The Back Alley http://www.backalleywebzine.com/ has closed to submissions until further notice. Editor, Richard Helms, says that due to their new standing as an approved market by the Mystery Writers of America they are overwhelmed with subs and need to work their way through the slush pile. Ah...the lure of an Edgar nomination! And yes, that was probably uncalled for, but I find it amusing that writers who look down their noses at online zines are suddenly jumping on the bandwagon because they're approved by the MWA. Let's face it, the pay is the same as when this zine launched two years ago. Where were all of these writers then?
Yes, it's a pet peeve of mine that writers don't support the zines until there's something in it for them. Or am I looking at this all wrong?
And yes, I'm pleased that they've been approved because I've long held that some of the best writing can be found in the online zines, something writing organizations tend to ignore because the payment isn't there. Getting cash for words doesn't always produce the best story.
9 comments:
That's why I appreciate writers like Reasoner, Randisi, Zeltserman, and Zelvin (to name a few) showing up at BTAP. Good folks one and all.
You're right there, David! ThugLit, BTAP, PulpPusher and many other have been lucky with their support by published authors. I think as the print market shrinks more and writers will find themselves published in some kind of electronic form.
It may not be only because of that. I think he has been having some family issues and also from time to time in the past, he has been overwhelmed with submissions. I don't know how anyone keeps up with this endeavor.
"Yes, it's a pet peeve of mine that writers don't support the zines until there's something in it for them."
(claps)
(jumps on chair and claps even more emphatically)
That was the reason he gave, Patti, but I do know he has a book coming out and family does tend to overwhelm us at times. Keeping up a publishing schedule for a sucessful zine could probably drive a person mad. :)
Hey, Cormac! Nice to see you here!
Sandra,
Sorry, I'm usually quietly lurking here five to six times a week.
I do the same thing, Cormac! I just hadn't "seen" you around in a while and was happy to see your smiling words.
It gives us all hope! I would really like to see Twist of Noir, BTAP, CrimeFactory and my sites Powder Burn Flash and Darkest Before the Dawn also be considered for MWA approval.
So would I, Aldo! But their major criteria for approval is that the zines pay $25 per story - that's pretty steep when it comes out of one person's pocket. Hopefully the zines will find a way to earn money, either by selling ads or publishing on Kindle or one of the other devices.
Oh yes, and welcome to the corner, Aldo!! Nice to see you here.
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