Long Story Short Magazine
Writers Digest named this magazine as one of the 101 Best
Writing Sites on the Internet for 2005. Today we're having
a chat with Sue Scott, one of the founders, on why this
magazine is so unique.
Q: Congratulations on being named among the 101 Best
Writing Sites in 2005 by Writers Digest. How does it feel
to be honored like that?
A: Thanks! We’re thrilled! Actually, we didn’t know about
the honor at first. A reader told us she saw our name on the
list. For being only two years old, it’s rather amazing. I think
our dedication to our authors helped though. All three of us
(Denise, Linda and I) have been on the rejection end of the
game and know how it feels.
Q: Your E-zine covers everything from “Story of the Month”
to “Contests” to “Poetry” to “Fiction” to “Just For Teens” to
“Women’s Issues.” With such a wide genre, how do you
sort through all the submissions?
A: We read them as just submissions, and those we decide
to accept we then place in a category. It’s easier than you
might think, but don’t tell.
Q: Do you take submissions from all around the world?
A: Yes. We get submissions from everywhere now:
Canada, India, the UK, Spain, Bulgaria… We truly enjoy
the mix of styles and slightly foreign flavor of the writing.
I remember how excited we were when we got our first
international submission (from England). It’s still
wonderful to realize how far we reach out with our stories.
Q: Although you accept submissions from men, you focus
primarily on women writers. Why did you make women
your main focus?
A: Linda has a writing forum, “Your Writing Friend,”
that is made up of women. Lss is an off-shoot of that forum,
being as all the editors belonged to it. Our original goal
was to empower women and help them get published.
After a short time we realized that accepting submissions
from men would round out the e-zine, but only if they wrote
with a slant towards women’s interests. We still primarily
get subs from women. To honor writers of both sexes this
past January we changed our blurb from “A Women
Writers’ Showcase to “A magazine for writers.”
Q: Your guidelines are very clear and specific. How long
did it take you to perfect your guidelines and can you talk
about some of the problems that led to their being so specific?
A: The guidelines are a work in progress. Writing them was
a group effort, based on our wants for the e-zine and our
experiences with other editors and e-zines. Problems have
cropped up since the start that required us to add to or
change the guidelines.
One of the first things we decided on was no porn, obscenities
or satanic stories. Although we don’t preach in any way we all
have strong Christian beliefs. Besides, we wanted people of all
ages to be able to read our e-zine. Since then, certain of the
“lighter” words have been allowed for reality of writing, but
we hold firm to the standard four-letter classics.
We’d all agreed that the worst thing about submitting was
the long wait for a reply and the impersonal form letters. Our
policy is to send an acceptance or rejection within two weeks,
and to have a personal letter with each. Often we give details
on why a piece was rejected and either offer one-=on-one help
or to look at a rewrite.
We receive attachments on occasion, and they’re promptly
rejected. With viruses rampant on the Net we can’t take
chances in opening an attachment, no matter how innocent
the sender.
Clear as we try to make them, there are still people who
obviously haven’t read the guidelines when they submit.
But what can you do?
Q: Do you send your e-zine to a mailing list?
A: No, we have a web site with a private mailing list.
That way we can make sure that mail addresses given to
us for the newsletter are secure, can’t be stolen and sold
to advertisers.
Q: What is the difference between your E-zine and your
Newsletter?
A: The newsletter has links to all the stories, poetry and
interviews on our site. It also has editors’ comments,
writing and time saving tips, bits of fun like “Ask Sue”
and author biographies that aren’t on our site. The e-zine
has all the stories, poems, etc., and can be read without
going through the newsletter.
Q: Is your E-zine free?
A: Yes, there’s no charge for the newsletter or access to
the e-zine. The only thing we charge for are the contests,
which have a $10.00 entry fee, first prize of $50.00 and
second-place prize of $25.00.
Q: How well has your magazine been accepted?
A: We have a loyal fan base that is made up of the most
wonderful people you’d ever want to meet. Considering
the e-zine celebrated its second birthday in May and the
newsletter its second birthday in June, the response has
been overwhelming. Denise, Linda and I try to be
accessible to writers. We know how daunting sending
work to an editor can be, and we want to take that fear
away. I think this friendly approach is the basis for our
success. We have 15,000 readers a month now, a number
that is always rising. Wow!
Q: Tell us about the marketing you have been doing to
get the word out about your newsletter and school.
A: We were rather inexperienced and lost when we began
LSS (the e-zine) and kind of learned as we went. Eventually
we started advertising in search engines and listings on
writing sites, etc. and that’s when our zine took off. There’s
a place on the e-zine where people can subscribe to the
newsletter, and the more readers we get the more sign up.
Of course, as with the school, word-of-mouth is invaluable.
Sure you can read a blurb, but when a person you know
tells you a certain site is worth visiting, then you’re more
willing to trust in the site.
There’s been a flood of marketing for the writing school.
We’ve sent out links to over 300 search engines, media
releases, paid for a few ads and advertised on LSS. Every
instructor with a web site, newsletter, mailing list or blog
has posted notices. Linda has an extensive number of people
who run free or nominal charge places to list; we’ve done
link exchanges like the one with NorthWestWriters.com.
Anywhere and anyone who will post a link will have ours
there eventually.
Q: What kind of future do you think E-zines have?
A: I think e-zines will be around as long as the Internet is.
They’re an easy way to read prose and poetry; also to have
work published. Print magazines may be a more
permanent place for a story but the competition is fierce
and the rejection rate high. Some print mags are regional:
e-zines are worldwide. Live in Kansas? Submit to a
UK zine without the cost of postage and the long wait
for the snail mail to travel overseas.
The majority of e-zines are free and all are highly accessible
considering nearly everyone either has a PC or laptop; or
can go to the local library or coffee bar where there are
computers for public use. Besides, there may come a day
when trees can’t be cut down and turned into paper anymore.
Then what? E-zines!
More information @
http://www.northwestwriters.com
in the "Links" category.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Free Newsletter: newsletter@northwestwriters.com
Author Interviews:
http://northwestauthors.typepad.com/northwestauthors/
Book Reviews:
http://northwestauthors.typepad.com/nwbookreviews/
New Group:A “new group” for Writers as well as New &
Self-PublishedAuthors of the Pacific Northwest to network
& exchange information.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pacificnorthwestwriters
Writing Sites on the Internet for 2005. Today we're having
a chat with Sue Scott, one of the founders, on why this
magazine is so unique.
Q: Congratulations on being named among the 101 Best
Writing Sites in 2005 by Writers Digest. How does it feel
to be honored like that?
A: Thanks! We’re thrilled! Actually, we didn’t know about
the honor at first. A reader told us she saw our name on the
list. For being only two years old, it’s rather amazing. I think
our dedication to our authors helped though. All three of us
(Denise, Linda and I) have been on the rejection end of the
game and know how it feels.
Q: Your E-zine covers everything from “Story of the Month”
to “Contests” to “Poetry” to “Fiction” to “Just For Teens” to
“Women’s Issues.” With such a wide genre, how do you
sort through all the submissions?
A: We read them as just submissions, and those we decide
to accept we then place in a category. It’s easier than you
might think, but don’t tell.
Q: Do you take submissions from all around the world?
A: Yes. We get submissions from everywhere now:
Canada, India, the UK, Spain, Bulgaria… We truly enjoy
the mix of styles and slightly foreign flavor of the writing.
I remember how excited we were when we got our first
international submission (from England). It’s still
wonderful to realize how far we reach out with our stories.
Q: Although you accept submissions from men, you focus
primarily on women writers. Why did you make women
your main focus?
A: Linda has a writing forum, “Your Writing Friend,”
that is made up of women. Lss is an off-shoot of that forum,
being as all the editors belonged to it. Our original goal
was to empower women and help them get published.
After a short time we realized that accepting submissions
from men would round out the e-zine, but only if they wrote
with a slant towards women’s interests. We still primarily
get subs from women. To honor writers of both sexes this
past January we changed our blurb from “A Women
Writers’ Showcase to “A magazine for writers.”
Q: Your guidelines are very clear and specific. How long
did it take you to perfect your guidelines and can you talk
about some of the problems that led to their being so specific?
A: The guidelines are a work in progress. Writing them was
a group effort, based on our wants for the e-zine and our
experiences with other editors and e-zines. Problems have
cropped up since the start that required us to add to or
change the guidelines.
One of the first things we decided on was no porn, obscenities
or satanic stories. Although we don’t preach in any way we all
have strong Christian beliefs. Besides, we wanted people of all
ages to be able to read our e-zine. Since then, certain of the
“lighter” words have been allowed for reality of writing, but
we hold firm to the standard four-letter classics.
We’d all agreed that the worst thing about submitting was
the long wait for a reply and the impersonal form letters. Our
policy is to send an acceptance or rejection within two weeks,
and to have a personal letter with each. Often we give details
on why a piece was rejected and either offer one-=on-one help
or to look at a rewrite.
We receive attachments on occasion, and they’re promptly
rejected. With viruses rampant on the Net we can’t take
chances in opening an attachment, no matter how innocent
the sender.
Clear as we try to make them, there are still people who
obviously haven’t read the guidelines when they submit.
But what can you do?
Q: Do you send your e-zine to a mailing list?
A: No, we have a web site with a private mailing list.
That way we can make sure that mail addresses given to
us for the newsletter are secure, can’t be stolen and sold
to advertisers.
Q: What is the difference between your E-zine and your
Newsletter?
A: The newsletter has links to all the stories, poetry and
interviews on our site. It also has editors’ comments,
writing and time saving tips, bits of fun like “Ask Sue”
and author biographies that aren’t on our site. The e-zine
has all the stories, poems, etc., and can be read without
going through the newsletter.
Q: Is your E-zine free?
A: Yes, there’s no charge for the newsletter or access to
the e-zine. The only thing we charge for are the contests,
which have a $10.00 entry fee, first prize of $50.00 and
second-place prize of $25.00.
Q: How well has your magazine been accepted?
A: We have a loyal fan base that is made up of the most
wonderful people you’d ever want to meet. Considering
the e-zine celebrated its second birthday in May and the
newsletter its second birthday in June, the response has
been overwhelming. Denise, Linda and I try to be
accessible to writers. We know how daunting sending
work to an editor can be, and we want to take that fear
away. I think this friendly approach is the basis for our
success. We have 15,000 readers a month now, a number
that is always rising. Wow!
Q: Tell us about the marketing you have been doing to
get the word out about your newsletter and school.
A: We were rather inexperienced and lost when we began
LSS (the e-zine) and kind of learned as we went. Eventually
we started advertising in search engines and listings on
writing sites, etc. and that’s when our zine took off. There’s
a place on the e-zine where people can subscribe to the
newsletter, and the more readers we get the more sign up.
Of course, as with the school, word-of-mouth is invaluable.
Sure you can read a blurb, but when a person you know
tells you a certain site is worth visiting, then you’re more
willing to trust in the site.
There’s been a flood of marketing for the writing school.
We’ve sent out links to over 300 search engines, media
releases, paid for a few ads and advertised on LSS. Every
instructor with a web site, newsletter, mailing list or blog
has posted notices. Linda has an extensive number of people
who run free or nominal charge places to list; we’ve done
link exchanges like the one with NorthWestWriters.com.
Anywhere and anyone who will post a link will have ours
there eventually.
Q: What kind of future do you think E-zines have?
A: I think e-zines will be around as long as the Internet is.
They’re an easy way to read prose and poetry; also to have
work published. Print magazines may be a more
permanent place for a story but the competition is fierce
and the rejection rate high. Some print mags are regional:
e-zines are worldwide. Live in Kansas? Submit to a
UK zine without the cost of postage and the long wait
for the snail mail to travel overseas.
The majority of e-zines are free and all are highly accessible
considering nearly everyone either has a PC or laptop; or
can go to the local library or coffee bar where there are
computers for public use. Besides, there may come a day
when trees can’t be cut down and turned into paper anymore.
Then what? E-zines!
More information @
http://www.northwestwriters.com
in the "Links" category.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Free Newsletter: newsletter@northwestwriters.com
Author Interviews:
http://northwestauthors.typepad.com/northwestauthors/
Book Reviews:
http://northwestauthors.typepad.com/nwbookreviews/
New Group:A “new group” for Writers as well as New &
Self-PublishedAuthors of the Pacific Northwest to network
& exchange information.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pacificnorthwestwriters
posted by NorthWestWriters.com @ 9:39 AM
2 comments
