They rejected a CNF story of mine recently, but now that I know what they are really looking for, I totally see why the story was rejected. I'll certainly keep them in mind for the future. Good intervievw!
I have watched nearly one-third of the video. I am going to send a story to The Summerset Review knowing full well that the chances of the story being selected are as good as nil.
Firstly, because if I have to go with Mr. Levens' idea of selecting a story based on his reading of the first 3 paragraphs, I do not think there is anything extraordinary about them in my story.
Secondly, though mine is a character-driven story, I do not really feel that my character can measure upto someone like Vera in "The Open Window" by Shaki or a lot of such marvels of our time.
Finally, English is not my mother tongue, so I may have repeated some words in the first few paragraphs, unintentionally.
So, the chances of my story getting dumped after the third paragraph, are very likely. Even then, I will send my story to the popular magazine, hoping against hope. Hope is the only thing that keeps writers like me going, doesn't it?
It will be ungrateful on my part not to acknowledge and thank Mr.Levens though as this is the first time I have heard an Editor speak about the submissions.
I have to thank you too, Becky, for the video. Please keep producing many more of such videos helping and inspiring people. God bless and all the very best wishes.
I'm afraid I'm going against the flow here. As much as I like his attitude toward writers and literature, I don't think I'd ever submit because they neither pay nor promote through social media or - as far as I can tell - in any other way. I have written for journals that only pay in copies - or not at all. But the payback is that they have some kind of social media presence so that their writers get some kind of exposure. He brags that it only costs him $100 to put out the magazine. Well of course you can do that when you exploit other people's talent, time and good will. Unless a writer has never been published anywhere and therefore needs a writing credit for a resume, why would they indulge this apparently very nice man to pursue his hobby? Sorry for being so negative but I've been a writer all my working life and I hate that so little value attaches to our work.
The editor sounds like he has the right attitude about running a lit mag.
A very informative and engaging interview!
Thank you for posting this interview, Becky! It is very helpful. Best wishes for the spring!
Janet
They rejected a CNF story of mine recently, but now that I know what they are really looking for, I totally see why the story was rejected. I'll certainly keep them in mind for the future. Good intervievw!
Dear Becky,
I have watched nearly one-third of the video. I am going to send a story to The Summerset Review knowing full well that the chances of the story being selected are as good as nil.
Firstly, because if I have to go with Mr. Levens' idea of selecting a story based on his reading of the first 3 paragraphs, I do not think there is anything extraordinary about them in my story.
Secondly, though mine is a character-driven story, I do not really feel that my character can measure upto someone like Vera in "The Open Window" by Shaki or a lot of such marvels of our time.
Finally, English is not my mother tongue, so I may have repeated some words in the first few paragraphs, unintentionally.
So, the chances of my story getting dumped after the third paragraph, are very likely. Even then, I will send my story to the popular magazine, hoping against hope. Hope is the only thing that keeps writers like me going, doesn't it?
It will be ungrateful on my part not to acknowledge and thank Mr.Levens though as this is the first time I have heard an Editor speak about the submissions.
I have to thank you too, Becky, for the video. Please keep producing many more of such videos helping and inspiring people. God bless and all the very best wishes.
Wonderful to hear the humility and passion behind the success of the Summerset Review, and Joseph and Erin's support of unpublished authors.
I'm afraid I'm going against the flow here. As much as I like his attitude toward writers and literature, I don't think I'd ever submit because they neither pay nor promote through social media or - as far as I can tell - in any other way. I have written for journals that only pay in copies - or not at all. But the payback is that they have some kind of social media presence so that their writers get some kind of exposure. He brags that it only costs him $100 to put out the magazine. Well of course you can do that when you exploit other people's talent, time and good will. Unless a writer has never been published anywhere and therefore needs a writing credit for a resume, why would they indulge this apparently very nice man to pursue his hobby? Sorry for being so negative but I've been a writer all my working life and I hate that so little value attaches to our work.