Submitting Stories in the Same Setting with the Same Characters?

[Sandor]

Just a quick question I was thinking about. In terms of magazine and novel submission, is there any issue or tabboo with submitting stories with th same characters and the same setting to different magazines. I know this wasnt such an issue years ago: Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, the Cthulhu Mythos, etc., but I don't know how things are nowadays, or what peoples luck have been with that. I have some wonderful characters and settings I want to put into a novel some day, but I don't want to "use them" on smaller magazines so to speak.

 

[Naomasa298]

As long as the stories are standalone, and you aren't restricted by your contract with another magazine, there's no reason why not. This could vary between mags though, so you might just want to confirm by asking the mags where other stories featuring the same characters have been published. In any case, most magazine have an exclusivity period, so after that period is over, you can definitely do what you like.

Has it been an issue you've encountered so far?

 

[Sandor]

As long as the stories are standalone, and you aren't restricted by your contract with another magazine, there's no reason why not. This could vary between mags though, so you might just want to confirm by asking the mags where other stories featuring the same characters have been published. In any case, most magazine have an exclusivity period, so after that period is over, you can definitely do what you like.

Has it been an issue you've encountered so far?

Thanks for the response. It hasn't been a problem I've encountered so far, but it's been a concern now that I've developed characters I really like, as well as settings I enjoy and want to explore.

 

[X Equestris]

I have some wonderful characters and settings I want to put into a novel some day, but I don't want to "use them" on smaller magazines so to speak.

I’m more than a little late to the party here, but I will say no publisher with open calls for submissions should ever be asking for rights to your characters or settings. That falls well outside industry standards. It’s something that belongs in the ghostwriting or work-for-hire space.

And if someone tries to spring a contract with those kinds of clauses in it on you, run for the hills!

As long as you own the rights to the characters or setting, there’s no issue with them recurring across various stories in various markets. It’s very common, especially in some of the pulpier subgenres like sword & sorcery. Of all the stories I’ve sold, about two-thirds of them feature one or the other of two recurring main characters.

 

[Sandor]

I’m more than a little late to the party here, but I will say no publisher with open calls for submissions should ever be asking for rights to your characters or settings. That falls well outside industry standards. It’s something that belongs in the ghostwriting or work-for-hire space.

And if someone tries to spring a contract with those kinds of clauses in it on you, run for the hills!

As long as you own the rights to the characters or setting, there’s no issue with them recurring across various stories in various markets. It’s very common, especially in some of the pulpier subgenres like sword & sorcery. Of all the stories I’ve sold, about two-thirds of them feature one or the other of two recurring main characters.

Thanks so much for the info. Glad know other people do this successfully.