Finished/MarketWatching
Originally published at Quantum Matrix Scribe. Please leave any comments there.
I finished it yesterday, the last draft-I’m hoping-of this story. And then I didn’t touch it for the rest of the day because my brain was sopping mess, like really runny scrambled eggs. I was afraid if I looked at it in that condition, something really bad might happen.
The other reason I haven’t done anything until about right now is that I forgot where I put my printer paper. Turns out it was in my bottom desk drawer, right next to the bags of instant mashed potatoes, a magazine of apartment listings, and a copy of the Cato Policy Report. (Oh, and on top of a lot of ramen noodles.) Very weird place for it. I think that drawer may be a metaphor for my existence. Which is a scary thing for anyone to contemplate.
Today I’ve spent looking at markets to send this off to. I’m going to aim big, then as I accumulate rejection slips work my way on down the list (until I end up at the The Rejected Quarterly, which requires 5 rejection slips with each submission.) I figure, what does it matter? It’s not like the editors will remember the story if its terrible, but they will if they find its awesome.
But one small market stands out: the “Space Squid.” Sure, you only get five bucks. But they’re Texan, and they sound like a blast to work with. Oh, and they printed one issue on freaking clay tablets. And posted instructions on how to do it too. I mean, that is just cool. (Well, hot, actually, because you have to harden the tablets, but you know what I mean.)
I should be sending this off either later today or early tomorrow morning. Now, just one last look through…
…Crap, that’s not supposed to be there…
PS: If you’re ever looking to sell some fiction, check out Duotrope. It’s literally a database of fiction markets, any genre, format, or style (and includes poetry.) I go there, naturally, for science fiction, but they have western, romance, and general stuff up there too. Extremely good database, and its free.