By Dr. Satyawan Saurabh
There has been a long-standing debate in the literary publishing world about whether an author should have the freedom to send his works to more than one magazine. While editors are free to publish or not publish any work, and no time limit is imposed on them, why should not an author have the right to send his work to as many places as he wants? This question has become even more relevant in today’s digital age, where the speed of dissemination of information and content has become extremely fast.
Most editors believe that the credibility and reputation of a magazine depend on the fact that the material published in it is original and unique. If a work has already been published in another magazine, then the readers would have already read it, which may affect the uniqueness of the new magazine. Editors also believe that if the same work is published in many places, then the readers may lose trust in the magazine.
In addition, another important argument from the editorial point of view is that if an author submits the same work to multiple places and it is accepted by multiple editors, it may create confusion between journals. Therefore, many journals follow the policy that they will accept only those works that have not been published elsewhere before.
From the point of view of the authors, this policy sometimes seems unfair. When the editor has the freedom to choose the best material for his magazine, the author should also have the right to increase the chances of publication by sending his work to as many places as possible.
Sometimes editors hold on to articles for months and eventually reject them. This wastes the author’s valuable time, and their work remains unpublished for a long time. Many authors wait for months or years just to submit their work to a magazine, but if it is finally rejected, their options are limited.
Also, every magazine has its own readership. If a work is published in many places, it can be beneficial for the author as his work reaches more and more readers. It has also been observed that different magazines focus on different topics so that the author’s work can reach the right readers on different platforms.
In today’s digital age, where there are plenty of blogs, online magazines, and social media platforms, this debate has taken on a new form. While earlier writers had to struggle to get published in print magazines, now they can publish their works on various online platforms.
Now many online magazines and blogs are providing platforms where writers can publish their works without any restrictions. This is not only giving more freedom to the writers but also increasing the availability of content for the readers.
Many big media houses and digital publishing groups are also adopting the process of ‘content syndication,’ where the same content is republished on different platforms. This gives writers an opportunity to reach more viewership and readers.
Eventually, the solution to this debate lies in establishing a balance. But is a perfect balance possible?
The answer to this question is not easy, but this debate can encourage transparency and dialogue in the literary community. If journals respect authors’ rights and authors understand and act in accordance with editorial policies, a better publishing culture can be created.
- Dr. Satyawan Saurabh is a freelance journalist and columnist, radio and TV panellist. Views expressed are author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect KO’s editorial policy.
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