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Help a brother out

8===>Q: alyn

10:43 / 03.10.03

I started writing short horror stories about 4 years ago, submitted them to online magazines and so on, and got them all rejected. When I read them over I realized they were pretty bad and should wait until I was a better writer.

So, now I've got a small corpus of, I think, saleable short stories, very few of which have anything to do with the horror genre and I have no idea what to do with them. Every magazine seems to insist that you read all their back issues to find out what kind of stuff they like, but I haven't got the time or money to go out and study the markets to find out where I "fit in". These are ideosynchratic stories, mostly, and I can't really find a common thread in terms of genre.

I'm not too picky about being paid or whatever, not for now, I just want to get in the game. Any advice or connections or printing presses in your basements, O Barbelith writers? Yes, yes, Writer's Market, but come on, seriously.

Sax

10:52 / 03.10.03

You build a time machine and go back to the 1950s and sell them to Thrilling Tales or Argosy. The market for short stories is shit in the 21st Century. Especially if you want paying.

Shortfatdyke or Whisky Priestess could probably give you a more constructive answer, though.

8===>Q: alyn

11:21 / 03.10.03

They aren't sci fi, they're just weird.

I'm not too picky about being paid or whatever, not for now, I just want to get in the game.

We're The Great Old Ones Now

11:35 / 03.10.03

Look around for magazines which carry short stories which are odd. Interzone, a couple of others. Approach them and ask if you can submit. As Sax says, though, it's not a big playing field, because not many people buy or read short story magazines.

Gypsy Lantern

12:11 / 03.10.03

I'm quite proud of having one of my stories rejected by 'Third Alternative' mag for being "too weird". Says it all.

Gypsy Lantern

12:18 / 03.10.03

More constructively, the best thing you can probably do with short stories is continue submitting to small mags and websites, and also - if you live in a major city - start going to every book launch or literary event you can get into to. Talk to people, make connections, etc.. and then if you're very lucky, and if your writings good, you might get into some form of anthology book along with better known writers. It's a tough route, but aren't they all.

Sax

12:21 / 03.10.03

On a less bitter note, Qalyn, try www.infinityplus.co.uk which has links to small presses and magazines.

Gypsy Lantern

12:53 / 03.10.03

Even more constructively, you might want to check out these people -
www.bradanpress.co.uk who actually did publish the short story that 3rd alternative turned down. I sincerely doubt your stories are weirder than that one was, and if they are God help you. These folks pay per 1000 words as well. I really must sort something new out for them. I might do that today.

Whisky Priestess

19:48 / 03.10.03

The best/widest read 2 mags in the US market are Analog and Asimov's. Have you tried them yet?

8===>Q: alyn

23:21 / 03.10.03

Erf. Thank you all, but this is not genre stuff I'm talking about. I mean, I know, it's all genre stuff, but this is...

Eh, anyway. Thanks.

bio k9

04:47 / 04.10.03

Less searchable M0rd4nt

07:17 / 04.10.03

Q, have you tried webzines? The internet short story market is a little perkier than the real live papery one.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

12:47 / 04.10.03

...and for some reason my brain refused to pick up on the crucial word "online" in your very first post. Just ignore me.

Lionheart

00:45 / 07.10.03

Go to a bookstore. Find the Writer's Handbook. Peruse the short story market links. That book lists collections, anthologies, magazines, whatever. It also lists how much the pay is and all sorts of interesting stuff.

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