It is a displeasing fact of the writer’s existence that writing—no matter how well you do it—is only part of the journey toward getting your stories published (and, maybe, getting paid for your work). Figuring out the rest of the steps along the way can be daunting, particularly for writers without much access to other writers who walked the path first and are willing to share their hard-won knowledge. The posts linked to on this page are for anyone who has written a speculative* short story and polished it until it shines, and is now looking for tips regarding how to try and get that shiny new story published.
- How to Find Publishers for Individual Short Stories
- How to Write Cover Letters and Bios for Short Story Submissions
- How to Format Short Stories for Submission (coming soon)
*Many of these tips may also apply to submitting your stories to literary magazines; however, the cultures of “literary” publishing and “speculative” or “genre” publishing do not always align. I have published multiple stories in both SF zines and litmags and have generally found the experiences and expectations to be quite different. I have focused specifically on individual short stories, as that is the bulk of what I have published and I do not yet have much direct experience regarding how to submit poetry, creative nonfiction, entire books, and so forth—but, again, the information here may at least provide a starting point for writers who also work in those forms.