Ever wondered how many stories you should send in at one time? Here’s our guide to submitting stories.
Can I submit more than one piece of work at a time?
Yes, you don’t have to limit submissions to one story at a time.
Should I wait to receive feedback on one story before sending another?
No, it’s fine to have stories at various stages – you don’t have to wait for the verdict on one to send in another.
Should I send them in the same envelope?
Separate envelopes, please. When stories are waiting to be read, they stay filed in their envelope, in the reading queue.
On each envelope we take a note of the length, genre, and time of year each one would be suitable for. So it’s helpful for us to be able to file each one separately.
Poems can be sent in the same envelope.
Will my story be read more quickly?
We don’t always have time to read multiple submissions in one sitting. So sending stories separately means that they’re more likely to be passed to Fiction Ed Shirley more quickly.
We’re mindful of cost
We’re mindful of the rising costs associated with submitting stories and poems. However, in our experience, the safest way to send your work in is by post. When your story arrives, it’s logged immediately, with each story or poem given a unique code to ensure it can be tracked quickly.
It wouldn’t be practical for us to receive email submissions – there just isn’t enough space in our inboxes! The only exceptions are for rewrites, and for overseas contributors.
If you’d like your stories returned
However many pieces of work you submit, if you’d like them to be returned to you in the event that they’re unsuccessful, please remember to enclose an SAE. And always keep a copy.
For more hints, tips and tricks for writers, visit our writing tools pages.