Lame question, but, alas, here it goes

Rorschach Twin · 11-04-2008, 10:29 AM

For my English class, I have to try and get a story published.. Unfortunately, I'm having a problem finding a place to send it, as my writing is rather odd compared to the other stuff amateur writers are sending into try and get published. My writing is essentially like Franz Kafka and Albert Camus. any suggestions?

By the way, the story I'm aiming at is about 37,000 words.

JCC · 11-04-2008, 10:54 AM

Magazines.

Also, don't put 'alas' after 'but', it's bad grammar and saying 'alas' isn't any more impressive than if I spoke in Early Modern English and referred to you all as dirty Ethiopes.

Slap Your Love · 11-04-2008, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCC

Magazines.

Also, don't put 'alas' after 'but', it's bad grammar and saying 'alas' isn't any more impressive than if I spoke in Early Modern English and referred to you all as dirty Ethiopes.

That's right, knock down his false sense of intellect. Good job.

Elysiume · 11-06-2008, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slap Your Love

That's right, knock down his false sense of intellect. Good job.

Haha. xD
Sending it to a magazine is a good idea. Send it to lots of them at the same time, because obviously not all of them will include it. If you get lots of rejections, it could be because the standard of that magazine is too high for your story, so just aim a little lower, and eventually someone will accept it. Ah, that sounded mean but I haven't read your story, so I can't criticise it. Good luck, anyway.

Rorschach Twin · 11-09-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCC

Magazines.

Also, don't put 'alas' after 'but', it's bad grammar and saying 'alas' isn't any more impressive than if I spoke in Early Modern English and referred to you all as dirty Ethiopes.

Thanks, I'll try looking for some publication magazines.

If I was really trying to be 'impressive', would I really start the title with "Lame question"?

By the way, "alas" is an interjection, while "but" is a conjunction. It's not really bad grammar to use it after but. It's essentially saying "but, with sorrow,..."

HumanePain · 11-09-2008, 04:41 PM

The fastest and easiest way to get published is to post it on fictionpress dot com. It publishes it automatically, and copyrights it too. And it's free.

ThreeEyesOni · 11-13-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slap Your Love

That's right, knock down his false sense of intellect. Good job.

I wouldn't normally be so much of an asshat (blatent lie, that is), but the guy did just compare his writing to Kafka. At least when I describe some stories of mine I use "Lovecraft inspired" or the like; anyone unpublished and comparing their work to Kafka probably needs a little deflating for their own good.

No offense.

As for getting published... it's actually a fair amount harder nowadays, I think. Many of the old publication zines made a pretty natural transition to internet; heck, the average such publication 20 years ago basically was a fan-page. Nothing wrong with that, it's just that it's a heck of a lot more expensive to run one of those things.

I'd suggest looking through some of the recent anthologies out there (preferably the unpublished/contest winner type, not the name-author type), and then sending copies to every publisher involved.

Sooner or later you'll get an acceptance letter or a protection order. It's a pretty clear-cut way to determine success.