing mandate, set forth decades ago by founding editor George Ross, is summed up in our name: Lies, With Occasional Truth. If your piece is primarily lies based on some small bit of truth, we’ll publish it. It doesn’t matter if it’s horror, sci-fi, detective, fantasy, etc. Because we’re a literary magazine, it seems to scare off a lot of genre writers, but the fact is, literary stuff and genre stuff aren’t mutually exclusive. Anyone who argues that Lovecraft’s work isn’t proper literature is a cultural elitist, and should have the leather elbow pads torn from their tweed jacket.

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
Personally, we think horror works best when it occurs in a familiar place. Surely you can write a wonderfully terrifying story that takes place in an imaginary world where marshmallows are domestic pets, and talking rainbows play third base for the Yankees, but horror seems to be a lot more effective when it’s applicable to everyday life. Something a reader can relate to. This, however, doesn’t limit you to writing about ghosts lurking in suburban two-car garages; one of the best recent horror books was Scott Smith’s “The Ruins,” which expertly maintained a sense of relativity while taking place in an exotic locale.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
Because we’re an online publication we have strict limits on the length of stories we feature. We’ll very rarely go higher than 3,000 words, so that requires writers to quickly establish a setting, mood, and character. After reading the first paragraph, a reader should have a good sense of what direction you’re going to take them. As editors, reading hundreds of submissions every quarter, the first paragraph of a story often tells us everything we need to know.

5) What type of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
Once again, characters that are relatable. It’s hard to write an effective horror story with a protagonist that is difficult for a reader to identify with. While an ex-Navy Seal Milkman with pyrokinetic powers might seem like a fun character to write, it won’t be easy for a reader to find the common ground necessary for him/her to imagine themselves in their shoes, which, if you think about it, is what writing horror and suspense is all about. Writing horror and suspense is also all about having a thick, lustrous beard. Never forget that.

6) Horror and violence can be blatant a la Romero, or suggestive a la Hitchcock. Which one do you prefer and why?
Once again, we have very eclectic tastes. The original Dawn of the Dead is one of our favorite hangover cures, and our Managing Editor regularly reads submissions while listening to Bernard Herrmann’s classic score for Hitchock’s North by Northwest. A great horror story possesses a nice balance between shock and suspense; one should always lead into--and compliment--the other. Suspense can’t exist without first establishing the possibility of something shocking occurring. The two concepts, in this way, are inexorably intertwined. (Note to writers: awkward word-combinations like “inexorably intertwined” are frowned upon--and often mocked--by our editorial staff).

7) In fiction and in life, what do you find most horrific?
The fact that Dan Brown makes a living by writing books. Every aspiring writer should take solace in the fact that, no matter how inexperienced they might be, no matter how much they might struggle, it’s still very likely that they’re a better writer than Dan Brown. We are also horrified by coral snakes.

8) What are the top three things submitters to this market should avoid?
The greatest mistake that writers make when they submit their material is sending a first draft. First drafts, more often than not, aren’t very readable. After writing that last sentence of your story, you need to let it cool off for a while: a month or two, preferably. You need this new perspective in order to begin the process of chiseling away the excess material (of which there is inevitably a whole lot). When we read submissions, we can often tell, after a paragraph or two, whether a writer is sending us his first or seventh draft. Going back to that milk analogy, a first draft is like the warm, curdled stuff that comes directly from a cow’s udder, and a seventh draft is like the cold, delicious, pasteurized stuff that you drink with chocolate chip cookies.

The other two things that submitters should avoid are coral snakes and high-interest loans.

9) What are your top three pet peeves as an editor?
Because we are all writers ourselves, we have a great deal of patience with the submissions we receive. We know what it’s like to put the time and effort into producing a piece of fiction, and how nerve-racking it can be to send it out. Again, we really appreciate when writers send us their highest quality work (once again, we’re urging you to write your seven drafts). Our true pet peeves, as literary-types, are completely unrelated to process of managing the world’s greatest fiction magazine. They include: the proliferation of Dan Brown paperbacks, the misuse of the semi-colon, and lurking evil of Margaret Atwood’s Longpen.

10) What quality are you seeking most in submissions to this market?
Besides the generic answers that apply to just about everything (originality, innovation, spelling), an important thing that a lot of writers often overlook is humor. A dark, morbid, humorless tale is very, very difficult to pull off. There are few writers around--even popular novelists (see Koontz, Dean R.)--who can effectively pull this off, and even fewer readers want to spend their time wading through something relentlessly gloomy. A lot of beginning writers tend to get bogged down in a kind of over-seriousness, perhaps afraid that a little levity will compromise their work. In fact, it’s the opposite. A little bit of humor can often inflate a sense of terror. We’re not talking about banana-cream pies to the face, but maybe a tone of light-heartedness that can balance out the elements of horror. Joss Whedon does this quite well, and it’s the reason he’s one of the most popular television/film/comic book writers around?

11) Any last advice for submitters to this market?
We’ve been complaining for months that we haven’t been getting enough genre stuff, and because we’re all such horror fans, getting some good, quirky, scary stories into our next issue is our number one priority. Also, because we’re Canadian, we show a blatant bias towards writers north of the border, and, as well, to stories that somehow incorporate beavers, maple syrup, and universal health care coverage. We’re also biased towards writers with thick, lustrous beards. So, if you have one, send a picture along with your submissions.


D.L. Snell is an Affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association, a graduate of Pacific University's Creative Writing program, and an editor for Permuted Press. Snell's first novel, ROSES OF BLOOD ON BARBWIRE VINES, pits vampires against mutating zombies in a post-apocalyptic setting. David Moody, author of the Autumn series, calls it "violent and visceral...beautiful and erotic," and Jonathan Maberry, author of Ghost Road Blues, says, "[I]t has all the ingredients needed to satisfy even the most jaded fan of horror fiction." For more information and to read sample chapters, visit Exit66.net.

This article may be freely reprinted in any e-zine, newsletter, newspaper, magazine, website, etc. as long as all links and this message remain intact, as well as Snell's byline and bio. The formatting may be adjusted to fit the venue, but the content of the article must not be altered without written permission from D.L. Snell.

Every Day Fiction

THE MARKET
  • Magazine: Every Day Fiction
  • Editor(s): Jordan Lapp, Camille Gooderham Campbell
  • Pay rate: $1 + a link
  • Description (from the editors): Every Day Fiction is looking for very short (flash) fiction, of 1000 words or less. There’s no such thing as too short-- if you can tell a story in 50 words, have at it! All fiction genres are acceptable, and stories that don’t fit neatly into any genre are welcome too. While personal experiences and other non-fiction can be great sources of inspiration, please turn them into fiction for us, or send them elsewhere. (More in guidelines)
  • Submission Guidelines: www.everydayfiction.com
NOTE: Horror author D.L. Snell conducted the following interview to give writers a better idea of what the editors of this specific market are seeking; however, most editors are open to ideas outside of the preferences discussed here, as long as they fit the basic submission guidelines.

THE SCOOP
1) What authors do you enjoy and what is it about their writing that intrigues you?
Stephen King is the obvious answer. I love his characters; they suck you into a story and don't let go until the end. I'm a bigger fan of his short stuff than his novels. I like Clive Barker because of his psychological horror, which I frankly find much scarier than some Splatterpunk authors.

2) What are your favorite genres? Which of these genres would you like to see incorporated into submissions to this market?
Horror, obviously, so long as it doesn't descend into a blood fest. I'm a big sci-fi fan, and I read high fantasy as well. I'd be really interested in the kind of urban fantasy that Neil Gaiman writes. We never get enough horror or fantasy, but we accept all genres. That said, we like to balance genres in our magazine, so if you write horror or fantasy you have a good shot of getting in.

3) What settings most intrigue you? Ordinary or exotic locales? Real or fantasy? Past, present, or future?
It's difficult to set up a really elaborate world within the 1,000 word limit we impose. If you can give us exotic in that space, that's a definite plus, but don't sacrifice the story to do so.

4) Explain the type of pacing you enjoy, e.g. slow building to fast, fast throughout, etc.
In Flash, slow buildup will kill you. We've got fiction by Nick Ozment that clocks in at 100 words and is scary as heck. Do that, and you're in. Unfortunately, we see quite a lot of introduction--heavy stories that then have rushed or awkward endings to stay under the word count; it never works. You've got to grab us and get right into the story.

5) What type of characters appeal to you the most? Any examples?
We don't want to throw anything out there because we are completely open. Genre tropes will be a tough sell. Make us live and breathe your characters.

6) Horror and violence can be blatant a la Romero, or suggestive a la Hitchcock. Which one do you prefer and why?
Hitchcock for sure. The reader/viewer's imagination can do so much more than the most graphic description/depiction. It's my feeling that Romero's latest flicks have almost descended into the absurb. I want to be scared, not grossed out. Hey, Romero! They're not the same thing!

7) In fiction and in life, what do you find most horrific?
The unknown. Our imaginations can conjure up demons that are far more fearsome than any natural occurrence, but bring those into the light of day and they evaporate.

8) What are the top three things submitters to this market should avoid?
  1. Gore--anything that might put lunchtime readers off their meals will not work for us.
  2. Reliance on action instead of good characterization--we like action, but not at the expense of other story elements.
  3. Tropes--while it's possible to bring something new to an old standard, we tend to read these types of stories very critically and they are not often accepted.

9) What are your top three pet peeves as an editor?
Managing Editor's peeves:

  1. We give feedback with every response, when it would be much easier to simply send out a form letter. When a writer argues with our response or takes exception to our opinions, it makes us want to switch to form letters, and that annoys the heck out of us.
  2. Simultaneous submissions. We've already had a case where we e-mailed an author to pick up his piece (3 days after we'd received it) and it was already sold to another market, despite the fact that you have to agree not to simultaneously submit when you send your story to us. We didn't blacklist him because he was very apologetic, but he's got one strike against him.
  3. Writers complaining that you can't write a good story in under 1,000 words. Tell that to our 50+ contributors. We've got some pieces that are simply brilliant at under 100 words.

Slush Editor's peeves:

  1. Lack of attention filling out the submission form. It's a pretty straightforward form. In particular, obvious pseudonyms in the "name" field and uploads with file types that we don't accept just make extra work for me. Not bothering to give us a bio just makes the author look unprofessional, and opting not to fill in address or phone number fields says that you don't trust us with your information.
  2. Please proofread your work! Nothing puts me off quite as much as a story full of typos and missing or misplaced punctuation; it makes me feel like the author didn't bother to check the story over before sending it. It's not quite an automatic rejection, but it sure puts the story at the bottom of the pile.
  3. People who don't read the submission guidelines are wasting their time. We are not going to accept a story over 1,000 words, for example, no matter how brilliant it is, and since we accept multiple submissions up to three, sending four or five at a time is just annoying. The guidelines are there for a reason.

10) What quality are you seeking most in submissions to this market?
In flash, you must get us to feel ONE emotion. Make us feel something in as short a space as possible. Laugh, cry, tremble in fear--hit us in the gut with your prose.

11) Any last advice for submitters to this market?
Part of your payment at EDF is a link right at the end of your story to whatever online location you'd like. This has the potential to drive a bunch of traffic your way. Use it. Establish a web presence.


D.L. Snell is an Affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association, a graduate of Pacific University's Creative Writing program, and an editor for Permuted Press. Snell's first novel, ROSES OF BLOOD ON BARBWIRE VINES, pits vampires against mutating zombies in a post-apocalyptic setting. David Moody, author of the Autumn series, calls it "violent and visceral...beautiful and erotic," and Jonathan Maberry, author of Ghost Road Blues, says, "[I]t has all the ingredients needed to satisfy even the most jaded fan of horror fiction." For more information and to read sample chapters, visit Exit66.net.

This article may be freely reprinted in any e-zine, newsletter, newspaper, magazine, website, etc. as long as all links and this message remain intact, as well as Snell's byline and bio. The formatting may be adjusted to fit the venue, but the content of the article must not be altered without written permission from D.L. Snell.

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