I pretty much felt the same way when I started this thread, but writers publish all the time in these places and there's probably no reason you couldn't do it too. I tell everyone to aim high because it happens. And it happens even if we think it might never, but you've got to try or you'll never know.
you know, I haven't given it much thought till now. But I guess, I can spruce up a couple short stories and try to publish at some point What's good sci-fi or fantasy, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, kind of magazines to submit to
There are a few about; here is a list of the top ten, but you can also find that out by Googling. https://www.everywritersresource.com/top-10-science-fiction-magazines/ And Sci-Fi and Fantasy can tend to get intermingled in some mags because they publish both. Look carefully at the submission guidelines, they can be specific.
Well, this is a little strange. One place that sent me a form rejection about a month ago just sent me a personal rejection saying my story made it pretty far. They used the word "close." I did not submit this story again to them or anything. I guess it just called for a double rejection. A little weird because it was through submittable. In my experience working for literary journals, I'm not really sure how this could happen. So, I'm not going to name this place this time. It's a really good publication. And the second rejection, the personal one, is encouraging. Mistakes happen. I've been double rejected by a few other places, though, I think it's super rare. Sometimes it can happen when you mail a submission and they email reject you and also stick a form in the mail. Not quite sure what happened this time. Maybe there was a moment of regret with the first rejection, but a month later they were sure. But most likely it was just some sort of glitch. The first rejection would imply that it never made it out of the slush. From the second rejection, it seems like it made it pretty far. Oh, well. Rejection is rejection.
Join us. The world needs your stories! If you've got some short stories collecting dust, brush them off and send them out. @Krispee gave a good list. If you need more places, a lot of us have duotrope and can help out with that.
Okay, thanks guys! I have a couple of apocalyptic dystopias I am working on. But might be one of the stories, where its multiple MCs. Not sure yet, since I'm still somewhat developing it
So I submitted a story to a national competition today, something I've never done before. I've been working on said story on and off for several months and sort of snapped last night and cut a thousand words so that it would be of acceptable manuscript length and sent it in the post today. I think it is very tightly written and conceptually, rather clever, so fingers crossed. Won't hear back for another few months, have to keep moving forward in the meantime. Still waiting to hear back from another few places. No news is good news as they say. Some of these submissions have been out suspiciously long by now though. Look up Duotrope. Not sure if you can get a free trial but it will have a database on every relevant literary magazine out there which you can filter for genres that interest you.
NO... It is some million-selling anthropologist's portal... I haven't really checked. They just asked for 'stories about buses...' and I sent him a story...and he said 'I like your story.' But yeah probably I sent my story to some school-child's project. I did my best. I'll ask about my cash down the line. That's how it works [sniff].
No offense dude but after reading the story and your (impromptu) interview I was a bit confused as to the context.
He has a 'weighty...ish' website about 'All life is on the number 26 bus, send me your stories about the bus and humanity, and society.' I tapped a quickie on the keyboard, possibly 400 words in 2 and a half minutes, that's how good I am, and e-mailed it to 'Jacob' [pseudonym?]. He replied with a series of questions which I turned into an interview, that's so funny of me. He deleted only about three words and a sentence in his editing prowess.
Well anyone with a blog/website about the number 26 bus would certainly have a pseudonym (I'm glad you spelled that already or I would have had to look it up), and of course you are terribly good, goes completely without saying, except that I just did. Oh well... I expect you will be waiting expectantly for that cheque.
No, no money. All part of the marketing strategy. I think maybe he's making a book about the bus? So probably I'll get 32 pence a month for the rest of my life. You have to consider those opportunities.
Indeed and such an opportunity, don't let it go to waste, 32p pm is a fortune. Any more stories for number 26?
Always trying new places as well as the same ones. And (almost) always rejected by new ones as well as the same ones. Real life has been super crazy to the point where I'm slacking on sending stories out. I've still got over fifty out there right now so I'm giving myself some room to breathe. Honestly, I'm just at a point where I don't even think a big sale would do to much to change my state of mind. Sometimes real life sh!t makes fiction and all take a backseat. That's sort of where I'm at.
Deadrats, for what it's worth, seeing your entries on this string compels me to keep writing despite my demanding day job, kids, house, extended family drama, etc., etc.
Understandable, and sometimes I think you have to give yourself a break where you can. If you work yourself into a frenzy then that won't help either. Now that you have your job that will be the priority as far as your writing is concerned (correct me if I'm wrong), as long as you get that out every month then you're golden.
Thanks, @Krispee. Hopefully it's just a bad day or a string of bad days. I feel like I've been taken over by non-writing stress and non-writing issues. FYI -- Granta is open for submissions right now until the 28th. All you submitters might want to jump on that. They are now charging a small fee to submit which sucks, but they're not always open and don't seem to stay open to submissions for too long. I would like to get something in there. Great publication.
