The "Where can I send this story?" thread

buz · Feb 14, 2013

Looking for a bit of direction--not even necessarily with specific markets (although that would be lovely), but what kinds I should be looking for...

I wrote this thing, 3,000 words, that is about fairies who communicate in fart noises. However, it is violent and kind of depressing, I guess, depending on who you ask. I got responses ranging from "hilarious" to "horrific" and "tragic" and "I'm not sure what to make of this," etc. It was suggested that I try submitting it, which I have, to some markets that accept dark fantasy and seem to have room for odder things.

But I'm not sure I'm going about it right... Wondering if I be looking for a) markets that focus on the weird, b) markets that focus on dark fantasy, or c) markets that are more in the area of horror...

Or if it even matters.

Just sort of lost.

MumblingSage · Feb 14, 2013

Buzhidao, that sounds like bizarro fiction to me. There are a few markets for it as a genre, although I can't remember the titles of any off the top of my head (they tend towards word salad, for obvious reasons).

JustSarah · Mar 13, 2013

Where would send this short story.

It's a story about a girl who just recently graduated high school, and is coping with the loss of her boyfriend who ditched her for a cheerleader. However her problems become worse when her beach rental, built back in the late 1800's, begins to have things go bump in the night, including falling lamps.

MumblingSage · Mar 13, 2013

JustSarah said:
Where would send this short story.

It's a story about a girl who just recently graduated high school, and is coping with the loss of her boyfriend who ditched her for a cheerleader. However her problems become worse when her beach rental, built back in the late 1800's, begins to have things go bump in the night, including falling lamps.

If it's a scary ghost story (or even a scary ambiguously-ghost story) there are a number of horror publishers you can look at. Ralan.com is a free site with horror market listings as well as fantasy and science fiction.

Completely to the side, is this recent high school graduate renting a beach house on her own?

KAMielke · Mar 15, 2013

Where would I send a 2400 word story about demons emerging from cracks in the earth, focusing on the survival of a married couple and dotted with sentimental flashbacks of their relationship? I've already been rejected by Clarkesworld, Apex, and Shimmer.

Krazykat · Mar 21, 2013

Markets for a Literary Story that's also SF/Fantasy?

I'm trying to find a home for a short story I'm really excited about, but I'm starting to worry that it may be kind of 'betwixt and between' when it comes to where it fits in the market.

When it comes down to it, in both substance and style it's really literary women's fiction. But . . . it's also set on another world, and could be considered either science fiction or fantasy, depending on how you interpret an 'exotic ecosystem' setting. So far I've just tried the top SF/Fantasy markets, and collected half a dozen rejections. I'm concerned that the spec fic publications are all going to exclude it because it has nothing magical or supernatural in it, nor any advanced technology.

It also has no action/adventure component; it involves the kind of personal and social conflicts that would fit right into a literary story in a women's magazine . . . But I don't know the markets for literary stories as well, and I suspect that many of them wouldn't touch anything that could qualify as SF.

I'm trying Glimmer Train next, but I understand that's a pretty tough market to crack, and I'm not sure where to go after that. Any suggestions?

jsselch · Apr 19, 2013

I like this thread!

I wrote a very short story the other day (it's only about 900 words long) that has gotten an unusually positive response on my facebook page. I say unusual because it was really just an experimental piece exploring sexuality/sensuality. It's got an underlying meaning to it that I'm letting readers figure out for themselves, which is fun.

Anyway, I'm not sure it's something publishable at all, but I like it so I'll share. Here's the link: http://www.juliaselch.com/?p=314

PS: It's a sensual piece, but not graphic so, err... PG-15 maybe?

MumblingSage · May 2, 2013

@KAMielke: Maybe ChiZhine when it reopens, after giving your story another good firm polish. Consider other pro-paying markets in the F/SF/Horror field--Ralan has a good list. And then work your way down to the semipros. My beloved sister had an apocalypse/relationship horror story go to Asimov's. Hers was more science fiction, with an interesting format (multiple-choice exam) but in any event people are buying your topic so don't worry!

Krazykat: Have you looked at Shimmer magazine? There are also some near-future science fiction markets. But I wouldn't fret too much about literary genre snobs. Margaret Atwood and Jose Saramago have both published near-future science fiction as 'literature'. You can smuggle yourself in there too ;D

@Jsselch: What worries me is that you're sharing that piece publicly, using up first electronic publication rights. Now, you have a few options. Possibly including erotica markets (especially those that go for steamy atmosphere rather than graphic description--I hear there are a few). If you'd rather not do that, you can also look at flash fiction markets and literary markets that accept flash fiction. This is the point where in the old days I'd send you to Duotrope with those parameters to search, but now that Duotrope's pay-for-subscription, if you don't have a subscription I'd suggest lists like:
http://gailkavanagh.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/some-paying-markets-for-flash-fiction/
http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/flash-markets-2/

(And I really like this thread, too! Puzzling out markets for other people's writing has become a sort of part-time hobby for me...I've done it for several friends...and might be making it a part-time job this summer, along with manuscript betaing).

Steve Coate · May 4, 2013

Anybody know of some markets for a 22k fantasy?

I've only found three novelette markets, one being closed to submissions and the other a place where I already have something on sub, so am looking for more alternatives.

Steve Coate · May 4, 2013

KAMielke said:
Where would I send a 2400 word story about demons emerging from cracks in the earth, focusing on the survival of a married couple and dotted with sentimental flashbacks of their relationship? I've already been rejected by Clarkesworld, Apex, and Shimmer.

You might also try Shock Totem.

Treehouseman · May 4, 2013

Steve Coate said:
Anybody know of some markets for a 22k fantasy?

I've only found three novelette markets, one being closed to submissions and the other a place where I already have something on sub, so am looking for more alternatives.

Asimovs? SF&F peaks at 20K words. You might have to see who is doing anthologies of novellas, or if it can be split/serialised.

OJCade · May 4, 2013

Or there are some e-publishers, like Eggplant or Dagan, that publish fantasy novellas that size as e-books.

OJCade · May 4, 2013

Krazykat said:
I'm trying to find a home for a short story I'm really excited about, but I'm starting to worry that it may be kind of 'betwixt and between' when it comes to where it fits in the market.

Have you tried Weave Magazine?

Steve Coate · May 4, 2013

Thanks all, for the advice!

King Neptune · May 7, 2013

unnecessary

mirandashell · May 7, 2013

Does anyone accept fantasy flash?

Sai · May 7, 2013

mirandashell said:
Does anyone accept fantasy flash?

Lots of places like flash fiction

. You could start with Daily Science Fiction or Flash Fiction Online.

soapdish · May 7, 2013

mirandashell said:
Does anyone accept fantasy flash?

Every Day Fiction accepts all genres. Including fantasy.

MumblingSage · May 8, 2013

mirandashell said:
Does anyone accept fantasy flash?

Abyss & Apex does, although they're currently closed to submissions. Daily Science Fiction accepts fantasy & sci fi and prefers flash fiction (because they publish a story a day at 8 cents a word--you'd want short ones, too! But that's an excellent rate even for a short piece).

For the 22k fantasy, I know my publisher, WolfSinger, accepts that length for ebooks, but though I love WolfSinger it's very much a micropress, so you might want to check out some of the other places first. 22k is good for a serial or ebook.

Krazykat · May 18, 2013

MumblingSage said:
Krazykat: Have you looked at Shimmer magazine? There are also some near-future science fiction markets. But I wouldn't fret too much about literary genre snobs. Margaret Atwood and Jose Saramago have both published near-future science fiction as 'literature'. You can smuggle yourself in there too ;D

OJCade said:
Have you tried Weave Magazine?

Thanks for the suggestions, folks. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like either market is really an option for this story. It's too long for Weave (they limit stories to 3000 words, which seems restrictive to me, but I know a lot of publications prefer 'shorter' short stories) and it's also rather long for Shimmer.

I could query Shimmer to ask if they'd consider looking at it, since they mention that option for longer stories, but with their emphasis on urban fantasy I'm rather skeptical that this story would be a good fit for them anyway.

I'll try doing more research on literary magazines, though the fact that it's very clear from the first page that this story is set on another world (and the characters are humanlike but not human) might make it a little harder to smuggle this one in, even though I'm sure most readers would say the style is 'literary' . . .

DragonLady · May 20, 2013

I have this short story, no more than 1700 words, about this little girl and her determination to save the life of her sick mare, and her belief that it can be done, in spite of the fact that all the adults in her life, including the vet, have told her that the horse cannot be saved. In the end, the horse ends up living due to the girl's efforts.

Anyone have any ideas of where this might fit? I'm not even sure of what genra it would fall under. All help would be greatly appreciated.

Sai · May 20, 2013

DragonLady said:
I have this short story, no more than 1700 words, about this little girl and her determination to save the life of her sick mare, and her belief that it can be done, in spite of the fact that all the adults in her life, including the vet, have told her that the horse cannot be saved. In the end, the horse ends up living due to the girl's efforts.

Anyone have any ideas of where this might fit? I'm not even sure of what genra it would fall under. All help would be greatly appreciated.

Have you thought about sending it to a pre-teen girl magazine, like 'American Girl'? They sometimes run fiction, though I don't know what their submission process is like.

Triplec224 · May 21, 2013

I have a short story of ~2,700 words told from the POV of a six-year-old kid who is trying to catch a lizard with his brother. I'm not entirely sure if it's for adults or adolescents. I submitted it to Cricket Magazine, which is aimed at kids ages 9-14, but I believe it can stand on its own in a more mature magazine as well. It is contemporary in nature, which limits the short story market significantly.

MumblingSage · May 21, 2013

@DragonLady: I second American Girl and also following Triplec's lead in checking out Cricket or Cicada (there's a breakdown by age but I forget the exact delineation). However, depending on the faith component of the story it may also go to an inspirational market?

@Triplec: Can you tell us a little more about the story theme or content? Does the lizard hunt take a turn for the traumatic, or is it more a light & sweet character piece? I think subject is as important as contemporary setting once you leave genre.

Triplec224 · May 21, 2013

MumblingSage said:
@Triplec: Can you tell us a little more about the story theme or content? Does the lizard hunt take a turn for the traumatic, or is it more a light & sweet character piece? I think subject is as important as contemporary setting once you leave genre.

Definitely more of a light character piece. There's a beginning/middle/end with a climax and whatnot, but it's primarily a sketch of the six-year-old boy, how he sees his older brother, dealing with his own fears, what he thinks the lizard is thinking, etc. The lizard bites the MC, which is pretty traumatic for a six-year-old, but the boys' father puts it all in perspective. I would post it in the SYW forum, but I'm lacking in posts. Or one less post now.

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