How to Sell Fiction Short Stories to Magazines
Aspiring authors often start by selling short stories to magazines. In addition to many print magazines, there are a number of online magazines that will purchase short stories. Writing and selling a short story is not easy, and it is generally a time-consuming process. In most cases, it takes two months or so to hear back from a publication, although response times will vary between magazines. If your story is initially rejected, keep trying. Best-selling author Stephen King pinned dozens of rejection letters to a railroad spike on his wall before selling his first short story.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Write your story, and then go over it to polish it and improve it. When you are satisfied with the story, format it in standard manuscript format. The story should have 1-inch margins all the way around, be in a legible font, such as Times New Roman or Courier, and should have your contact information in the top left corner of the front page. The approximate word count should be in the upper right corner. Be sure to include page numbers.
-
2
Find a market for your story. There are several market listing services you can use to find magazines to sell short stories to. A popular free resource is Duotrope's Digest. You can also use the current edition of the "Writer's Market" or the Writer's Market website. Ensure that your story fits the editor's notes for what the magazine is looking for. For example, don't submit a horror story to a children's magazine. Also ensure the story is the appropriate length for the publication.
-
-
3
Review the submission guidelines and terms for the magazine. Some magazines prefer email or online submissions, while others prefer hard copy submissions by mail. Review any style preferences listed in the guidelines and adapt your story to fit them. For example, some magazines may prefer you use specific symbols or markings between story sections, or specific fonts.
-
4
Compose a cover letter. Keep it short, factual and to the point. Highlight your experience as well as any publications you've been published in. If you've never published a story, include this in the cover letter. Discovering new authors often makes editors happy, but it also can make them hesitant. Be sure to thank the magazine for considering the story for publication.
-
5
Submit the story to the magazine in the manner specified. Check the guidelines to determine how long it will take for the magazine to respond. Many magazines give a range and advise you to inquire about the status of the story once the time period has passed.
-
6
Review the terms of the contract and work out the payment details with the editor. At this time the editor may ask you to submit a short biography or a photograph. If the editor rejects your story, begin looking for another publication to submit it to. If the rejection slip includes suggestions, consider modifying your story based on the editor's advice.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Be sure you understand the terms of the sale and what type of rights you are giving to the magazine. Typically, you'll give the magazine first serial rights, which gives them the first right of publication. The full rights usually revert to you after a specified time period.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
