Got a great question today from Peter, as follows:
I generally write fantasy, and have been considering submitting something to an online magazine. They have a 6,000 word limit, and a classmate that I graduated with suggested submitting the beginning of one of my novels that I am reworking. The magazine claims “exclusive first world electronic rights for 60 days from publication, and non-exclusive anthology rights,” so I know that if the day actually comes where I attempt to publish this novel in print I would be able to without running into a problem there. Would having part of a novel published in an online magazine cause an agent or publisher to lean away from that novel?
On the contrary, Peter, a credit like that definitely goes on the plus side for an agent or editor. The key is that the online magazine doesn’t just take everything submitted to it and publishes it — that there is an acquisitions process by which some stories are judged to be better than others, and therefore worthy of publication.
In today’s internet age, with print magazines folding right and left, an established online magazine with a strong following can be a great credit for a writer.
You may want to just double-check if the magazine is on SWFA’s list of Qualifying Short Fiction Venues.
But otherwise, go right ahead and submit, and good luck!
Now, does everyone understand why the magazine’s claim on exclusive first world electronic rights won’t conflict with his future desire to publish the full novel? Let me know in the comments if that’s at all confusing!
