submitting cards to magazines

[Taniwolf]

Hello all. I will put this question out to you.
Have you ever submitted your artwork to a magzine and got
published?

I have been trying and getting frustrated at not
getting published.:angry:

ready to submit again, but not feeling up to par.:blush:

[stampin stacy]

You are braver that me, I've never submitted anything.

[alma]

I've been lucky enough to be in a couple of publications. It's important to match the artwork you submit to the publication you send it to. You don't want to send something that would go better in Cloth, paper, scissors to The Rubber Stamper.

You also want to follow the submission guidelines for each magazine. Most are pretty strict.

The important thing is to keep trying. Sometimes I think that I got published because I was persistent and the editor just wanted to reward me.

You'll never get published if you don't try.

[jhitchin]

I was published in Rubberstampmadness quite a number of years ago. I submitted a card for some topic which I can't recall and it didn't get used. Two years later they did an article on a different theme and my card happened to be still in their files so they called me (at my old number - I had moved to a different state by then) and it was included in the magazine.

I've not submitted since to magazines, but I was thinking I'd like to again since I would like to have stuff on a stamping résumé, so to speak, when selling my services as a stamping teacher. :-)

Jeff

[Elli]

Taniwolf, you have already got the most important trick to getting work published right. Keep trying! And, as Alma said, follow the magazine's guidelines.

If you visit my website there is a side button called Submission Guidelines. It has some tips for submitting your work along with themes and guidelines for submitting your work to Not Just Stamping.

[Maryann]

I have submitted, but not yet been chosen. I look over the style in the magazine, and study past winners - I think you have to psych out what the particular magazine likes and make your designs along those lines.
I only submitted my first ones a few months ago, so am still hoping.

[StampingSpud]

I've had 30+ stamped projects published in 5 different companies' publications, and I'd be delighted to answer any specific questions you have about it.

In general:

Set a goal and stick to it! When I first really decided that I wanted to be published, I sent in TEN projects a month. It's a numbers game... eventually something's going to get picked up.

Each publication (generally on the Web site and inside the pages of their magazine) has information on what their upcoming themes are AND information on where to send, etc. Previous posters are correct in that each magazine has its own style of projects that it is more likely to publish.

http://www.stampington.com/html/calls_and_challenges.html
http://www.rubberstamper.com/designs/index.cfm
http://www.vampstampnews.com/art.html
http://www.rubberstampmadness.com/submission.html
http://www.simplysentiments.com/submissions.html
http://www.drgnetwork.com/pdfs/CMg07.pdf
http://www.scrapbookandcards.com/submission1.html
http://scrapbooktrendsmag.com/submissions.html


There's also a blog dedicated to helping papercrafting artists get published -- http://pubcalls.blogspot.com

Most publications will allow you the option of sending them a self-addressed stamped envelope with your submission in order to get it returned. However, in my experience, your project is more likely to get published if you let the magazine hold on to it. Then it will be considered again in subsequent months. (I had one project that was recently published... and I submitted it SIXTEEN MONTHS before.)

Remember that it's subjective. My two very favorite cards that I've ever made weren't picked up for publication. Who knows why they pick what they pick? :)

Bottom line: Try it! You'll be glad you did!

Kim Ross
Boise, ID

[inkieroo]

Wow Kim,
What a lot of great info you gave on this subject. I know a lot of people have tried to be published and they only send in one or two cards, so you info is a great source for them to check out!

[piecesandpom]

Okay, so my one poor little card I want to submit probably won't make it.
Just had some ideas for a couple of others that would fit the theme and
can make those up to meet the deadline.

Can I post them here on my gallery, too? Or should I wait?

[StampingSpud]

I'd recommend waiting to post your creations to any public online gallery or blog until after they've been published or returned by the publication in question. :)

[Stampo]

One of the cards in the RSM before this featured our stamps and the artist happened to be in the store a few weeks ago and told me she'd sent in the card FIVE YEARS AGO! So I guess the moral of the story is to never give up!

[Stampalotsue]

Thanks, Kim, for all the links! I know we all appreciate it.

If we could all agree on a stamp, I noticed that you can do group submissions for the "Different Point of View" section in Stamper's Sampler. I thought it would be cool if we all did a card or tag, using an agreed upon stamp, and then everyone could mail to one person who would do a group submission. Does that make sense?

We would just have to agree upon a stamp.... LOL!

Susan

[Stampalotsue]

I'd recommend waiting to post your creations to any public online gallery or blog until after they've been published or returned by the publication in question. :)

so does that mean I shouldn't even post my creations to my OWN personal blog? :confused:

I understand not posting to public blogs or galleries, but just curious about your opinion on posting to my own personal site.

Thanks, Susan

[Taniwolf]

Thanks for all the help. I have to make a another batch and
get all the submission stuff done to them.
I wish i could post photos(since my computer is wonky)
its good to have a sounding board.

[stampmagick]

My feeling is that it might be easier to get published if you respond to a specific challenge or call for art/topic. Seems like most magazines group cards based on something similar, e.g. similar themes, images, or colors (e.g. in Take Ten/ Stamper's Sampler). It could very well be that your artwork is too unique to go with "the crowd"? By responding to a particular challenge, your artwork naturally fits into a group. The other way is to make a few similar cards (similar theme/color/stamp) and then they might make a page just showcasing your artwork as a group.

Hope this is useful,
Joanne