The "Where can I send this story?" thread
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Hi, everyone -- I'm a lot more familiar with fantasy/sci-fi markets, but I have two children's short stories. I'm thinking Cricket. Anyone ever work with them? Or, are there other suggestions for children's markets?
The first is less than 1,000 words and has a 4th grade MC (and no fantasy elements), and the second is 1,400 words with a 2nd grade MC and a talking sea bass.
The first is less than 1,000 words and has a 4th grade MC (and no fantasy elements), and the second is 1,400 words with a 2nd grade MC and a talking sea bass.
I'll chuck one out there.
It's a 10k novella/novellette (depending on which definition you use) that's a supernatural/ghost-story-esque horror with aspects of a murder mystery thrown in for good measure. Long story short, MC finds a rather unusual dead body on the beach, and begins to experience waking dreams/hallucinations/hauntings that escalate in horror until the gruesome denouement, all while trying to figure out what relation these have to the body and what relation the body has to her, and why she might have killed him and not remembered.
The only ideas I've had really were Whispering Spirits - which appears to be a dead market now, although they're apparently taking submissions again - and On Spec. I've got a couple of edits/rewrites to do to get it into a sub-able state, and if I can shave a few thousand words off it I'll also try Fantasy Magazine, but I think it's going to stay around this length.
Any suggestions?
It's a 10k novella/novellette (depending on which definition you use) that's a supernatural/ghost-story-esque horror with aspects of a murder mystery thrown in for good measure. Long story short, MC finds a rather unusual dead body on the beach, and begins to experience waking dreams/hallucinations/hauntings that escalate in horror until the gruesome denouement, all while trying to figure out what relation these have to the body and what relation the body has to her, and why she might have killed him and not remembered.
The only ideas I've had really were Whispering Spirits - which appears to be a dead market now, although they're apparently taking submissions again - and On Spec. I've got a couple of edits/rewrites to do to get it into a sub-able state, and if I can shave a few thousand words off it I'll also try Fantasy Magazine, but I think it's going to stay around this length.
Any suggestions?
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Thank you! I'd never heard of them but it seems like a perfect fit, if I can get it down to 5k words. Closed to submissions at the moment but they reopen in February which gives me plenty of time to get the story in shape.
Got a modern day, light, alien abduction story. Style is Douglas Adams-y.
"Jennifer is really annoyed when aliens steal her 1992 Geo Metro with he life savings in it. But she's really cheesed off when they abduct her, too."
I've tried F&SF but got rejected.
"Jennifer is really annoyed when aliens steal her 1992 Geo Metro with he life savings in it. But she's really cheesed off when they abduct her, too."
I've tried F&SF but got rejected.
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Most people are rejected by F&SF. Try ASIM for a Douglas-Adamsy light story. If it is on the shorter side, you might want to try Daily Science Fiction before ASIM - they pay much more. You might also give Lightspeed a chance, although they are not big on light, despite the title. However, the speed with which they reject you is indeed faithful to the title.
You might also give Lightspeed a chance, although they are not big on light, despite the title. However, the speed with which they reject you is indeed faithful to the title.
LOL - Thanks very much.
Um, this thread may become my new life.
4,000 word short. Seventeen year old boy reflects on grief, loyalty, and justice in light of a heinous small-town tragedy that hits too close to home. Has yummy violence.
4,000 word short. Seventeen year old boy reflects on grief, loyalty, and justice in light of a heinous small-town tragedy that hits too close to home. Has yummy violence.
Here's one for you: A super-short under 500 words General/Humor story. I'm thinking Funny Times, Vestal Review and Every Day Fiction, but am I missing a better fit? Looking at paying markets only.
I got nothing, sorry, alex. But those three are a good start
Tienci, have you checked out Cabinet des Fees?
I sent mine to Cabinet Des Fees. They do say that stories based on a well-known fairy tales are a tough sell to them though, and I am sure they will be getting a TON of Rumpelstiltskin stories now that E.C. had rejected them.
Yes, I was just reading through Cabinet des Fees submissions guidelines again and, though I'd planned to send my rejected EC to them, I'm not sure it's a good fit with such a familiar theme. I love my story though (Rumplestiltzkin's take on the whole thing and how he was just misunderstood) and I don't want to let it die.
Anyone have ideas besides Cabinet des Fees for these homeless fairy tales?
Anyone have ideas besides Cabinet des Fees for these homeless fairy tales?
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I'm not sure how often they publish fairy tales-type things, but I do know that Catheryne M. Valente's take on Hansel and Gretel appeared at Fantasy Magazine a few years ago, so you could try there. Though they are shut at the moment.
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Hi,
I have a story, just under 2000 words, about a guy dealing with the anonymity of the big city. What makes it maybe not mainstream is that nobody can remember this guy, not in the bakery he always shops in, or the bar he has frequented for years and years, leading you to suspect something else is afoot. There is a twist ending which is ambiguous, which on a certain interpretation could have SF/slipstream elements, but it's very much up in the air.
I was thinking I would try Weird Tales, but if anyone has any other suggestions of slipstream/offbeat pro markets (that don't require harder elements), that would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave
P.S. I'm not hugely familiar with SF/slipstream markets, and I am not sure if my story has enough of the required elements to qualify for those.
I have a story, just under 2000 words, about a guy dealing with the anonymity of the big city. What makes it maybe not mainstream is that nobody can remember this guy, not in the bakery he always shops in, or the bar he has frequented for years and years, leading you to suspect something else is afoot. There is a twist ending which is ambiguous, which on a certain interpretation could have SF/slipstream elements, but it's very much up in the air.
I was thinking I would try Weird Tales, but if anyone has any other suggestions of slipstream/offbeat pro markets (that don't require harder elements), that would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave
P.S. I'm not hugely familiar with SF/slipstream markets, and I am not sure if my story has enough of the required elements to qualify for those.
Dave, here is an interview duotrope did with Sheila Williams, editor of Asimov's.
In it she mentions that sometimes there's room for a "story that's a borderline mainstream tale with fantastic elements that are hard to quantify." Might perhaps be a fit for your story?
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Izz - I would have previously thought they would have wanted something with more concrete sci-fi elements, but that interview is interesting, I will give it a shot.
Thanks
Dave
Thanks
Dave
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I have a 3,700 word Swords & Sorcery story that I'm not sure what to do with. I was considering retiring it, as I'm not particularly confident in it (wrote it a long time ago), but my rejection from Heroic Fantasy Quarterly said that it caught their attention, so I'm now thinking I may as well keep it out there. Unfortunately, the only pro/semipro markets for swords and sorcery on duotrope seem to be Beneath Ceaseless Skies and HFQ, and I've been rejected from both. I'm very hesitant to go beneath one penny a word, but I suppose I might consider it if the publication looks decent enough. I noticed this anthology, but it only pays in royalties, and I'm wondering if I'd ever see any money from that. Anyone have any ideas?
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I've got a 4,500 suspense horror with absolutely no supernatural elements. There are some literary elements. I was looking for paying markets, at least $25 for HWA props.
I already have something with Shock Totem. I was considering Shroud, but I don't know much about them.
Thanks!
I already have something with Shock Totem. I was considering Shroud, but I don't know much about them.
Thanks!
Nathaniel, from what i've seen and heard around the traps, writers hardly ever see any money from royalty-only anthos.
Aoife's Kiss only pays token rates, but they publish some good stuff (their website is on the outdated side, but they wouldn't be the only genre fic site to need an updated look).
Clarkesworld take horror, as do Shimmer.
I don't know much about Shroud either (or horror markets in general, as i don't write it all that much, so take my suggestions with a grain of salt).
Nathaniel - does it happen to have a female protagonist? If so Sword and Sorceress will be open for submissions in mid-April.
(Otherwise I'm no help, sorry!)
(Otherwise I'm no help, sorry!)
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Did Scott Andrews (BCS) give you comments? His comments are often spot-on.
If you are not confident about your story, you should workshop it / get beta feedback, and try to improve it before sending it out again.
As for who takes Sword and Sorcery:
Pros: F&SF, Realms of Fantasy, Tor.com, BCS (you tried already). Fantasy Magazine changed editors, and I don't know what JJA likes, but why not - try it! They are fast. AnnieColeen suggested Sword and Sorceress - that's a cool market, but read their guidelines, they are quite particular.
Semi-pros: HFQ (you tried). Maybe Basement Stories, I am not sure.
Token: Niteblade.
I would never submit to a for-the-luv market, but your mileage may vary.
Hope this helps!
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Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I think I'll try Swords & Sorceress first when it opens up and go from there. I think this's definitely been a lesson that the duotrope subgenre filters are way too specific, judging by the amount of markets that I totally missed.
As for token v. for the love markets, while I'm not a big fan of either, I think I might actually go more towards the latter. At least that's honest about not paying anything. There just seems to be something insulting about offering 1/5th of a penny or what have you per word that I can't get over. Maybe my mind will change when I've run out of all the pro/semi pro markets for this one, though.
As for token v. for the love markets, while I'm not a big fan of either, I think I might actually go more towards the latter. At least that's honest about not paying anything. There just seems to be something insulting about offering 1/5th of a penny or what have you per word that I can't get over. Maybe my mind will change when I've run out of all the pro/semi pro markets for this one, though.
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