Too Much or Not Enough

When it comes to calls for submission, I often find that what the editors want is either too narrow or too broad for what I’d like to write.

Example1: Underwater Romantic 19th Century Het Erotica : Mermen and Ladies, 10-20k words

• I’d be like: Oh, I had an idea that would fit all but ONE of those requirements (mine would be futuristic, M/M or M/F, 5k words, etc.)

Example2: Erotic Romance: Send us your best…erotic romance.

• I’d be like: “But, what kind?  Which one?  I have so many ideas…which one should I pick?”  Then I’d get stymied trying to make a decision that I end up not doing it after all.

Example of What I’d Prefer:

Underwater Erotica: all time periods equally accepted, all pairings/more-ings equally accepted, 3 - 10,000 words, romance nice but not required, mermaid/mermen welcome and “other” equally welcome, realistic settings and fantasy/sci fi equally accepted.

Many times I see a call for submission and I think of my WIPs and how I can make them fit the call…only to realize I’d end up changing something very important about my story to bang the sharp peg corners out to fit the round hole.  Why don’t they want what I want to write?????

OR: The perfect call comes along—asking for something that fits an idea or WIP I have perfectly—and the due date is 3 weeks from the time they announce it.  WHY????

Why do they ask for novel-length works and only give you a 3 month window?  How about a year?

Better anthology call deadline window, all you publishers:

• Flash fiction – up to 2000 words – at least 6 weeks
• Short fiction – 2000 - 7500 words – at least 3 months
• Novelettes – 7500-17,500 words – at least 6 months
• Short Novellas – 17,500 – 30,000 words – at least 9 months
• Novellas and Novels – over 30,000 words – at least 12 months

Doesn’t that make more sense??