How to Get a Short Story Published

Writing a short story is a great way to get your foot in the door of the writing industry; you can experiment with different narrative styles and play with characters, situations and tone. A short story can be as short as a paragraph or as long as 50 pages, so you have tons of freedom.

While assistant editors and interns at literary magazines are regularly drowned in mailbags full of submissions that are commonly referred to as a "slushpile," getting your short story published is easier than you might think.

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Instructions

Make Sure the Story is Publishable

1. Check spelling, punctuation and grammar meticulously. Having typos and mistakes is the easiest way to get your story thrown in the recycling bin. The only exception is if you want to get crazy and creative, such as writing a first person story from the perspective of someone who has incorrect grammar. The rule of thumb is if you have a well-thought out idea behind those spelling mistakes or that lack of punctuation, you're fine.
   
   Make sure the story makes sense. A good test is to hand your story to a friend, roommate or family member. If they ask you why the gorilla was in the bathtub and you thought you wrote a story about horseback riding in Montana, you may want to do a little revising. It's important that the reader can clearly follow everything that's going on.
   
   Determine whether it is actually a short story. Admittedly, this is rather a mushy criterion. But you don't need a Ph.D. in comparative literature; just use your best judgment.

Next: Decide What Market You Want to Publish In

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Resources

• Novel & Short Story Writer's Market
• Google Magazines
• Zoetrope: All-Story