September 30th, 2009 / 1:59 am
Snippets
Snippets
Sam Pink—
how do you feel about readings fees. i think i understand them, i mean they make sense when explained as a way to make money, but i also seem to think they make whoever is charging them seem almost annoyed and like, forced to do what they’re doing. what is the highest reading fee you have paid.
It depends on who’s charging the fee. As an experiment to see what the fee would get me, I paid the $20 fee to submit to Narrative, but then like a jackass I sim subbed the story basically shitting that money down the toilet. I just wasn’t thinking but I still think the fee is pretty galling given that they still take months to respond AND send form rejections. What are you paying for then? The most I’ve paid is the $25 for the St. Lawrence Prize. The smallest I’ve paid is $2 to submit to ASF and The Missouri Review. These are also the only four times I’ve paid reading/submission fees.
It depends on who’s charging the fee. As an experiment to see what the fee would get me, I paid the $20 fee to submit to Narrative, but then like a jackass I sim subbed the story basically shitting that money down the toilet. I just wasn’t thinking but I still think the fee is pretty galling given that they still take months to respond AND send form rejections. What are you paying for then? The most I’ve paid is the $25 for the St. Lawrence Prize. The smallest I’ve paid is $2 to submit to ASF and The Missouri Review. These are also the only four times I’ve paid reading/submission fees.
$40 for Ucross was the most I’ve forked over so far. I’ve noticed that residency applications charge on the high end of the spectrum.
$40 for Ucross was the most I’ve forked over so far. I’ve noticed that residency applications charge on the high end of the spectrum.
Have never paid for a contest or to submit, but have paid college application fees for MFAs. Brown was the most expensive. $75.
Have never paid for a contest or to submit, but have paid college application fees for MFAs. Brown was the most expensive. $75.
I pay for contests now and then. I don’t think charging is something I”d want to do myself as an editor, but one way to charge i’ve never seen done that would make sense to me is a fee to set up an account. Like, you pay 20 bucks to be able to submit to ____ magazine through their online server twice a year or whatever. I’d feel better about doing that than paying a small fee each time.l
I pay for contests now and then. I don’t think charging is something I”d want to do myself as an editor, but one way to charge i’ve never seen done that would make sense to me is a fee to set up an account. Like, you pay 20 bucks to be able to submit to ____ magazine through their online server twice a year or whatever. I’d feel better about doing that than paying a small fee each time.l
I’ve wasted a few bucks on Narrative and Glimmer Train. Probably won’t do it again. I could see paying a contest fee to support a publication I love that I know needs the cash, but that’s about it.
Roxane—I’m with you. I feel like if I’m going to drop $20 bucks on them reading my story, then least they could tell me why that hate me.
I’ve wasted a few bucks on Narrative and Glimmer Train. Probably won’t do it again. I could see paying a contest fee to support a publication I love that I know needs the cash, but that’s about it.
Roxane—I’m with you. I feel like if I’m going to drop $20 bucks on them reading my story, then least they could tell me why that hate me.
I think charging a reading fee is bullshit. It already kind of sucks to have to turn someone down on their story, but then taking money from them as well? I could never do that. But if you really have to do it to keep your magazine afloat, then you should at least write a thoughtful note and not send out a form letter. Hell, you should take the writer out for dinner and drinks and only tell them that their story was not accepted after they’ve come.
I think charging a reading fee is bullshit. It already kind of sucks to have to turn someone down on their story, but then taking money from them as well? I could never do that. But if you really have to do it to keep your magazine afloat, then you should at least write a thoughtful note and not send out a form letter. Hell, you should take the writer out for dinner and drinks and only tell them that their story was not accepted after they’ve come.