INFORMATION FROM A DUOTROPE SEARCH

When I obtain the post for a publisher using a Duotrope search, here is the information I look for.

First on my list is when the publisher was created. I tend to put more trust in a publisher which has been around for a while.

Next is the type of work they are interested in. Along with this, the word count is important. For short stories they may be interested in your genre, but your story may be too long to meet their requirements.

Next I look for whether they accept simultaneous submissions. It seems that lately more and more publishers are accepting them. This is beneficial, for in the past you would send a piece to a publisher and have to wait, sometimes close to a year to receive a reply. Or never get a reply at all. Now you can send your work to multiple publishers at the same time. A definite benefit. Also, you can see if a publisher accepts reprints. This gives you the opportunity to get out some previously published work and give it a new life.

In some, but not all information provided by publishers is the percentage of pieces accepted and how long it took the publisher to reply to a submission. This information could be extremely important in making your decision when sending out your work.

Finally, at the end of a publisher’s post you will find a list of other places where work submitted to this publisher has also been submitted and a direct link to the publishers on this list. Sometimes you may stumble upon a publisher not listed in your search but could be a place which might be interested in your work.

This is the benefit of a Duotrope search.

Give it a try!