So issue 12 of Flashing Swords is out and available on Amazon.com.
I thought I’d promote this magazine here because it looks like the magazine’s editors are relying almost entirely on contributors to sell it. If you go to the Flashing Swords web page, the “current issue” link takes you to a Lulu page saying that the article you are looking for is unavailable, and in the listing of issues, issue 12 is not listed. There aren’t any reviews on Amazon, which is not surprising because I’m not sure how anyone would ever stumble upon the link. It’s the invisible issue.
This is a little upsetting for me. I usually submit to magazines based on readership rather than payment, because, really, even fifty bucks for a story is like paying myself fifty cents an hour for my writing. I’d avoided subbing to Flashing Swords for quite some time because readership was in the toilet, but that all changed when Crystalwizard took over. CW is now the managing editor of Abandoned Towers magazine, which is a pretty hopping place, but when I subbed my piece, she was helming Flashing Swords. CW is an excellent self-promoter, skills she probably honed selling her epic series of self-published fantasy novels. She is a woman who will get your work read. I subbed to her Time in a Bottle anthology for much the same reason.
But she left the magazine after my story was accepted, ownership changed, several issues were missed, and now we have the invisible issue.
Do I feel burned? Yeah, a little. All I can do is remember this incident the next time I’m looking for a market for a heroic fantasy short.
14 Comments(+Add)
I think you’re doing the right thing. Honestly, we do our best to promote IFP, but the author’s got to give us a bit of a hand too. I’m not saying do big stuff, but mentioning the story on your blog or Tweeting about it is a good idea.
Which reminds me, want to be interviewed Mr. Lapp? I’m always looking for more stuff for IFP.
Silvia,
I’m pleased and flattered that you’d like an interview! I’ll send you an e-mail to confirm e-mail addresses.
It sucks that you’re left in the breeze like that. I sold a story to Eggplant Literary Productions a few years back only to have the market cave before my story ran (but after payment). That was a better situation.
I’m pleased to see EDF so popular. (I followed the link you posted on the WotF forum). It will likely prove the widest readership any of my stuff has ever had!
That does suck. Being paid for our writing is nice, of course, but what’s more we want people to actually READ our writing.
From their website, I saw that their last Twitter update was back in October … Also, it’s interesting that the B&N pages lists the issue exclusively under your name. That’s at least something, right?
Good post, and it’s interesting to see someone else’s take on the situation. I’ve been watching Flashing Swords for a while now and just scratching my head.
I wrote Janrae Frank to find out what was happening. It took me FOREVER to find the new flashing swords forum, but you can see my post, and her response here.
Not very helpful.
Hi, Jordan!
I’ve heard that my illustrations for Bill Ward’s article were cut from FS #12. I was paid for my work before the hand-over, so I got something out of it. Still, it would have been nice to see the illustrations in print, or at least receive notice that they weren’t going to be used after all.
Oh well, that’s the way it goes sometimes. As the old saying goes, no sense in crying over spilt milk.
Cheers!
Richard,
Well, getting cut would be a different thing, I suppose–you can still sell the illustrations as unpublished. My story is now “published”, but won’t ever be read. That’s the real problem I have with the way things are being run.
True, although I could probably do better now anyway. And they are pretty specific to something dealing with historical Dark Age armour. Trying to salvage something from the experience, I did use at least one of the drawings, coloured in, on my web site.
However, I was seeing this from more a promotional angle; I’m just not likely to promote an issue my stuff was cut from! Call it selfish, but my good-will doesn’t quite stretch that far.
Any chance you could send the story out as a reprint to increase readership of the piece in question?
Probably, since it’ll never get read. I guess it’s just that since the magazine was so hopping under CW (the editor I subbed to), I feel a little burned that it isn’t now.
But I’m starting to get whiny. The story in question is far from my best work anyways. Time to write the next story.
Considering that I’m busy promoting t-shirts for Innsmouth Free Press this weekend, I can’t say I have much sympathy for the reply they left you at the forum. We gotta do everything ourselves because there’s no one else. That’s the nature of the fanzine.
Which reminds me, IFP merchandise with up to $20 off: http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/?p=525. Spread the word. We need the dough.
I’ll blog about it tomorrow!!
She’d be quite happy to publish your story in AT #4 if FS isn’t going to publish it, Jordan. All you have to do is get it back and send it over.
I’ll even pay you again
Hey CW!
Well, the issue is technically out, so I’m pretty sure my rights are out of my hands for a little while. Besides, I’d rather send you something new (and better!).