1. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK

    Short Stories And Magazines

    Discussion in 'Traditional Publishing' started by Krispee, Dec 31, 2017.

    Hi all.
    I`m curious about submitting short stories in magazines. I`ve been writing short stories for a while now and am building up a few finished ones, and actually have been putting them up on my website and facebook page for people to read if they want to, although not many do. I have also got a few more in the works with more ideas spawning.
    And quite honestly, I wasn`t sure what to do with them.
    I genuinely just enjoy writing and do so in my spare time, when I have the time, and am not in a hurry to be published necessarily. Just don`t know what to do with what I have written. It always seems like they are wasted just sitting around on my computer so the thought occurred to me that maybe a magazine might publish them. I have had a look and there seem to be a lot of magazines publishing short stories, even in my particular genre of science fiction and fantasy.
    I am a big fan of Ted Chiang`s work and he only seems to have got published in magazines, mainly because he only writes short stories, and the odd novella, although he does have a book of short stories.

    Have any of you any experience writing shorts stories for magazine publication?
    Is it a worthwhile step and does it help your writing?
    There seem to be so many, do any of you know the best ones and whether it`s ok to submit stories to a US based magazine if you from, say the UK?

    Regards.
    Kris.
     
  2. Earp

    Earp Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2016
    Messages:
    4,507
    Likes Received:
    8,247
    Location:
    Just right of center.
    I haven't sent them anything yet, but you might look at dailysciencefiction.com
     
  3. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Thanks, Earp, I`ll take a look.

    Ok, thank you for you help and information. I wasn`t aware that posting on my site constituted first rights, I thought it was only about publishing conventionally, books or magazines or the like - learn something new every day. I`ll take them down and stop doing that in future. I suppose I have only just thought about short stories as publishable, up to this point it was just some fun.
    I`ll take a look at your proposal to post and critique. I`ll admit that I`ve always struggled with my time when it comes to critiquing, plus I`ve always shied away from interfering too much with someone else`s ideas. I guess it`s a balance thing when it comes to that side of things.
    I`ll go and take a look.
    Thanks again.
     
  4. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    As a matter of curiosity does the whole first rights thing also apply to places like Wattpad? I haven`t got anything there I was just interested.
     
  5. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Thought that might be the case.
    I`ve been looking at the short story section here, is that protective of first rights or is there somewhere else to post that does that?
     
  6. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,088
    Likes Received:
    7,422
    If you want to write fiction for magazines, you have to read the fiction these magazines are publishing. And somewhere along the way what you have already written won't be nearly as important as the new stuff you're coming up with. Reading good writing makes us better writers. Period. It seems like you're already a fan of short stories, but read more of them. Read the archived stories online. Get to know a publication because that can really pay off. Also, it's going to be really hard. You'll have to decide for yourself how high you want to aim and where you want to send your work. There's competition at every level. But if you want to get in somewhere really good and that will pay you a lot of money, if you want a story in one of the magazines you see at bookstores, I would say to brace yourself for a few years of rejection. And keep writing.
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2018
  7. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Well rejection seems to be the default position for the writer doesn`t it.
    I`m not so bothered about making lots of money, it would just be nice to see them published somewhere. I have visited a couple of magazine sites and they do mention the reading thing. I`ll have to see if I can get hold of some copies.
    I`ve been writing for a few years already so just getting started. :D
     
  8. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Messages:
    6,088
    Likes Received:
    7,422
    I think once you start submitting, the game changes a little. And once hundreds of editors have said no to your work, the game changes a little again. I don't know how to describe it exactly. I guess there seems to be these steps along the way, almost like choices for writers to ask themselves how bad they want it, how serious they are. If someone told you it would take five more years of writing and during that time you would write 100 short stories and they would all be rejected but the next one you wrote you would hit it big, would you still have it in you to write the next one? It can totally happen. There is no reason why you can't write a killer story that is featured in one of the best magazines you're looking at. It's just stupid hard. Good luck, and maybe this journey won't be as hard for you, but I think it takes a good decade to become an overnight success. ;)
     
    Krispee likes this.
  9. Krispee

    Krispee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    1,430
    Likes Received:
    1,145
    Location:
    UK
    Sounds like an interesting time. See what happens.
    Thanks for taking the time.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice