Sunday, December 09, 2012

Open Letter to Duotrope

My dearest Duie,

Why? Why, after all these years of a mutually engaging affair, are you leaving me? Why, oh why, are you requiring payment, and $50 at that? I've given you gifts, parted with my precious bling.

Fifty big ones is a lot of dough, Duie. Especially for us writers. This past year alone my writing income included $25 for a flash piece and $50 for a poem. And this was a good year.

Sure, you are the dope! You provide us with lots of good stuff on paying and non-paying markets, ideas for similar markets. You let us track our submissions. But what is sexiest about you, Duie, are your stats. You know, the journal's percent of acceptances and rejections, wait times, all those glorious numbers which feed my day job heart.

Duie, I love your stats. I would happily contribute the $50 required to see your stats if I felt assured the rest of your clients will. But I sense a lot of writers aren't going to belly up on January 1, 2013 when your new rate goes into effect, including a lot of us faithful who have provided for your upkeep over the years. And what use will those stats be then?

Yeah, there's other joints to hang out, like New Pages. And I've gotten handy with excel for my submissions. But it won't be the same.

I'm gonna miss you, Duie. At least I've been faithful all this time, tossing you a twenty or more every year. It sure does suck the leeches made it all come to this. But before you go, thanks for the good times. Thanks for championing my successes, consoling me when rejected, providing new havens for my words. Like i said, I'm gonna miss you.

But I can't afford you anymore.

Peace...

8 comments:

  1. From the dope to dope on a rope. I'd never heard of Duotrope before, but that's me, only finding out about stuff when it costs money.

    Sorry about the end of your affair. *passes tissue and chocolate*

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    1. Just another sign of the economy. I'll be curious how many writers end up paying the $50/year. I suspect the ones who can afford it have little trouble placing their stories and poems in litmags. Thanks for the chocolate and tissues!

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  2. That's perfect, Linda. I agree. I donated to Duotrope about every quarter, I loved the site, and my brag nickname 'Popgun Daisy.' But 50 bones is a lot, and I think I can manage my submission markets and records in other ways.

    So long, Duie.

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    1. Erin, let me know how you do so. I've been scouting up sites with info and hope to compile stuff by the end of the year. Peace...

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  3. 'I'm gonna miss you.
    But I can't afford you anymore. '

    And so ends far too many relationships. Can't afford you financially and/or emotionally. I am sorry for your loss.

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    1. Ah, it's Duie's loss. He'll have to forge on without me. I'm strong :^) Peace...

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  4. It's a bummer, though doubtless the result of too many users not contributing anything. I appreciate all the time I used it, though fell off in the last two years as novel writing overtook my short fiction submissions. It's a bummer, though. Will change how that site is viewed (and how often).

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  5. I just left them this note:

    As editor of Camroc Press Review, I fear your new $50/yr fee is too high. I have contributed that much or more for several years, but if you lose a significant number of members--as is likely--my ezine will also suffer in that its stats will be much less relevant and draw less contributors in the future.

    You have often posted that less than $10 per user would meet your operating needs, so a lot of folks see your proposed new fee as exorbitant. You might want to rethink your plans going forward and see it ~$20 per year would be more appropriate.

    I am also a writer and have found Duotrope a great help in locating new markets for my own work, though most pay little or nothing. I will wait to subscribe and evaluate your new prepaid existence. I hope you haven't mortally wounded yourself.

    Thanks for all the help you've provided in the past. Duotrope has stood way above all others.

    Sincerely,

    Barry Basden

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