Meet Deadlines

And other traits wanna-be writers ignore.

Soon after I took the reins of the magazine, I updated its policies for submitting material. Anything potential writers needed to know about sending articles and photos, those guidelines covered.

As to each issue’s deadline, it’s posted on the Contents page.

With such specific information, prospective writers follow those procedures and meet those deadlines, right?

In my dreams.

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Exceptional Writers

Are you the exception to the rule?

Editors and agents are used to writers who want to break the rules. We don’t like it, but we’re used to it.

“No phone inquires,” one agency said in its entry in the Christian Writer’s Market Guide. “No  exceptions. Don’t ask to be the exception.”

An editor friend produces compilation books, often dealing with 100 potential contributors for a single … Continue reading

Follow the Guidelines

It’s the step unpublished writers often ignore.

A few years back, a literary agency included this warning with their entry for an annual writer’s market guide: “No exceptions. Don’t ask to be the exception.”

Agents and acquisitions editors everywhere share that frustration. There’s a reason for each item in their submission guidelines. That’s what they want — and how they want to receive it.

Imagine your … Continue reading