^You are a doll, you know! Alas, I omitted some important information -- I'm on a Mac! Gonna search for a suitable version!
Anyone else writing a book?
- Thread starter Goliath
- Start date
^I figured it out! But do you think the storyboad will be good enough? The lesson is to try before thinking you are helpless! On the other hand, asking for help brings out loveliness in people, so, thanks. 
I'm sending it along now!
I'm sending it along now!
The storyboard I read? It should knock their socks off. I don't see how anyone could not be impressed. Good luck. 
^That's the one! You really know how to make a girl smile, you know.
Awww.
I apologise if that came across as attitude but it was not intended that way. A niche market periodical/magazine about something very few people are interested in (if that was the case) might not do as well as something like a short story magazine hence the reason I asked what the magazine was about.
Again, no offence was intended.
I seem to be apologising a lot today.
Well that was the swiftest interest, review, and rejection I think in the history of literature! Here's to rejection number two! The great Dr. Seuss was rumored to have been rejected nearly 40 times before the publication of his first children's book, though, so I've no right to be discouraged yet. I've already chosen my next victim, this one by mail, and I'm going to print a ream of my query letters tomorrow after work.
Even the major fiction magazines are struggling these days. A lot of the small press magazines have either disappeared or appear infrequently and sporadically. This is not exactly a great Age Of Literacy.
It's true, the best writers and artists were rejected many times before finding any success. Did they give any particular reason for the rejection?
^Just the old, "I'm afraid I'm not the right agent for you, but I've no doubt you'll find the right agent and publisher someday!"
Literary magazines are a niche, and not a very thriving one at the moment. That's what you seem to be missing.
Iv written one book on another forum and three-quarters way through the next in the series of three.
Iv got numerous books in the planning. It is my terrible grammar that is letting me down, so I need to work on that, to help me get a publisher.
Iv never thought of writing a Star Trek novel, but I must admit I am tempted to do some Voyager ones. I would need to do lots more research though.
Iv got numerous books in the planning. It is my terrible grammar that is letting me down, so I need to work on that, to help me get a publisher.
Iv never thought of writing a Star Trek novel, but I must admit I am tempted to do some Voyager ones. I would need to do lots more research though.
Learning how to spell "I've" would be a good place to start, I think.
Okay, that was probably not very nice of me. In all seriousness, you need to get the fundamentals down before you start worrying about things like continuity and technology. Master grammar, syntax, punctuation, and diction. Take some creative writing classes. Read books on style. Get an English tutor if you have to.
There are so many people out there who want to get published, I guarantee you that if your book lands on the desk of an editor or agent, if they see errors in spelling or grammar on your first page, it's going to be roundfiled in a hurry.
Asimov and Analog which are the main (if not only) scifi magazines out there are doing well enough, but diversity is the key to survival. I intend to have several magazines out there, each catering to a different genre. That will help me if one or more fail, since I'll still have others. I will eventually also put together anthologies of the competition winners' stories and so on...I'm not missing the fact that a story magazine is a niche market, but some niches are smaller than others especially in certain geographic areas. A magazine on ranching/cowboys will do better in Texas than California, just as a magazine on the computer age would do better in California than Texas. It's all about tailoring the magazine to the market and my current job allows me to see what the current "in things" are in Texas so I could easily put together a magazine for one of those as well. I might even start local and then go national as I expand the number and types of magazines. i'm not fully committed to any one way yet.
I'm actually volunteering at the moment while I wait for my work visa to come through so all I can do is make enquiries and get the business plan written, which means actually finding exactly what I want to do.
I'm sorry, I just don't think you are grasping the reality of the situation here. How many copies a month do you think Analog is selling? I'll answer for you: a bit over 28,000. Asimov's is under 18,000.
It's a small market. A tiny market, actually. Those are the top two periodicals and their sales are minuscule. For comparison, Newsweek moves 2.7 million issues a week (roughly.) You're aiming for a market that is very small, and even the most-established players are well below their historical highs.
I'm not saying you can't make a magazine--obviously, there's nothing stopping you from doing it. But it is a virtual certainty you won't make any money from it, and you'd be damned lucky to just break even. If you are willing to sink money into something like this because you enjoy it, more power to you! But if you're thinking you'll make a living this way, it's not going to happen. Hell, you'd have a better shot taking your chances getting published the traditional way: get an agent, sell a book.
Yep that is the usual reply I get in every forum I post in. The I'v was pure laziness on my part, and did you know a lot of those in the grammar field are trying to get rid of the ', personally I don't blame them at all.
As I always say I can learn grammar, but one can't change their personality!
You get that reply a lot because it's true.
I'm not telling you you can't be a writer, just that if you want to be taken seriously, you have to master the basics.And I'm unaware of anyone attempting to deprecate the apostrophe. Why would someone do that?
"Blah blah blah." Of course, in your case it's true.
Twenty-five years ago, Analog was selling well over a hundred thousand copies; now, as RobertMaxwell points out, they sell about 28,000. The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction sells a bit less. Asimov's less than that. Wildside Press, the current publisher of Weird Tales (circulation of less than 8000), has tried a number of genre magazines with minimal luck. As I said, this is not the Age Of Literacy; this is the Age Of Video Games And Hi-Def Splosions. I think it's great for you to try this endeavor, and I'm happy to support and contribute, but you really won't be able to make a living at it.
Ah ye olde "Go fuck yourself, but with a smile". Always such a delight.
Keep trying though, haven't seen any of your book stuff, but your artwork is great so I have an idea at least
Robert Maxwell, RJDiogenes, thank you both for your advice and yes I am fully aware that the short story market is woefully small, and smaller than it ever has been.
I have exploring other avenues as well through my current job and have come to the conclusion that another way is the best way to go. At the moment green energy and technology and everything else based around that industry is really big in Texas and so I think that a magazine geared toward that will, once I have the subscription base, make me money since it isn't going away any time soon.
I have exploring other avenues as well through my current job and have come to the conclusion that another way is the best way to go. At the moment green energy and technology and everything else based around that industry is really big in Texas and so I think that a magazine geared toward that will, once I have the subscription base, make me money since it isn't going away any time soon.