BUZZY Looking for Authors

[Mickey Finn]

Submissions rules: http://www.buzzymag.com/submissions/

[Kali]

"If we feel your work is a good fit for Buzzy Mag we will contact you via email. At that time we will assign you to a Beta reading group consisting of two or three other authors. There your work will be read by two other beta-readers who will give you feed-back and criticism. You will be expected to do likewise for each of them in return. After the beta reading process is completed, and if we accept your story, we will send a contract to you for signing. Once we receive your signed contract, your work will proceed over to our professional editors."

Uh... no.  I'm not submitting to have my stuff beta-read by anyone who can bang their head on a keyboard and fill out an envelope.

[Mickey Finn]

"If we feel your work is a good fit for Buzzy Mag" is the key phrase.

However, you essentially wait 3.5 months, like normal, but instead of being accepted or rejected, you're placed in beta limbo, and then maybe you're accepted once that process is completed. It seems rather odd.

I'm also a tad confused about the lack of email allowances, when they're hip to  Facebook, Live Journal, and Twitter in the submission guidelines and want that information.

[Starbeam]

Maybe they're leery of viruses, or something like that.  They have a FB page, and a twitter account. Couldn't hurt to ask why.

And Kali, with Buzzy, if anything happened with someone stealing a story, I think they'd be on it just as quick as you. I've met two or three of the women, and they're all nice.  Plus one is a professional beta and writes books herself, so I'm sure she wouldn't put up with anything like that.

[Mickey Finn]

Oh, they're great people

[trboturtle]

"If we feel your work is a good fit for Buzzy Mag" is the key phrase.

However, you essentially wait 3.5 months, like normal, but instead of being accepted or rejected, you're placed in beta limbo, and then maybe you're accepted once that process is completed. It seems rather odd.

I'm also a tad confused about the lack of email allowances, when they're hip to  Facebook, Live Journal, and Twitter in the submission guidelines and want that information.

The stories I submit to Battlecorps.com (Officail Battletech fiction site) are all via Email. They changed the rules awhile back to streamline the process (Sending stories out for Continuity for example, is a lot easier by electronic means). And if they do stick you in a beta poll, I would think sending and receving stories would be better by electronic than by mailing copy after copy to two or more fellow writers.

Craig

[buzzymultimedia]

Hi Folks,

It's J&J from Buzzy.

On Beta Reading:  The beta boards we are setting up are 100% PRIVATE.  Uninvited guests will not be allowed to comment or read your work.    For example, if you choose to only have one beta read (where you help one person and in return one person will beta for you) -- then only the two of you plus the board moderator will have access to the works.    We will only ask someone to go through a beta read if we feel strongly that there is potential in the story and it needs just a little more help.    A beta read helps everyone - it can turn a rejection (ie. we feel it needs a tremendous edit) into a yes let's go forward with a particular story.   

The moderator of the board will have a set of rules for everyone to abide by, so if you are working with a group of betas and someone is being out of line, she will be there for you to turn to.   Also the board moderator (Theresa Bane) is a Beta reader for Jim Butcher and a published author.    A beta read should only take a about a week, so you would have an answer rather quickly -- not in limbo. 

The professional editors who will be working on the stories that have gone through a beta process are published authors themselves who are or have worked in major publishing houses.   Buzzy seeks the best.

No Emails Attachments:  VIRUSES - we have gotten them, and desire to avoid them. 

FYI - The pay rate will be 5 cents per word

Contact us with any questions, we will be happy to answer.

[Landing]

Thanks for the info Buzzy people, its nice to know you treating this in such a professional manner. I was wondering if you could give us some more specifics of what you are looking for in stories. For instance I have a couple fantasy/humor/satire short stories would you be looking for stories like that?

[buzzymultimedia]

We are not attempting to box authors in to what is the trend of the day. More important is the quality of the writing and the ability of the author to engage readers. That means having characters worth caring about and situations that grab you by the throat and hang on. Can that be satire?  Sure. Not the easiest thing to get right but if you feel you have, then bring it on.

June aka Buzzy Lady #2

[Mickey Finn]

" Also the board moderator (Theresa Bane) is a Beta reader for Jim Butcher and a published author."

This is excellent news...Terry is fantastic.

And yay on the lack of limbo! Thanks for posting here.