[Bernell Spicer]

I do apologize if this has been asked and answered before, but I've spent an hour searching the boards and couldn't find anything on this question.

When subbing to Highlights, are you also subbing to High Five and to Highlightsforkids. com website?  Do they share submissions with whichever editor/venue might be most appropriate?

I have been studying the fiction on the Story Soup page of the website, and I am finding that they're often longer than 800 words. Most I've read come in at 900, and several at almost 1000 words.  But the magazine's limits are 500 and 850, depending on age.  So, does this mean that submission guidelines are different for the website material? 

Nell

[Cathie Posts: 204 Status: Offline]

I can't answer your first question but Highlights has changed the number of their word requirements. Go by the lower numbers.

[eecoburn Posts: 234 Status: Offline]

This information is a little old...I asked a Highlights editor this question a couple of years ago, when High Five was just starting out, and she said that the High Five stories were mainly done in house or with authors they had an established relationship with.  This may have changed now that High Five has been going for a few years.

[Sara Posts: 347 Status: Offline WWW]

I went to the Highlights Foundation Writer's Workshop at Chautauqua last summer.  One thing they said when someone asked that question about subbing is that High Five has a much smaller staff than Highlights, so if a lot of people sent their stuff to High Five they wouldn't have the resources to handle it.  The staff of both mags is in the same office, so my understanding is that when Highlights editors receive something that would be better suited to High Five, they pass it on.  (Actually, that's what was done with a recipe of mine several years ago.  I subbed it to Highlights, and an editor passed it on to High Five for consideration.)  I'm not sure about Puzzlemania...

Hope that helps!

[RebeccaL-G Posts: 1,130 Status: Offline RA SCBWI Cen-Cal WWW]

I've made several sales to Highlights and High Five as well as Puzzlemania.  I don't sub specifically to High Five, just to Highlights, but my pieces often end up at High Five.  I write finger rhymes, so they are for a young audience.  If the staff at Highlights thinks it's appropriate it'll find it's way over to High Five.  The contracts are the same; in the past some of the editors have been the same, although there have been some recent editorial changes.  I do not know for sure about the Highlightsforkids.com website (I've never seen any submission info specific to the web pages), but my suspicion is that these are items that were sold to Highlights and perhaps even previously published by Highlights.  When you sell to them you sell all rights, so they can use it/reuse it as they wish.  You didn't ask, but someone mentioned Puzzlemania and that is a completely separate submission.  Good luck!   They're lovely to work with. 

[Jan Fields Posts: 143 Status: Offline I came, I saw, I wrote it down. WWW]

I believe the material online is made up of older pieces from the magazine -- so you'll see longer length online than you will in the magazine today. But you don't submit for online...it's just that Highlights buys all right so one of the things they do is put older material online. And as someone said...if you send something to Highlights for very young children, it may end up in High Five. That's what happened to an action rhyme I sent highlights -- it became an accompaniment to a puzzle in High Five.

[Bernell Spicer]

Thanks to everyone who has responded. If I submit, I'll make sure the work meets the new, shorter length. But I won't get my hopes up too high; I know Highlights is a tough nut to crack.

Related question: They don't say this on their submissions guidelines page, but should I assume they do not accept simultaneous subs? I ask b/c they are known to take a long time...

Nell

[RebeccaL-G Posts: 1,130 Status: Offline RA SCBWI Cen-Cal WWW]

I don't know for sure what their policy is on exclusive/simultaneous, but I always sub to one magazine at a time.  As for Highlights' response time mine has always been very good, around 3 months, often with a "bear" card (a postcard saying please bear with us while we consider it) after a couple of weeks.  I think where it takes longer to hear back is non-fiction.  I understand they can be quite slow with non-fiction.   I find it helpful to have several pieces out at the same time, each to different magazines, so I always have something going on. 

I noticed Jan Fields posted above (Hi!) and if you're interested in writing for kid magazines you ought to check out her website.  It's all about the kids' magazine market and is very informative.  I believe the addy is www.kidmagwriters.com   

[Bernell Spicer]

Wow, thanks Rebecca!  Heading there now (even though I'm at work and should be working. Shhh!)

Nell