Selling Short Stories

Selling short stories is a challenging and exciting way for writers who are looking to start making some money off of their craft. The short story has been a valuable commodity for writers for decades. Many monthly magazines have a long history of publishing the short stories of both new and established writers. Some novels have even been published in serial fashion - a chapter at a time - over the course of several installments. This article will share some tips and tricks for how to start selling short stories.

Selling your writing can seem like a pretty daunting task if you've never been published. Even if you have had some success selling your work in the past, it never hurts to hear some advice once in awhile to give you some new ideas for how to approach this process. Check out the ideas listed below to help you get started.

OK, so this might seem obvious, or like the kind of comment that doesn't really help much, but you need to understand at the outset that people are only going to pay money for stories that are well-written and intriguing on some level. Here are some things to keep in mind when you try to size up your work:

• Have a Definite Climax or Resolution – A short story needs to do what it is going to do quicker than a novel, so you need to get to the payoff soon. When you get there, it needs to be clear what is happening and why it is happening. Bounce your ideas off some good friends to see what their reaction is to your storyline, and revise accordingly.

• Characters – Your characters must evoke strong reactions, meaning they must be likable or unlikable. Most of all, they must be believable. Even if they are fantastical or mythical, they need to have motivations that readers can relate to. Otherwise, no one will care about what happens to them.

• Write With Your Senses – One of the best ways readers are drawn into stories is by feeling the writer's words. What does the scene smell like? What sounds are playing in the background? What does the material of the girl's dress feel like? Make sure your stories are full of vivid sensory details.

• Revise, Revise, Revise – Don't stop until you get it right. Some famous writers revise thirty or forty drafts before they submit the story for publication. Great writing takes a lot of work, so don't be afraid to keep working on a story to get it perfect.

The fact is, when you are just starting out you're probably not going to get your first story published in the 'New Yorker'. Most writers need to build up their publishing credits before they have success at some of the most established magazines like Harper's and Reader's Digest. Try some of the following suggestions to get attention for some of your first stories.

• Isolate Your Market – You need to send your work to magazines that publish stories in a similar vein to the stories you write. For example, if you write religious stories, try a magazine focusing on religious interests, or if your stories feature strong heroines, try a woman's magazine. Narrowing your focus is one of the best ways to have success selling short stories.

• Stay Regional – Many areas have their own regional magazines that publish short stories. South East Louisiana has a magazine called Country Roads that has short stories in it from time to time, and a small magazine called Farwest Almanac serves Southern California. Take some time to explore regional magazines in your area to increase your chances of getting published.

• Go Online – The Internet has been a boon for short story writers as it is easier and cheaper to publish an e-zine than it is to print a traditional magazine. There are countless online magazines that publish fiction. A short list includes The Cynic, One Story, SORMAG, Rhapsody, and Narrative Magazine. Online might be the best way for a new short story writer to break into the market.

For the writer, rejection is an occupational hazard. You will most certainly receive more rejection letters than acceptance letters. Everyone does; it's part of the deal. But with a little perseverance, you will eventually get through all the bad news and find yourself making money as a published writer. The money might be small at first, but just like anything else, the more you stick with it and the better your work gets, the more you can expect to be paid for it.

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