My short fiction piece, “The Borealis Eclipse”, was published in the September 2023 issue of Cricket magazine.
When I first started pursuing publication, I decided that I would start with magazines. I wanted the practice, the resume, and frankly, the income. Magazines have a greater need for short pieces since many put out an issue multiple times a year.
But breaking into magazines isn’t easy. It takes a long time, a lot of work, and persistence—just like with all things writing and publication. And just because the magazines are for children, doesn’t mean the work is easier; if anything it’s harder, in my opinion. Kids aren’t going to read a story just because. They want to be entertained. And you need to catch their attention in a only few words.
Where I Got my Story Idea
The story is about a giant fling machine created by a Professor Valgorium and his ward and apprentice Jedidiah. I had originally written this story as a contest entry, where the prompt was “What a time to be alive!” It immediately kick-started my mind into someone shouting this idea after surviving a close call.
I had also been reading a lot about the the current war in the late 1800s between Thomas Edison and Nicolai Tesla as research for an article that never sold. As a result my mind was in that mindset and time period.
It inadvertently picked up some steampunkish vibes as I drafted because of the time I set it and the concept of a giant flying machine.
I had originally submitted this story for Spider, but it was accepted for publication in Cricket, which was more than fine by me!
Curious how to take your story idea to publication? Download my FREE eBook, The Wring Process and get a step by step guide to walk you through the writing process.
Writing the Story
Surprisingly, this story came together rather easily. (Probably because me mind was already existing in the past with all of the research I had done.) I also knew that adding a “ticking bomb” element really helps raise the stakes. In this case, there was a leak in a fuel line that would have led to an enormous and fatal crash. (Da-dum!)
One thing about writing for younger audience is that is a challenge is stay within the word count guidelines. Cricket has guidelines of no more than 1800, which isn’t that much room to pack a lot of action in. So to keep things moving and stay within the word count, I keep descriptions to the minimum. Illustrators can decide what characters look like, I don’t need to. I want to give enough information and narrative to give readers a footing in the story, but not waste my word count describing details they don’t need.
The Submission Process
Cricket accepts submissions through Submittable. While it might seem less personable, I love Submittable because it super simple, and you get a response. (Nothing drives me crazier than never getting a response!)
Since this was for a specific call, there was a due date that I had to meet. I love due dates and deadlines because I respond well to limits and knowing my time frame.
I submitted via Submittable, following their guidelines and including a cover letter. I’ve written so many cover letters over the years, I have a pretty good idea of how to do it now. You can see an example of how I write a cover letter here.
Response Time
Most magazines will give you a general idea of their response time. Cricket lists their as up to six months, and I think it was about that long before I heard anything.
It can be incredibly frustrating to wait to hear back from a magazine, agent or publisher, but believe me, you don’t want to be the nagging writer that emails repeatedly. That’s unprofessional and annoying. Don’t do it. If, after the listed response time you still haven’t heard, then follow up. I’ve done that before, but never before the the time indicated in their submission guidelines.
One thing to keep in mind, the longer you wait to hear back, often the better your chances. So if you’ve been waiting for a year (yes, that has happened to me), take that as a good sign, even if the piece isn’t accepted. Often it means the piece was good enough to take the time to consider it.
What about you?
Any submission success? What are your experiences in submission and rejection or acceptances?
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