Submitting Work to More Than 1 Pub

[Fleurdelune]

Hi All!

Can anyone let me know what the general rule of thumb is regarding submitting the same story to more than one publication? For instance, what if you submit the same piece to say, 10 magazines and 5 of them want to run it--what then? Or is it best not to submit the same piece, and perhaps just tweak it here and there to be more unique per each pub?

Thanks for the advice!

[debra_benge]

This is what my agent told me:  "Don't do it.  Submit to one publisher at a time, because if you submit to mulitple publishers and more than one wants it, you have to choose who to allow to publish it.  You may lessen your chances of being picked up by those rejected publishers later on down the road.  It's like offering a single cookie to a dozen different children, picking one and telling the others they're out of luck-some publishing houses are just like children and get mad when offered a piece then told no."

[Fleurdelune]

Great analogy! Thanks :)

[sandys37]

Not sure about magazines, but most publishers of books will have in their submission guidelines if they will take similtaneous submissions or not.  It's best not to submit to more than one.  Unfortunately, it make take awhile to hear back from some of them which means you have to wait and wait and wait.

Good luck.

[Fleurdelune]

That's just the thing--the long wait time between submission and acceptance/rejection.

Have you (or anyone else reading this) tweaked a main plotline just enough to submit to multiple pubs, but in essence, it's the same story? Just different enough that the stories don't read word for word?

Thanks!

[caljones]

it would be wise not to. but if you do, just be sure that ou let the other pblishers know that you are subbmitting it to more than one.

[jo50096]

Read the submission guidelines to see if the publisher even cares. Otherwise add a note in your query somewhere that you are submitting to more than one publisher. I wouldn't do more than three at a time. Ten seems to be asking for trouble.

Also, when you've been accepted by one magazine, inform the others. That way they can make the decision on whether to run an altered version of the same story or to drop the story from their consideration.

[Fleurdelune]

Great advice ladies, thanks!

[kajira]

I'd self publish. Save yourself a bunch of grief.

go through lulu.com and self publish. they only charge what it costs to print on demand and your never out of money. People get the book printed and shipped when they order it.

E-books are great that way too.

Print on demand is going to become the next big thing. - The reason? because they are never out of the money if your books don't sell. And, your books will ALWAYS be available.

Lulu works with kindle and amazon.com too. ;)