I’m just the editor at a small niche blogazine, so don’t take this statement as a universal truth for every mag, but here’s the biggest reason why you won’t get published in Enchanted Conversation in 2020:
You don’t read Enchanted Conversation.
That’s really it. I’m back in the game after a two-year break, but nothing has changed. People will submit utterly inappropriate stories for the site because they don’t want to do the ”work” of actually reading the published stories on it.
But if reading EC is a job you dread, then you shouldn’t submit here.
The site does not exist to serve writers. It exists to entertain readers. Period. Therefore, be a reader of this site. Be especially vigilant about reading the Throwback Thursday posts, which feature stories I would publish again in a heartbeat. Everything you need to know about what I like will be on display for you, every Thursday.
You don’t want to copy what others have written. You want to see the structure, detail and pacing of what I like. It’s not complicated. Give your story your own fresh twist.
Fairy tales aren’t complicated, but they are a distinct genre. And if you think that any idiot can write a fairy tale, then you won’t get published. I can sense condescension in a first paragraph—I’ve encountered a lot of it over the years of publishing EC.
People who actually read Enchanted Conversation have a much higher rate of publication. They know EC and they love it. They comment. They’ve internalized the rhythm and content of the site. They use what they know to bring fresh stories to the site. That’s why you’ll see the same names often here. They aren’t my favorites—I love publishing diverse work—they just care about the site. They are fans.
So, if you want to get published here, be a fan.
Image by Norman Rockwell.