Calls for Submissions? Know Anything About "the Business"?

[JRR006]

Where does one find calls for submissions nowadays? Subscribing to websites for writers, or in print magazines, or friend-of-a-friend networking?

Are "calls for submissions" even what the amateur author who is just starting out wants to focus on? Obviously no publisher is going to approach a nobody about their work, but is it better to submit stuff when there are requests for certain types of stories, or is it better to try to shop one's own work around outside the bounds of an explicit call for material?

Any good web resources for researching this sort of thing ("the business"?) would be appreciated. Thanks to my many college literature courses I know what writing is about, but now I'm curious what the writing business is about. How do you guys go about it? What resources do you use? Any experts here? :)

[alienmastermind]

Best to use the Writer's Journal. It's pricey, but it's got a solid listing of where to go.

Also, paying attention to the types of things you write, and the genre they fall into, that'd be a big help in knowing who to submit to.

[bean]

Best to use the Writer's Journal. It's pricey, but it's got a solid listing of where to go.

Also, paying attention to the types of things you write, and the genre they fall into, that'd be a big help in knowing who to submit to.
Most libraries will have an uptodate writer's journal. Barnes & Noble always has them and will let you look at them and write out the contacts you need. Bring a pad and paper (and money for coffee so you aren't a complete mooch).

Plus, be sure it's good. Editors remember names, and they are less likely to read one of your submissions after you've sent them something bad previously. They could even blacklist you.

If you aren't sure it's good, have someone whose opinion you respect as a competent reader (English professor, published author, etc.) read it and give you notes. Professional writers do this too. They even have workshops with other writers specifically for this.

Good luck.

[alienmastermind]

Bean is correct, as well.

[JRR006]

Cool, sounds like you guys were the place to go for info and advice. Thanks :)

[Doctor Setebos]

Another thing you can do is find websites and blogs in the areas/genres you're interested in. Sometimes they will post news when calls for submissions open up in publications related to that particular genre. I follow scifi publishing, and subscribe to SFScope (http://sfscope.com) in addition to tons of other author blogs and scifi/fantasy magazine news feeds so I can keep up-to-date with the market.

Not that any of that actually helps me to create any works of fiction. But it makes me feel like I'm making progress towards....something. :D