I've mentioned this here before, but I'm mentioning it again. Partly because it just bears repeating, but also because I seem to have gained a slew of new readers over the past few weeks, and if you don't already know about it, you should: Duotrope's Digest.
Duotrope is a searchable database of about 2,400 fiction and poetry markets. Not quite as many as the 4,000 contained in the Writer's Market annual1, but it's certainly more convenient to use, and it's updated more frequently. They send out a weekly email that tells you when new markets have been added and old markets have been updated. It also includes upcoming themed publication deadlines and other tidbits.
The site's submissions tracker is the best part. I used to do the same thing by hand in Excel (if that can be considered "by hand"), but the tracker is much better. Now I can easily see my submissions output and berate myself for not doing more. Even handier is the ability to compare the number of days your submission has been with a market versus that market's average response time, which lets you know when it's time to start pestering. You can also keep track of a given piece's submission history, which lets you know when it's time to put a bullet in its head.
So if you're one of those peculiar people who's convinced that other people really ought to be reading what you write, have a look. Duotrope lives on donations, so if you like what you see, consider tossing a few bucks into the PayPal bucket. The whole show is "run by a very small admin team comprised of a few published writers and former editors and is not affiliated with any outside businesses or organization." I have no idea who they are, but they do a smashing job and provide a valuable resource.
1Reader Doug points me to the online version of Writer's Market. The main difference between the two is that Duotrope focuses entirely on fiction, while Writer's Market contains a large number of non-fiction markets. Also, it costs $39.99 a year. It's really about what fits your needs best. I like free, and I'm writing fiction, so Duotrope works for me. If you're looking for a way to research places for your how-to book or your travel writing, then Writer's Market is probably the better way to go. I'm happy to see that they're finally online. The book was useful, and the articles were very helpful, especially the ones covering the basics of manuscript mechanics and submission etiquette. But I always found it a bit cumbersome to use for market research.
Duotrope is a searchable database of about 2,400 fiction and poetry markets. Not quite as many as the 4,000 contained in the Writer's Market annual1, but it's certainly more convenient to use, and it's updated more frequently. They send out a weekly email that tells you when new markets have been added and old markets have been updated. It also includes upcoming themed publication deadlines and other tidbits.
The site's submissions tracker is the best part. I used to do the same thing by hand in Excel (if that can be considered "by hand"), but the tracker is much better. Now I can easily see my submissions output and berate myself for not doing more. Even handier is the ability to compare the number of days your submission has been with a market versus that market's average response time, which lets you know when it's time to start pestering. You can also keep track of a given piece's submission history, which lets you know when it's time to put a bullet in its head.
So if you're one of those peculiar people who's convinced that other people really ought to be reading what you write, have a look. Duotrope lives on donations, so if you like what you see, consider tossing a few bucks into the PayPal bucket. The whole show is "run by a very small admin team comprised of a few published writers and former editors and is not affiliated with any outside businesses or organization." I have no idea who they are, but they do a smashing job and provide a valuable resource.
1Reader Doug points me to the online version of Writer's Market. The main difference between the two is that Duotrope focuses entirely on fiction, while Writer's Market contains a large number of non-fiction markets. Also, it costs $39.99 a year. It's really about what fits your needs best. I like free, and I'm writing fiction, so Duotrope works for me. If you're looking for a way to research places for your how-to book or your travel writing, then Writer's Market is probably the better way to go. I'm happy to see that they're finally online. The book was useful, and the articles were very helpful, especially the ones covering the basics of manuscript mechanics and submission etiquette. But I always found it a bit cumbersome to use for market research.
Afraid i'm one of those contrary peculiars who believes someone should be writing the things i need to read. Alas, writers largely do not take requests, although a few of you are obligingly intuitive from time to time. Still, the Duotrope link looks mighty handy for some, so i'll pass it along with a thanks.