Short stories are an exceptional art form.
When a writer is inspired to tell a fictional tale that is simpler or more contained, they turn to the form of a short story.
Just because they are shorter than a novel doesn’t mean that short stories are any less dramatic or meaningful. In fact, this kind of concentrated storytelling can pack a mighty punch.
Some authors only write short stories occasionally, or chiefly as a means of demonstrating their writing ability.
Some authors consider short stories their ‘calling card’ to show their writing skills. But other writers consider it their preferred form and publish collections of short stories rather than full-length novels.
5 Resources for Where to Submit Short Stories
Short story writers normally start by getting their stories published individually in magazines or literary journals. If you are curious about how to publish a short story, these are some great resources that will guide you to where to submit short stories.
1. Writer’s Digest
Writer’s Digest has a plethora of valuable information. It is a good place to start, as it gives some relatively brief but important advice on how to publish a short story successfully, including “10 Rules for Submitting Short Stories.” Most notably, Writer’s Digest has a comprehensive guide to submitting short stories for writers who’re eager to press submit.
2. The Writing Cooperative
Caleb Stephens for The Writing Cooperative details the author’s progress after a full year and a half of submitting short stories to over 100 different publications. In his article, “Lessons learned from a year-and-a-half of submitting short stories,” Stephens offers his acceptance and rejection stats, along with thoughts on what he learned. Overall, this is an excellent piece to prepare you for the short story submission process.
3. The Write Life
This resource from The Write Life focuses on the short story submission process for many of the most distinguished outlets for short fiction, like The New Yorker and The Atlantic, providing background information on each publication along with information on when to submit and payment.
4. Let’s Write a Short Story
Let’s Write a Short Story gives authors an actionable list of 46 literary magazines that actively accept short story submissions. The piece only provides titles and links, but it’s still a great place to learn about some titles that you aren’t familiar with, including magazines that accept sci-fi, horror, and flash fiction.
5. Cultured Vultures
Cultured Vultures offers a comprehensive assemblage of 50 websites that accept writing submissions, from poetry to short stories. The easy-to-read list, which provides details about each site and whether or not they pay for accepted submissions, includes some sites you will likely recognize (e.g., Salon, Slate) and many more that will be new to you.
Should You Publish a Short Story Yourself?
The short story submission process can be time-consuming, and it doesn’t always yield the results you are looking for.
Committing common author mistakes may hinder your chances of being published by a magazine or website. For example, some first-time authors may forget to seek the opinion of a beta reader. Likewise, an author may skip getting their work professionally edited. Ultimately, these authors won’t see the same success as an established author.
For this reason, it can be advantageous for first-time authors to seek the partnership and guidance of a publishing company like Gatekeeper Press.
Gatekeeper Press can guide you through the entirety of the publishing process—from editing to illustration, publishing, and distribution.
In the end, you’ll have complete control over when and how your work is published. No more scrambling to make deadlines, waiting for editors, and otherwise.
Skip the Wait and Publish Your Own Short Stories
We hope the above resources help show you where to submit short stories for money (or for free in some cases). But if you want to take matters into your own hands and publish your stories now, check out the services that Gatekeeper Press has to offer for editing, publishing, distribution, and more!