# Anyone know the pro short story markets for dystopia/post-apocalyptic/science fiction



## Theglasshouse (Sep 23, 2018)

Does anyone know the pro short story markets for dystopia/post-apocalyptic/science fiction? I only know one which is lightspeed which likes this subgenre a lot but it is not open this year yet. It is TBA.

I am thinking the market must say explicitly in their guidelines they like it. Because if not the theme won't fit the magazine or the sub-genre. That decreases the odds of me being picked even though the story might be "decent" or good enough for them.

I am trying not to spend a lot of money since I need to buy something expensive to help with correcting my stories' English. That I should not spend a lot. Duotrope seems like maybe a choice? Is it that specific when you need an answer as to what market is best for your short story? When you browse it, can you spot the subgenre most likely to be accepted?

Thanks in advance for any answers. I was thinking anything over 6 cents a word I hope I can find. Or 3 cents a word at least. The length of the short story is 8210 words. Anthologies sometimes are the best picks for long works it seems of this length. But magazines have a bigger reach and audience. But these are much more difficult to be accepted in.

I don't know if this is the correct section. It, of course, the thread can be moved if it isn't the right one.

I haven't discarded the option yet to invest in duotrope.


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## moderan (Sep 23, 2018)

http://www.ralan.com/m.pro.htm
https://www.sfwa.org/category/information-center/advice-for-new-writers/where-to-submit/
http://marysoonlee.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mag.html


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## Theglasshouse (Sep 23, 2018)

I appreciate the answer to my question. Thank you.


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## Ralph Rotten (Sep 23, 2018)

As a dystopian/post-apocalyptic author I wish I could offer you some help, but I Indie publish all my EOW stuff, then spread the word via survivalist & prepper forums.
Are you dead-set on going the classic publishing route?


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## Theglasshouse (Sep 23, 2018)

The short answer is yes I am still thinking of doing that.

Thank you for offering to help me. I know we have different viewpoints on this because I am going the short story route. 

Well, I wanted to enter it firstly for reasons of wanting to promote anything such as a novel. If I want to write a novel someday. I need the publishing credits so when I attempt the novel I can promote the fact I got published by the well-known magazines of the field. I could try the classical route, but need confidence in my abilities. I need feedback of the supposed expert editors so that maybe one day they could recommend me I figure to a publisher. So that I can get a feeling what sells. What my successes are and what my failures are and where it leads me. 

If I write one particular genre for a good while, and publish it for example. Maybe I could turn that into a novel. It could sell as short stories.

Writing short stories gives a sense of accomplishment and some decent experience.

Not to mention I could make my name known in the industry. What does it mean to make a name in the industry anyways? Probably I'd need publicity.

I am a long ways off since I need to read what comes out in stores consistently. I need to know who the experts are or were, and why they sell. I figure if I could sell work that is in a brand magazine, it's also publicity. Why so? Because I have the perceived notion that people need connections or need to know people who work in those industries. If someone wants to give me a chance, it will be with the previous experience I have already learned from. I have to learn from my mistakes.

I still have to figure out whether a novel would be the smart thing to do. But if I can handle short stories with consistency then I can write a novel. I know a novel is a more complex task. I am still waiting to be honest until I write consistently correct English.

Because I think I can handle writing short stories with practice. If I intentionally write long ones and switch the characters it could become a novel even. Especially if it gets published somewhere. I read that this strategy is done often by some authors.

So first I need practice, then I can think to attempt the novel, and when to do so. But first I need to do everything an author is supposed to do. Marketing work will probably be a result of getting published in different magazines. Which I know a different genre is required it seems at first glance.

I am a long ways off because I need to have the tools to succeed. (I am always exploring ways to improve my disadvantages when I am dyslexic supposedly). I am taking that seriously of course, and I plan on writing using the best software.

Your way of writing and marketing I respect. I just have a different way of thinking and a different set of circumstances.


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## Ralph Rotten (Sep 23, 2018)

Have you read much EOW literature?
If not, start with the classics: Earth Abides, Lucifer's Hammer, Calizona, The Stand, The Road, Level 7...


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## Theglasshouse (Sep 23, 2018)

I already bought 3 books to read this month. I don't think I can finish over 2400 pages this month. I am building a collection. Just when I need inspiration it has been handy to buy books and was inspired a bit when rewriting. I want to experiment with genres I have never written since that is one of the points writers hear often. To read as much as possible. To be inspired by any genre. I don't feel like splurging on books yet when I have to read what I have currently bought. Thanks though.

To answer your question I am familiar obviously with some end of the world stories. Sure it would be nice to read them. But apocalypse fiction isn't my main focus. It's a subgenre I liked so I tried to write one. I want to learn a little bit of everything since it needs to be my habit. I need to read a little bit of each genre. Even non-speculative genres I could learn from.


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## Theglasshouse (Sep 24, 2018)

I decided to give an update on the situation. I will sign up for duotrope for 1 month. I figure since the pay scale and market I want to find is what I am trying to find. Which is difficult to find this time of year.


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## Sam (Sep 24, 2018)

Ralph Rotten said:


> Have you read much EOW literature?
> If not, start with the classics: Earth Abides, Lucifer's Hammer, Calizona, The Stand, The Road, Level 7...



_The Road _gets way too much praise. It's not even McCarthy's best novel, IMO. 

If you want the grandfather of dystopian fiction, look no further than Zamyatin's _We. _Afterwards, take Kafka and Huxley for a spin. Orwell took most of his inspiration from those three and often gets credit where it isn't due. Bester wrote one of the greatest dystopian novels that almost no one knows about: _The Demolished Man_. Don't overlook overpopulation fiction either. Aldiss' _Hothouse, _Harrison's _Make Room, Make Room!, _and then you have cyberpunk stuff like P.K.D's _Ubik, _Gibson's _Neuromancer, _and prety much anything by John Brunner. 

Modern end-of-world pa is marred significantly by zombie fiction, much like vampires on the horror end of things. Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven, and Ray Bradbury have some good entries. Going further back, so, too, Jack London and H.G. Wells. Richard Matheson's _I am Legend _should be read just to see how one should write vampires. As the man once said, "No one cares to film it the way I wrote it", which is why many people don't even know that the original is about vampires and not the zombie-like creatures in both of its major screen adaptations. 

And I'm sure Moderan will have a few to add.


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## Ralph Rotten (Sep 24, 2018)

I was just recommending the pillar books of apocalyptic fiction, the must-reads.
If you wanna write in that genre without covering old ground, then those would be the books to read.
Most of them still sell well, too.


And McCarthy's books always have such dark endings you can almost predict how they'll end: everybody is gonna die.


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## moderan (Sep 24, 2018)

I can't read McCarthy. His punctuationless affect and his lit'ry snobbery kill his work for me. Don't even hand me Atwood. UBIK is cyberpunk?
SWAN SONG>THE STAND
ALAS, BABYLON
ON THE BEACH
FARNHAM'S FREEHOLD
334
DAVY
WHERE LATE THE SWEET BIRDS SANG
BLOOD MUSIC

Who reads LEVEL 7? Roshwald disappeared long ago.
Nice try plugging your book, Ralph.


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## Kevin (Sep 24, 2018)

Earth abides got pretty predictable nearer the end. It was as if it were blending into an already-been-told story.    It was cool, though, the way things from the before-time broke down, the descriptions of the changes, overall, combined with the emerging culture of the tribe. 
The Road, I had no clue what would happen. The mood was entirely dismal, but it did end on a high note. For me, that was the most significant, effective part. 
The Gold at Starbows End was sort of uplifting ( literally for the ones who would get 'uplifted')  but again it drifted into a set trope of someone else's end times story. Okay, with a spin, but still. 

Only someone thinking way too much about these have these sort of complaints. Sometimes you just have to enjoy a thing for what it is and quit with the analyzing.


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## Ralph Rotten (Sep 25, 2018)

moderan said:


> Who reads LEVEL 7? Roshwald disappeared long ago.
> Nice try plugging your book, Ralph.





I didn't write level 7. I was like 12 when I read that book.

Or were you referring to my reference to Calizona?
Yes, I put the *shameless *in shameless self promotion. :twisted:
Books don't sell themselves.


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## moderan (Sep 25, 2018)

Mordecai Roshwald wrote Level 7. It's in my library. You can figure out the rest


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## Ralph Rotten (Sep 25, 2018)

You have a copy of Level 7?  That's way cool.
I loved that book back in the day. It actually influenced Calizona greatly; especially the part about there only being 4 days of music in the database.
I woulda killed myself by day 5. Right?


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