A few months ago I wrote a post about things that don’t excite me in submissions. None of the things in that post were absolute killers, but if a story ticks the boxes in that post, it’s less likely to make the grade with me and see publication. This post is about things I look for. If a story hits one or more of these points, it is more likely to get my attention and be selected for publication.
First, I like stories that are clean, meaning free of typos and grammatical errors. I have many times rejected stories because of poor proofreading. Sometimes I send them back to the author for them to have another go, but sometimes the errors are egregious enough that the avoidable mistakes hide the story’s promise. Every author should strive to submit clean copy. Don’t worry that the copy is not perfect. I won’t reject a story because it has a typo or two, but attention to detail is certainly a plus. On a related note, I don’t reject stories solely because they aren’t formatted according to my guidelines either, but you will certainly earn my gratitude for following them.
Second, Sword and Sorcery buddy stories are wonderful. For me, having two protagonists―or a protagonist with a sidekick―is a big plus. Having two central characters who can play off of each other adds many possibilities to what can be done with only a single central character. There can be tensions or conflict between protagonists as well as with the villain. There can be love and/or romance, actual or potential. It is easy for paired characters to have different skill sets, and that allows the author to have adversaries that require multiple approaches before they can be defeated. There is nothing wrong with the focus that a single protagonist can bring to a story, but the loner hero in Sword and Sorcery can be a cliché.
Third, I like stories told in the past tense. Swords & Sorcery Magazine publishes stories set in worlds based on our Earth’s past, and the use of the past tense reflects this. It helps to bring a feeling of antiquity to the tale that I find is often a characteristic of a good fantasy, particularly Sword and Sorcery, story. I also often find that stories told in the present tense seem forced and unnatural. What brings me into the story is being able to imagine somebody telling it in a smoky tavern over a mug of ale. “Use past tense” is not an unbreakable rule; some writers can tell masterful tales in the present tense, but when present tense doesn’t work, it really doesn’t.
Finally, I like stories that make me feel something. If the story evokes an emotional response, then it is probably a good story. It doesn’t matter what the emotion is. A story that makes me sad or afraid can be very effective. So can a story that evokes wonder or joy. There are some exceptions. If a story makes me angry, that anger should be directed at a character in the story. If reading a story makes me angry at the author…I’m not going to want to publish it. Also, boredom is an emotion. If a story bores me, it’s not going to work.
Best,
Curtis Ellett
Leave a Reply