JP Wagner

Does anyone think there would be a general submission rate for the average science fiction novel to be published? I know the general thought is "if its good enough it could get published on the first try" but realistically speaking, people say that 100-150 submissions is average for a standard novel.

For a sci fi novel, any idea?

Anyone have any idea of any good books that list science fiction publishers and or agents besides the writers market?

thanks in advance.

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dwellerofthedeep

I think I've heard that if you write 4 science fiction novels and try to sell all of them to the best of your ability then at least 1 will be sold almost every time. Of course, I'm not sure if I know anyone with the resolve to write 4 books before seeing any of them in print.

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strangedaze

Uh, I dunno about that. What if all four are written by someone who's a fucking idiot?

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Mike C

It ain't necessarily so. As SD says...

What I do know is this; most first novels don't get published. Writers often get to their second, third or fourth before getting published (not the same thing).

As for submissions, this discussion recently came up on BS amongst the published members. Yes, there will always be the lucky few who get a bite on their first query, but the consensus was that anything up to 100 subs was likely.

I don't think it's different for SF or any other genre.

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ClancyBoy

Or what if the author is Killgore Trout?

(He's no idiot, just unlucky.)

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Mike C

Kilgore Trout is the finest writer of SF the world has ever seen.

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ClancyBoy

Why can't he get published then? That's so unfair.

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Mike C

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dwellerofthedeep

I didn't suppose I was right but this was the closest thing to relevant information I had. The idea is that if you improve and have 4 novels good enough to be published then statistically you will be published at least once. Of course, it's an average or something so the number isn't exactly right for any one person. If a writer sucks then luck is an even bigger factor I imagine.

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JP Wagner

lol well, i'm working on my 5th novel as of presently. all of them are sci fi. the first two sucked so bad i would never try to get them published. it's actually the fourth one i've been submitting, as I'm still in the work of mauscripting the third one. (the plot to the fourth one was just way more interesting in my opinion)

so i dunno if people mean first novel WRITTEN or first novel submitted. this is my first novel submitted. (submitted many short stories) but this is the first novel im actually trying for out there. so far, it's been rejected 12 times.
as my Dr. Friend said though, "12 submissions? you're about 10% of the way there" heh. (took him 150 submissions to get his autobiography "Failure" published)
i've taken to submitting to 5 new agents/publishers a week until I run out of money or publishers to send to. after i have at least 100 potentials i figure I'll start sending in the other one. upping my chances.

thanks for the advice people,

any more anyone has is greatly appreciated as well.

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Mike C

If a writer sucks, he needs more than luck.

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