Lessons from a first reader on Into the Dark
blog ·In 2024, I had the opportunity to be a first reader (or first line reader) for the All Worlds Wayfarer Into the Dark anthology. AWW is extra special to me because they published my first fiction story in 2023 and their vibes and vision jive with mine. Rowan Rook and Geri Myers, the editors, are wonderful so I jumped at the chance to work with them.
As an author, seeing the other side of story submissions and publishing was eye-opening. The sheer number of stories to read would have been overwhelming if we didn’t have a small team to tackle them together.
If the story didn’t fit the genre or wasn’t polished enough, the decision was clear cut. The theme was somewhat subjective and less straightforward. It called for “character-driven dark fantasy and fantastical horror stories that take on challenging themes, spark fear and wonder and so many other emotions, and immerse the reader in extremes of experience.”
As a reader, I love stories that make me feel something and take me on an immersive journey with a character. Some stories resonated with one of us more than another. Some weren’t really my cup of tea but I could separate myself from my biases and see how they fit the theme and how others might enjoy them. To me, this is what I love about stories and their subjective nature: we need a variety of stories to suit a variety of individuals so everyone can find ones they love.
As a team, we discussed the marginal stories, and made tough decisions. We chose a selection of speculative stories that I hope will resonate with, enthrall, and evoke emotion in a variety of readers.
Being a first reader gave me a greater appreciation for the work editors and first readers do. So much time, energy, and work go into reading, accepting/rejecting, polishing stories before producing, publishing, and promoting. I’m grateful for the people who get stories out into the world.
There are so many writers out there with interesting ideas, takes on familiar themes/tropes, and storytelling skills. Some grabbed me right away, others took until the end to truly appreciate.
Assessing stories is somewhat subjective. The line between acceptance and rejection can be marginal. Rejection doesn’t necessarily mean your story isn’t “good”. Maybe another just fit a bit better. If your story is polished enough and resonates with the right reader, it will find its home.
Following submission guidelines is key (especially word count, genre, and theme). Fit can be hard to assess. If in doubt, submit, and find out. The worst that happens is a rejection, then you’ll know and you can move on to another publication.
It was a wonderful experience I encourage others to try if given the chance, especially authors, aspiring authors, and enthusiastic readers.
The Into the Dark anthology is available from:
Bookshop.org
Barnes and Noble
Ebooks.com
Kobo
Amazon