Creative Director
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We generally try to go through the pending submission pile once a month, but during convention season (late summer) and the holiday season (late winter) we're super busy and it can sometimes take several months to get back to people.
Still, as much as I might hate to admit it, submissions sometimes fall through the cracks. The email to send submissions and follow-up questions is dungeon@paizo.com. If you can't get a response from us via that email, my personal email here is james.jacobs@paizo.com.
Hi everyone.
I was just wondering what the general time frame for examining submissions was. I believe the Dungeon submission guidelines say to contact the magazine after a month if no news has been heard.
I'm asking because I submitted something last year, and after a month tried emailing the Dungeon staff a couple of times, but without any joy.
Seismo -
I understand that at the moment they are a little backed up still from the holidays... at least that was the gist when I last checked on my submission from November. To give fair credit, my email to check on the submission in late december was responded to the same day, with a note that they wouldn't have a chance to even begin looking at queries again until january. I've been passing the time while I wait working on Campaign Workbook submissions (yeah, I know, great solution, give them MORE to look through before they respond).
...I've been passing the time while I wait working on Campaign Workbook submissions (yeah, I know, great solution, give them MORE to look through before they respond).
That's actually how a lot of the regularly-published people do it. Write, submit, write, submit, write, submit. Rather than write, submit, wait a few months. That way, if submission #1 is rejected, instead of having to start the cycle all over again, you already have proposals #2 through #77 on their desk.
Apparently the trick is to wear an editor down, so he'll publish something of yours just to make you go away. Haha.
Tony M
Oh! I've another good reason to submit heaps of proposals! That way, if the editor ever slips-up and accidentally publishes somebody he didn't intend to, the odds are pretty good it'll be YOU.
:)
Tony M
I follow the same format as Greg, getting a few submissions together at once so that James can have a look through and hopefully something will catch his eye. If you vary the submissions in terms of levels, settings and villains this also gives him chance to spot something he may need for future issues. With The Styes (due out shortly) it was in a batch of four that I submitted, in the meantime I was working on the next batch, changing my submissions to suit the changing style of the magazine. That way if you get rejections you can take James' comments away and use them on your next batch and be quickly able to resubmit your new ideas. Gregs point about practice is very valid as the more you write the easier it is to blend different parts of old submissions into something new and exciting.
By the way, Paizo also seems to have a lot of email problems. Email to customer service goes missing on a regular basis. It's quite possible that your email was one of the ones that vanished into the ether. :-)
How have you guys typically structured or worded a submission proposal? How much of the adventure is fleshed out? Also what sort of outline format have you been able to use successfully?
How have you guys typically structured or worded a submission proposal? How much of the adventure is fleshed out? Also what sort of outline format have you been able to use successfully?
I don't know about Greg but I assume like me he follows the standard submissions format, very occasionally I put a few notes at the end for James to point out a few of the adventures potential high points (ideas on say lairs and how they may look) and possible alternative villains. Its only proper that we submit adventures in exactly the same format as everyone else, plus its obviously the best way for james and the staff to easily follow what you are proposing.
I try to vary proposals, so for example the latest few vary from a comedic adventure involving ropers and actors, to an aliensy style adventure set in a prison, and vary the levels. Of course theres no guarantee that any will be accepted, James has rejected quite a few of mine and even the Styes (thanks Erik!) has had substantial rewrites which have I hope made it quite a creepy adventure, these come from feedback and suggestions from Dungeon staff as they have their own direction they want the magazine to go in (which I think having read gregs abyss adventures is spot on).
As a follow up to this, how long does it usually take from submission to resolution? Ie: After the article has been fully submitted, how long does it usually take to hear back whether it has been accepted or not?
I can only speak from my experience with dragon, but I would asssume articles and adventures for dungeon would not be two different.
that said in my experience once an artical is submitted it doesn't usually take them that long to get back to you with a Yes, No, or redo this part and send it back type email. if it is the second your the process is done, if it is the third you are basically back at sqaure one (But in a better position because it is likely that alot of what you wrote the first time is still usable, and now you have a better idea of what they are looking for in your article).
if the answer is yes... that's where the real waiting comes in. for example my Force Magic article (In Dragon #323) was published a little more then a year after I submitted it... as I understand it the wait time between when an article is accepted and when it is published can vary tremendously, depending on a whole lot of factors.
As with 'cwslyclgh', I've noticed at Dragon I consistantly get two weeks between when I submit a proposal and when they say "No." Maybe it's different with a "yes" or "edit" article, but thus far, 3 for 3 have been two weeks and a "no." Keep on trucking, that's what I say.