John Joseph Adams Editing Fantasy Magazine

[DKT]

Didn't see this one coming.

Starting in March, John Joseph Adams will be editing Fantasy Magazine in addition to Lightspeed and his numerous anthologies.

[Heradel]

I find reports of his selling his soul in order to avoid sleeping more credible by the day.

[Scattercat]

I find reports of his selling his soul in order to avoid sleeping more credible by the day.

Dude, you can do that?  I would seriously consider that trade...

[Unblinking]

I can't say I'm thrilled about this.  I liked Cat's editorial choices, and I liked the fact that Fantasy and Lightspeed had different styles.  Now it's basically just F&SF split into two.

Also, I dislike the change for selfish reasons.  Fantasy Magazine is the place where I've had the most "almost but not quite" variety of personal rejections.  I've never had the slightest luck writing a story that JJA would like.  Fantasy had been one of my top markets I hoped to crack some day soon, but with JJA at the helm, it's on the list of "not bloody likely" instead.

[Talia]

Well, don't let that stop you. You never know.

[Scattercat]

So how does that work, from the lowly unsolicited manuscript POV?  Can we resubmit stuff to the new editor that the old editors didn't like in hopes that he has different tastes?  Or is a rejection a rejection?

[DKT]

I can't say I'm thrilled about this.  I liked Cat's editorial choices, and I liked the fact that Fantasy and Lightspeed had different styles.  Now it's basically just F&SF split into two.

It will be an interesting change. Fantasy has a distinct feel to there stories that I attribute to Cat and Sean Wallace. I'm sure JJA will be great, though.

Also, I dislike the change for selfish reasons.  Fantasy Magazine is the place where I've had the most "almost but not quite" variety of personal rejections.  I've never had the slightest luck writing a story that JJA would like.  Fantasy had been one of my top markets I hoped to crack some day soon, but with JJA at the helm, it's on the list of "not bloody likely" instead.

Then I respectfully encourage you to do everything you can to make it more bloody likely

[DKT]

So how does that work, from the lowly unsolicited manuscript POV?  Can we resubmit stuff to the new editor that the old editors didn't like in hopes that he has different tastes?  Or is a rejection a rejection?

Typically, magazines don't want to see previously rejected stories re-submitted. OTOH, it is a new editor.

I imagine they'll address it in the guidelines one way or another as they move forward.

[Heradel]

So how does that work, from the lowly unsolicited manuscript POV?  Can we resubmit stuff to the new editor that the old editors didn't like in hopes that he has different tastes?  Or is a rejection a rejection?

Typically, magazines don't want to see previously rejected stories re-submitted. OTOH, it is a new editor.

I imagine they'll address it in the guidelines one way or another as they move forward.

I would assume that unless they explicitly say you can re-sub, it would get you a black mark amongst their slush staff.

[Scattercat]

So how does that work, from the lowly unsolicited manuscript POV?  Can we resubmit stuff to the new editor that the old editors didn't like in hopes that he has different tastes?  Or is a rejection a rejection?

Typically, magazines don't want to see previously rejected stories re-submitted. OTOH, it is a new editor.

I imagine they'll address it in the guidelines one way or another as they move forward.

I would assume that unless they explicitly say you can re-sub, it would get you a black mark amongst their slush staff.

Kinda figured.  Oh, well.

[Unblinking]

So how does that work, from the lowly unsolicited manuscript POV?  Can we resubmit stuff to the new editor that the old editors didn't like in hopes that he has different tastes?  Or is a rejection a rejection?

Typically, magazines don't want to see previously rejected stories re-submitted. OTOH, it is a new editor.

I imagine they'll address it in the guidelines one way or another as they move forward.

I would assume that unless they explicitly say you can re-sub, it would get you a black mark amongst their slush staff.

Possibly.  I have risked it before at another market, and actually got past the new slushreader, instead of the slushreader form rejection.  But here, just because Cat is leaving doesn't mean her slushreaders are leaving, and I expect they'd recognize a story that's resubmitted.

In addition, I'm assuming that this will be similar to when Lightspeed launched--because JJA was previously assistant editor at F&SF, anything that he's rejected there or for any of his anthologies should not be submitted here (unless the particular rejection said that he liked it but that it wasn't suited for that particular market).

[Unblinking]

Then I respectfully encourage you to do everything you can to make it more bloody likely

Ha, I'm not by any means saying that I'm going to stop submitting.  It's just that I think my chances of making it at the market have gone from slim to impossible.  Oh well, at least their turnaround time is fast, and I don't have to blow postage on the submission.

[Listener]

When JJA opened Lightspeed, it specifically said int he guidelines that if he'd already rejected your submission from another thing he edits, don't resubmit it. I'd go with that rule.

FWIW, Lightspeed's slush reader @inkhaven is very active on Twitter and she might be able to send JJA a quick message on your behalf.

[Ben Phillips]

I find reports of his selling his soul in order to avoid sleeping more credible by the day.

Dude, you can do that?  I would seriously consider that trade...

It's called meth, and it does not come highly recommended.  I don't know what JJA's secret is, but I doubt that's it.

[Scattercat]

I find reports of his selling his soul in order to avoid sleeping more credible by the day.

Dude, you can do that?  I would seriously consider that trade...

It's called meth, and it does not come highly recommended.  I don't know what JJA's secret is, but I doubt that's it.

Where'd I get all this energy?

[Czhorat]

From what I know, it's fine to re-submit to a magazine with a new editor. Some big-name author at a speech at a con (I think Nancy Kress, but don't quote me on that) suggested watching the editor merry-go-round to know when such an opportunity is possible.

I wonder if you could sub to the same editor at different markets; if JJA looks for something different at Lightspeed than at Fantasy.

Oh yes, and I'm back.

[eytanz]

From what I know, it's fine to re-submit to a magazine with a new editor. Some big-name author at a speech at a con (I think Nancy Kress, but don't quote me on that) suggested watching the editor merry-go-round to know when such an opportunity is possible.

I'd say it depends on more than the editor - if an editor changes but slush readers remain the same, you may find the same person reading your story the second time.

[Czhorat]

Fair enough, but for the most part we don't know the slush readers. We do know editors.

[Unblinking]

Fair enough, but for the most part we don't know the slush readers. We do know editors.

That's the trouble.  If you don't know the slush readers, you don't know when they come and go.  And therefore you're pretty likely to make yourself look bad in their eyes.

Not that you can't do it, I would just consider veeeeery carefully before you do so.