Because of the nature of the 'Passion for' series, we get a lot of submissions from people who haven't thought about writing professionally. So here are a few pointers:
You don't have to send us your resume`. Anyone can submit a story. Your writing is all that matters. We do get a lot of good submissions that aren't quite what we are looking for so don't take a rejection personally. If you're worried that there is something you can improve, join a good on-line or in person critique group. Writers are a friendly lot, happy to share their knowledge.
You can increase your chances by taking a few minutes to research industry standards. Speaking of industry standards, let's look at pay rate.
Green Gecko Publishing is a semi-pro market. Semi-pro pays 1 to 4 cents per word. Pro markets pay 5 cents and higher.
Some markets pay a flat rate. Five, ten, and fifteen dollars are common amounts. This allows the magazine to acquire longer stories but the per word rate is often token.
For the love markets are places that don't pay. Getting your foot through the door can be easier with these markets, but a writer doesn't want too many non-paying "sales" on their writing resume`.
Because Green Gecko Publishing pays at the semi-pro rate, we are most likely to acquire stories that are near the professional level. That makes us a pretty good writing credit to put on your resume`.