Since no one seems to like the slush pile -- neither authors nor writers -- I've been kicking around the idea that we should get rid of it. Maybe there is a better way for publishers to find work they can use, and a better way for authors to find appropriate markets. There's been a live lively discussion of this on my blog, and I'd be interested to hear what everyone here thinks.
Here's the link for background:
http://www.hanasiana.com/archives/001400.html