I have a number of short stories I want to have published/submitted. Someone in here told me to put it on free ebooks .net but that didn't work. It wouldn't let me submit. I'm looking for a FREE place I can have my short stories read. I'm just looking for publication not royalties right now. Anyone know some suggestions?
The genre will have a bearing on the market, even a market that doesn't pay, if you're looking for a magazine, ezine or anthology to publish/display your stories. If you write fantasy/SF/horror, you might try ralan (dot) com. You can also try (for just about any genre) thegrinder (dot) diabolicalplots (dot) com Both are searchable for genres, and pay rates (including free, I believe) and more. You can also self publish on places like Amazon and Smashwords, and have them set for free. FYI: With short stories, you generally won't earn royalties, except with the possibility of some anthologies. Most markets that buy short stories pay a flat rate, (like $5.00 or $25.00) or per word, (like a $0.01 per word or $0.05 per word). I did sell one story where I was paid $0.25 per copy of the anthology sold, but that was only once.
Amazon won't let you set books to free. Those who've done it had to set the book free on another retailer, and bug Amazon to price-match.
I tried publishing mine on smashwords but it doesn't accept the file.. I'm pretty sure I have Microsoft office 2007.. Can I save as another file? Which kind are acceptable?
I don't have any direct experience with Smashwords, as my publisher deals with that end. Sorry, I cannot provide advice on this technical aspect.
I think I've read somewhere that smashwords wants the files in .doc format (i.e. not .docx), though just to be sure I'd suggest that you try to find their submission guidelines. They must have 'em somewhere.
Yes. Smashwords accepts .doc and .epub. I upload .epub for the third party sites they distribute to (B&N, etc) and .doc for the other formats sold directly on Smashwords.
Check the Channel Manager page. That lists all the sites they can distribute to, and lets you enable or disable individually. I forget whether they're enabled or disabled by default. Note that enabling a site doesn't always mean they'll distribute your book there, as some are limited to the most popular books on Smashwords. But they should all go to B&N once you've been reviewed for 'premium distribution', if you enable that channel.