Duotrope VS The Grinder

If you're a writer without an agent, you're probably spending way too much time searching for potential publishers. I search on google, I log on MS Excel. I have the skills to do it myself, but I have not been writing all summer. Why? Because I'm juggling the submissions of 1 novel, 3 short stories, multiple poems and a novella. It doesn't seem like much, but when you factor in the searching, the rejections and re-submissions, it can become quite time consuming.

The second issue with google searches is the results are saturated with outdated calls for submissions. I read, I get excited and then buried somewhere in the text is the end date of the call. I have seen some that are five years old.

I need to write - not spend so much time submitting. So the question is:

Should I try an agent who will take approximately 14% of my royalties and might not even search and submit for me (not all agents perform those tasks)?
Or should I move to a query database online to refine my searches?

I decided to try the query database. I looked at quite a few and settled on Duotrope because of the following:

a database of current fiction, non-fiction and poetry markets
a search feature for those markets
a deadline calendar
a way for writers to track and log their submissions
useful stats on each market

Just as I was cringing at the thought of spending $50 US (couldn't find any online coupons), I did a last search and found The Submission Grinder.

The Submission Grinder is also a database of current markets that offers a search function and an opportunity for writers to log and track their submitted writing. And it's free.

Is it valid?

2252 listed markets (1039 open)
1372 users

The search feature is wonderfully complex. Writers can search markets by story genre, style, subject and length AND market pay scale, submission type (electronic/postal), response time OR market name. Writers can also request the search only return markets that allow simultaneous submissions or reprints. Or select only anthologies or contests in the returns. However, you can only search Fiction markets.

Another interesting feature is the option to log your submissions and report on response times. This collection information creates a database on each market that can provide reports. You can use the reports to compare your response results with the average market responses. (Sign up for the next blog, which will focus on this topic).

I'm going with The Submission Grinder. It's free. I can't lose. I spent a hour on it yesterday. I searched markets for a number of my submit-ready writings. Out of the search results I'm getting a 75% success rate, which means 75% of the returns are valid, current markets who could potentially publish my work. In google I was finding approximately 1 potential market per 4 pages of returned results. That's a lot of wasted time and effort.

Here's hoping The Submission Grinder improves my efficiency. Let me know if you've tried it and what you think in the comment section.

First Steps in the Scrivener Waltz

1-2-3, 1-2-OMG! I finally did it. I purchased Scrivener. Now I have to hold onto my self-worth as I try to wrap my brain around the interface. I keep telling myself, so many experts can't be wrong , right? Surely, when I've mastered this program, I'll come out on top. On top meaning I will have a tool that will give me more functionality, save me more time, and overall, make me a more organized and efficient writer. Currently, I'm doing pretty good with a combination of MS Word and Excel, so this baby better be awesome to convince me to convert for long term. So I start to learn it like I learn all things - jumping in with both feet. Click, click, click, click.... cli... That didn't work. So basically, I've purchased the Scrivener software that experts are saying is functionally amazing, but its user interface is so non-intuitive, I can't figure it out, and I used be an Internet Business Consultant. Surely my skills aren't that rusty...

How to Use MS OneNote to Organize Writing Research and Novel Outlines for Writers

Let’s Get Organized Writers take a gazillion notes. I don’t have to tell you this, because you know all about it. You also know how difficult it is to organize notes, search through paper notes, and sometimes even find all the notes you've written. In this day and age, going digital is the best way to keep track of your notes. If organized properly, digital notes are sortable, searchable, editable, accessible from anywhere, and light as a feather to carry around. In this blog, I'm going to show you how to be note-efficient. ____________________________________________________ The following is an excerpt from "Technology #WritingTips for Writers". First 100 subscribers at http://www.cherylcowtan.com get a free copy at book launch. _____________________________________________________ The first step in getting note-efficient is finding the right software. For writers, finding a software that will meet all of our needs is like trying to pic...

How to Edit Overused Words in Your Novel Manuscript

Wordle for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Wordle is probably the easiest tool for finding overused words in your novel, because you just paste your entire manuscript into Wordle and wait for the results. Wordle creates an image of the most often used words in the text, increasing the font size of a word based on how many times it was used. The Pride and Prejudice Wordle is interesting as a comment on societal manners at the time it was written by Jane Austen (Mr, Miss, Mrs). Wordle will increase the font of words used more often in your Manuscript. The Wordle above is from my current manuscript The Fergus She . If you notice, the word "Angus" is in the largest font. Angus is hotter than this! The visual is telling me I used "Angus" more than any other word, which is good beca use he's the hot highlander my protagonist, Rachel, is lusting for. W here is Rachel's name? you might ask. The Fergus She is written in first ...

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