# Where can I publish my short stories?



## Raikimii

Im looking for a list of places / publications / etc where I can submit my finished short stories (mostly all that I've written that isn't considered a chapter in one of the books Im writing). I'm not looking to get payed or anything, I just want my stuff to be posted up somewhere respectable, you know? 

Basically, I want to start a kind of 'writing resume', so I can have something to show for later. I mostly want to try and get some credits under my belt now, so I have something to offer when I'm ready to actually get my book(s) published. (You know, once they're up to that level, etc)

I write mostly modern fantasy, if that helps, though I've been known to write general fiction as well.

Any free publications, magazines, or blogs you guys could share would be neat. I'll continue scrounging around the internet, but help is always nice.


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## garza

Look into publishing in the little literature review magazines. They usually pay be sending you a few free copies, though some of the older, more established magazines pay money, though not much. Mississippi Review, both print and online, is considered by many to be tops in its class. Southern Literary Review and Sewanee Review are two others I'm familiar with. 

Because of the lead taken by the Mississippi Review, many other online magazines have appeared, some affiliated with print mags, others independent. Altogether these make up a large market for short fiction from new writers. Google such terms ad 'literary review magazines' and you'll turn up a wealth of leads.


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## RM Americano

Take the title of this thread and put it into google.


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## mwd

All you need, really: Duotrope's Digest

You can search by genre, length, etc.

Before submitting anything, make sure to use proper manuscript format, follow submission guidelines, and so on.


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## Ilasir Maroa

First, while getting some credits under your belt can be useful, short story credits not all that relevant to getting a novel published.  There are (many) exceptions, but my point is, don't write short stories because you think it will help you get a novel deal.  A good novel will help you get a novel deal.

Second, google Duotrope's Digest, which has an enormous listing of web and print publications ranging from free, unpaid markets, up to SFWA-listed professional markets paying 5cents a word or more.  (Duotrope lists all genres of publications, but you've specified fantasy.)  It has a search feature that lets you sort by genre, rate, title, etc.

I can't offer you any specific markets for contemorary fantasy without doing something similar to the above, so I'll leave that to you.


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## garza

Way back, before I decided to concentrate on what had already proven to be profitable, I was told that the way to get to the big time was through the little lit mags. I was assured that the New Yorker and Atlantic Monthly fished in those waters. I managed to get a dozen stories published and went on writing non-fiction to pay the rent and buy the groceries while I waited for the letter from the New Yorker offering to put me on the road to fame and fortune. That was nearly 50 years ago and I'm still waiting. I've always made a good living but I never became rich and famous. 

Darn. If I'd only knowed. I coulda been a contenda.


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## Raikimii

Ilasir Maroa said:


> First, while getting some credits under your belt can be useful, short story credits not all that relevant to getting a novel published.  There are (many) exceptions, but my point is, don't write short stories because you think it will help you get a novel deal.  A good novel will help you get a novel deal.
> 
> Second, google Duotrope's Digest, which has an enormous listing of web and print publications ranging from free, unpaid markets, up to SFWA-listed professional markets paying 5cents a word or more.  (Duotrope lists all genres of publications, but you've specified fantasy.)  It has a search feature that lets you sort by genre, rate, title, etc.
> 
> I can't offer you any specific markets for contemorary fantasy without doing something similar to the above, so I'll leave that to you.



I'm not trying to get just "short story credits per se"; I just want some credits at all, so that when I AM ready to get published, I dont show up with nothing to show. Im confidant my novel will sell itself, but I want to look marketable in the end.

And yes, I am googling my heart out and searching, I was just wondering if you all had anything particular in mind, or anywhere YOU guys have gotten published in the past, et cetera.

I'm not lazy, I promise.


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## Ilasir Maroa

Short stories an novels are different beasts, so while I'm not saying it won't be useful to publish shorts, I think it might be better to concentrate on your novel-length stuff if that's where you want to go with your writing. That said, you can get some good practice from writing shorts, and from the fantasy side, it will help you learn not to overwrite.

Seriously, look at duotrope: http://www.duotrope.com/index.aspx

Just fill in the proper fields and hit search.
Check out some websites, read a few issues, see which places might be best for your work.


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## garza

I tried it and it looks like a super good market site. If I were 50 years younger...


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## strangedaze

mwd said:


> All you need, really: Duotrope's Digest
> 
> You can search by genre, length, etc.
> 
> Before submitting anything, make sure to use proper manuscript format, follow submission guidelines, and so on.


 
this.


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## strangedaze

Ilasir Maroa said:


> First, while getting some credits under your belt can be useful, short story credits not all that relevant to getting a novel published.  There are (many) exceptions, but my point is, don't write short stories because you think it will help you get a novel deal.  A good novel will help you get a novel deal.
> 
> Second, google Duotrope's Digest, which has an enormous listing of web and print publications ranging from free, unpaid markets, up to SFWA-listed professional markets paying 5cents a word or more.  (Duotrope lists all genres of publications, but you've specified fantasy.)  It has a search feature that lets you sort by genre, rate, title, etc.
> 
> I can't offer you any specific markets for contemorary fantasy without doing something similar to the above, so I'll leave that to you.


 
so it's down to me and you again on what role publishing stories can play in your publishing career.  

just to offer a counter opinion to what ilasir is saying, i think the OP is doing the right thing. speaking from personal experience, publishing short stories in reputable places has opened a lot of doors for me. in a perfect world, a good novel would be enough to get you a book deal every time. but its not. other things come into play, which is why its important to stack the deck in your favor. of course, your novel is THE key, but the more doors you have, the better chance you have of that key working.


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## strangedaze

it should also be said that it's not an either / or situation. work on your novel, while at the same time try to build a CV. the writing is good for you, and when editors / agents ask what kind of platform you have to market yourself, you can say you've been getting your name out there by publishing in X, Y, Z journals.


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## Sam

If your novel isn't good enough, it doesn't matter how many publishing credits you have, Dru. I get your point, but the only thing you need to snag a book deal is a good story that will sell. If I have that and you have a mediocre one but have two dozen short stories published, who do you think they'll go for? 

I'm not saying you shouldn't stack the deck in your favour; just that it isn't a prerequisite.


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## strangedaze

Sam W said:


> If your novel isn't good enough, it doesn't matter how many publishing credits you have, Dru. I get your point, but the only thing you need to snag a book deal is a good story that will sell. If I have that and you have a mediocre one but have two dozen short stories published, who do you think they'll go for?
> 
> I'm not saying you shouldn't stack the deck in your favour; just that it isn't a prerequisite.



honestly, do you really think im suggesting that you write a mediocre novel? jesus christ, man. how about if you and i have good novels, and ive published half a dozen stories in reputable places and you haven't, who do you think they're going to go with? 

again, nobody is saying it's a prerequisite, but you're ill-informed if you think that publishing stories can't be of tremendous benefit to someone shopping a novel. its a different story if you think writing short pieces will somehow transmogrify your novel into shit. in that case, focus on your novel. but if you can handle doing both, it will only help your career. which, i should add, is exactly what the OP was inquiring about.


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## Sam

I'm sorry, where exactly did I say you said I write a mediocre novel? You're putting words into my mouth, Dru. What I said was: If somebody (no names mentioned here, lest anyone get defensive) writes a mediocre novel with a short-story publishing history behind them, do you really think they will get chosen over someone who writes a cracking story with huge market potential but who has no publishing history whatsoever? 

I also never said that publishing stories is of no benefit. That's more words you're putting into my mouth.


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## Auskar

FaeryInkPress said:


> It says we're not accepting submissions, but submit anyway.


Chizine (Chiascura) would be a great place to be published.  According to their entry on Duotrope, they have a 3.66 acceptance ratio.  I heard of them well before I started paying attention to Duotrope but they are almost always closed (it seems like).  Once it seems like they sent me a useful critique (or was that Shimmer).  I don't know, but it would be a good place to get published.


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## TheGreySentinel

I know that Divertir Publishing does some work with short stories (google them) and that they are currently looking for submissions.


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## WriterJohnB

Raikimii,

That's the route I went and it didn't help in the way you might think. It gave me insights as to what others (editors) thought of my stories. I learned what editors expect and how to format manuscripts, etc. It taught me to target my submissions and sometimes even write a new story for an upcoming anthology or themed magazine issue.

But you don't have to start at the lowest rung on the ladder. I tried the top rung first, submitting to Asimov's and other top-of-the-line venues, but I didn't have what it took yet. So I dropped down a level to magazines that pay a few bucks for a story. As far as I'm concerned you're not published if you just let someone put it up for free. I might write an article for a small newsletter or something for free, but never a story.

Try Ralan's Webstravaganza, where markets are listed by category and sub-categorized by payment. It isn't as complete as Duotrope, but I prefer it. With Duotrope, I have to wade through an alphabetical list with a lot of stuff not interesting to me.

The best thing about short story publication is that it boosts your confidence and ego. Hell, I'm a lot more obnoxious and boastful than before publication. I still send the occasional short story to the top markets and still haven't broken in, but so what? I remember being doubtful that ANYONE would want to read my writing, much less publish me.

Same thing with novels. I tried the traditional route, even had an agent for a while. It's HARD to break in. So, instead, after exhausting other means, I've submitted to small publishing houses that don't pay advances, but put up all the costs of publications and they do pay royalties. And I'm sure that, someday, someone influential in the pub business will pick up one of my novels and discover my undeniably great works.

Now I've got a section of my library with my novels and contributor's copies of the magazines and anthologies I've been included in. It makes me feel good about myself, even if I'm having difficulties in other aspects of life. 

So good luck to you. Don't give it away before giving editors a chance to pay you a few bucks. At the least, stick to print publications where you'll get a contributor's copy for your efforts.

JohnB


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## strangedaze

WriterJohnB said:


> Raikimii,
> 
> That's the route I went and it didn't help in the way you might think. It gave me insights as to what others (editors) thought of my stories. I learned what editors expect and how to format manuscripts, etc. It taught me to target my submissions and sometimes even write a new story for an upcoming anthology or themed magazine issue.
> 
> But you don't have to start at the lowest rung on the ladder. I tried the top rung first, submitting to Asimov's and other top-of-the-line venues, but I didn't have what it took yet. So I dropped down a level to magazines that pay a few bucks for a story. As far as I'm concerned you're not published if you just let someone put it up for free. I might write an article for a small newsletter or something for free, but never a story.
> 
> Try Ralan's Webstravaganza, where markets are listed by category and sub-categorized by payment. It isn't as complete as Duotrope, but I prefer it. With Duotrope, I have to wade through an alphabetical list with a lot of stuff not interesting to me.
> 
> The best thing about short story publication is that it boosts your confidence and ego. Hell, I'm a lot more obnoxious and boastful than before publication. I still send the occasional short story to the top markets and still haven't broken in, but so what? I remember being doubtful that ANYONE would want to read my writing, much less publish me.
> 
> Same thing with novels. I tried the traditional route, even had an agent for a while. It's HARD to break in. So, instead, after exhausting other means, I've submitted to small publishing houses that don't pay advances, but put up all the costs of publications and they do pay royalties. And I'm sure that, someday, someone influential in the pub business will pick up one of my novels and discover my undeniably great works.
> 
> Now I've got a section of my library with my novels and contributor's copies of the magazines and anthologies I've been included in. It makes me feel good about myself, even if I'm having difficulties in other aspects of life.
> 
> So good luck to you. Don't give it away before giving editors a chance to pay you a few bucks. At the least, stick to print publications where you'll get a contributor's copy for your efforts.
> 
> JohnB


 
i like this. great approach. a friend of mine always pisses and moans about how much he gets paid for writing stories. you know, breaking it down to hours and how pathetic such a wage seems. but then, i think about writing the way i think about, say, running, or playing sports, or knitting, or whatever passion you have. really, you'd be doing it anyway. the bread is bonus.


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