Lost in the wild west

[Appalachian Writer]

I've recently discovered that I have some flair for writing westerns. Maybe it was all that time I spent glued to the TV and watching Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and old films with Whip Wilson, Lash LaRue and the like. Go figure! Anyway, I'm starting with short stories, and in the last couple of weeks, I've written three. I'd like to start submitting, but I'm having trouble finding available venues other than ELBOW CREEK. Anyone got suggestions?

[Puma]

Hi Appy, Publications that take westerns seem to be a bit hard to come by. In the historical forum, there's a sticky near the top that lists contests that are up coming (probably through May - I haven't updated it for a while). Check those out (and you can also check the main source I listed for my information - they list things by month).

And then - there's Roundup magazine which is the publication of the Western Writers Association - I don't have any specifics on submitting, you may have to see if you can find a magazine to buy to get details (and if you do, lots of people on here would be interested).

I did a Google search not long ago and came up with these three publications - I don't know anything about them or whether they use fiction:
Wild West (bi-monthly)
Cowboys & Indians
American Cowboy

Check out the thread Western Short Story Contest a couple down on our western main page. Revised - check out the Markets for Westerns sticky at the top of this forum.

I can't remember whether there's a sticky here in western for possible markets but we ought to have one. Hope this helps a bit. Puma

[Snowstorm]

If you have an interest in writing nonfiction, True West magazine might be one to look at.

[Cav Guy]

There are also NF outlets like Montana: The Magazine of Western History, Military History of the West, and others. Most you can find by checking with (or through) a western state's historical society.

[Grizzly]

I found this site. http://www.ropeandwire.com/MainPages/Submit.html
Not sure if they pay, there was no mention in the guidelines.

[Festus]

Duotrope has a number of magazines that accepts any genre. Check them out at:
http://www.duotrope.com/index.aspx

[Appalachian Writer]

You'll all wonderful! Thank you so much for your help, and if there's anymore out there, please help me find them. I'm excited about getting some of these things that are flipping out of me...I didn't know I liked writing western until that ghost story challenge. I do!

[Puma]

Hi Appy - Not to try to corrupt you, but ... the classic definition of a western covers the period from about 1840 to 1920 and the location is west of the Mississippi River. Historical covers all that period and location plus everything else from about 1950 on back everywhere in the world. Your ghost story could very easily be read as being east of the Mississippi; your time period could be just about any time with a little variation.

What I'm saying is - there are markets out there that you might want to look at in addition to western. Look around, peek into some of the other forums, etc. and see whether anything starts to click. And good luck! Puma

[JeanneTGC]

I'm with Puma. The fact that your ghost story is, well, a ghost story, opens it up to many of the horror mags out there -- and there are a LOT of horror mags out there.

You have a lot of options (and a lovely flair for the Western, if I do say so myself. Which I do.).

[Skylynx]

Read "Western Horseman" if you want the facts about western riding and real horses. It's so popular among horse owners riding western style that it's in the supermarkets and bookstores around. A good reference magazine to back up your descriptions. I have stacks of 'em as I'm a horse owner from way back.

[Appalachian Writer]

Read "Western Horseman" if you want the facts about western riding and real horses. It's so popular among horse owners riding western style that it's in the supermarkets and bookstores around. A good reference magazine to back up your descriptions. I have stacks of 'em as I'm a horse owner from way back.

Thank you for the advice. I was raised on farms in southwestern VA. I've ridden a few horses in my time, even driven a wagon or two. I've washed and curried, even moved from western style to English riding. I think I'll be okay, but thanks again for the tip.

[DWSTXS]

I love Westerns, my favorites being the series by A.B. Guthrie Jr.

I write mainstream fic, and will probably never even attempt a western, but just wanted to let any of you guys know that I will gladly crit your WIP's.

Why? because I love westerns, and never buy them at the stores, as I'm not really into Zane Grey.

anyway. I'm offering if anyone wants to take me up on it, PM me. My crits are not very heavy-handed with respect to the grammar. I crit more on the story itself, the characters, and the page-turnability of the WIP.