I'm currently working on revisions with Marredbury. I'm sending out some of the short stories to magazines and really get the ColbyStream revised based on feedback. I need to add more to Carla's story for sure. I'm still thinking about how to publish it. I'm thinking I may publish it as a serialized version still on a platform like Ream and Laterpress, ending with a final product in a novel version.
Oooh, I’ll have to check them out - since I do serialize a lot of short stories as well!
I’ve done the most short story submissions here on Substack (most of which I see you have also participated in as well 😆).
With more traditional publishers (magazines, etc.), I find that they want work that hasn’t been published yet - which I’m guessing is why you took down Marredbury?
They also usually have clauses where you can’t reprint them anywhere else for something like a year or more, I think?
Anyways, those two reasons are why I usually don’t submit to a lot of place - I usually publish my work online and in sets. So I think that disqualifies a lot of stories, and I also don’t want to give them exclusive publishing rights for just one story out of a whole set.
At least, that’s from what I see - please correct me if I’m wrong!
So, my understanding is that substack is a grey area in this regard. Since the posts shared is through email, and when they are removed, they are no longer available on the internet, it is not considered having been published. So, yes, this is why I have removed the Marredbury stories. I was waiting for you to finish :)
Most magazines look for first publishing rights. Exclusivity rights typically last for 6 months to a year, and then rights revert back to the author. This is something to look at in the contract that comes with getting a story accepted for publication, a question worth asking if that information is not provided to you. This is also something that you can ask for revisions for. A contract is a two way agreement. You don't have to agree as an author and you can negotiate. I find contracts so intimidating! My mom's a lawyer, I reach out to her when I need to, haha.
If you have published your work on other platforms, like Wattpad or Simily (another small short story publishing platform, a fiction version of Medium), then it is no longer considered first publishing rights, but reprints. There is a market for reprints, but they do pay less. You can't reprint until the alloted exclusivity rights is up.
I'm planning on revising the Marredbury stories and attempting to submit them while I work on revisions on the colbystream. I would love to have the stories be reprints in the story collection when I'm ready to publish, but I'm also willing to bet that the traditional route of getting them published in magazines will go slower than I like. I guess we'll see!
Oooh, I see - I didn't realize that Substack is currently still considered a grey area!
Thanks for waiting for me to finish the Marredbury stories - sorry I took so long! 😅
Contracts ARE intimidating! I'm glad that you have someone that you can reach out to! 😄
And thank you for all the info - greatly appreciated!
Yeah, I have heard that it can take a long time to get short stories (and stories) traditionally published... which is something that turned me off after a few tries - because my life is busy enough without trying to find, research, and submit to every publisher available!
Still, you have given me food for thought...
Good luck with the revisions and the submissions, or whichever route you end up taking!
Congrats on making it through another school year! 😄
Your new project sounds intriguing! 😱
Though now I'm wondering what happened with Marredbury, if I may ask?
Thank you! It's such a relief!!
I'm currently working on revisions with Marredbury. I'm sending out some of the short stories to magazines and really get the ColbyStream revised based on feedback. I need to add more to Carla's story for sure. I'm still thinking about how to publish it. I'm thinking I may publish it as a serialized version still on a platform like Ream and Laterpress, ending with a final product in a novel version.
Oooh, good luck with the short story submissions, and working on the frame story!
I've never heard of Ream and Laterpress before.
From my quick glance, they seem to be like Wattpad, but more towards monetization? Or am I completely off the mark there? 😅
Pretty much, platforms designed to monetize serial work. They're both relatively new platforms.
Thanks! Have you done much short story submissions? I've found minimal success, so we'll see!
Oooh, I’ll have to check them out - since I do serialize a lot of short stories as well!
I’ve done the most short story submissions here on Substack (most of which I see you have also participated in as well 😆).
With more traditional publishers (magazines, etc.), I find that they want work that hasn’t been published yet - which I’m guessing is why you took down Marredbury?
They also usually have clauses where you can’t reprint them anywhere else for something like a year or more, I think?
Anyways, those two reasons are why I usually don’t submit to a lot of place - I usually publish my work online and in sets. So I think that disqualifies a lot of stories, and I also don’t want to give them exclusive publishing rights for just one story out of a whole set.
At least, that’s from what I see - please correct me if I’m wrong!
So, my understanding is that substack is a grey area in this regard. Since the posts shared is through email, and when they are removed, they are no longer available on the internet, it is not considered having been published. So, yes, this is why I have removed the Marredbury stories. I was waiting for you to finish :)
Most magazines look for first publishing rights. Exclusivity rights typically last for 6 months to a year, and then rights revert back to the author. This is something to look at in the contract that comes with getting a story accepted for publication, a question worth asking if that information is not provided to you. This is also something that you can ask for revisions for. A contract is a two way agreement. You don't have to agree as an author and you can negotiate. I find contracts so intimidating! My mom's a lawyer, I reach out to her when I need to, haha.
If you have published your work on other platforms, like Wattpad or Simily (another small short story publishing platform, a fiction version of Medium), then it is no longer considered first publishing rights, but reprints. There is a market for reprints, but they do pay less. You can't reprint until the alloted exclusivity rights is up.
I'm planning on revising the Marredbury stories and attempting to submit them while I work on revisions on the colbystream. I would love to have the stories be reprints in the story collection when I'm ready to publish, but I'm also willing to bet that the traditional route of getting them published in magazines will go slower than I like. I guess we'll see!
Oooh, I see - I didn't realize that Substack is currently still considered a grey area!
Thanks for waiting for me to finish the Marredbury stories - sorry I took so long! 😅
Contracts ARE intimidating! I'm glad that you have someone that you can reach out to! 😄
And thank you for all the info - greatly appreciated!
Yeah, I have heard that it can take a long time to get short stories (and stories) traditionally published... which is something that turned me off after a few tries - because my life is busy enough without trying to find, research, and submit to every publisher available!
Still, you have given me food for thought...
Good luck with the revisions and the submissions, or whichever route you end up taking!
😄