How to Publish Short Story
We'll look at a few here, to give you a start. Then you must dig them out for yourself, from your newsagent's shelves, writers' magazines, the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook and The Writer's Handbook. Look out for new publications appearing on the newsstands. Read the Press Gazette to keep up with new launches.
Look beyond the obvious outlets. Search among specialist and hobby publications - some of these will consider short fiction relevant to their subject. Some regional magazines and newspapers publish short stories, too.
It's a big mistake to offer an editor a story you believe is 'better' than those he is currently publishing. Editors of successful magazines know what their readers want.
The Small Press plays a significant part in nurturing our country's writing talent. Who else will welcome our quirky, off-the-wall short stories, our experimental poetry? Who else will publish cutting-edge writers without fear of alienating shareholders, corporate boardrooms, or big-money advertisers? Small Press editors publish what they like - and what they like is original, innovative prose and poetry, the kind that might not be welcomed in the high-powered commercialism of the world's IPCs and EMAPs.
Get guidelines if you can. They'll give you a magazine's basic requirements. You'll increase your chances considerably, though, if you build up your own detailed study.
Collect at least six issues of your target magazine - a glance through one or two copies is not enough. You need a clear picture of the magazine's readership and its overall tone and style.
