Short Stories

Think of it like a resumé. They won't have read your short stories because there are too many zines to keep track of, but if you can include in your cover letter that you were published by a few they've heard the names of then they'll be more likely to pay your work attention. Just because they pay it attention doesn't mean they'll want to publish it though, it's not unusual to get accepted after 40 rejections or so, you just have to keep trying different pub houses.

>>8678183
Yeah, the way I see it, more interest is better than no interest. Have any of your stories been published? Simply curious about experiences with short story publication.

Anyways, thanks for replying, mate.

>>8678173

I'm in the same boat OP, been considering short stories as a means to recognition. I think at the most a prior publishing record will get you to the top of the slush pile but in the end it's down to the individual work and the reader.

But I might be wrong, in which case someone feel free to say otherwise.

>>8678218
A dozen or so short ones with more out next month. Getting accepted is quite hit and miss there, too. I've not finished anything novel length yet.

A lot of it is about finding the right publisher for the right piece, short of long, lots simply won't be looking for something like yours at the time. I think short stories give book publishers a metric to gauge how prestigious a magazine you got into as well as if they're curious they can go out and read your work to get a better idea of how you'll handle the plot beyond the sample chapter you sent them.
Something like the Writer's & Artists handbook might come in useful as it has all this stuff written in one place, though it's mostly online if you can sift the information yourself.

>>8678246
Congrats on the success with your short stories. I've only written a handful in the past few weeks and have recently submitted them to various lit magazines - mainly University pubs. I don't feel comfortable sending them to contests yet. Also, presently, I'm avoiding any zine asking for money to submit, even if they're legit. That just rubs me the wrong way.

Another question: Do you guys submit the same story to multiple magazines at the same time? If so, how many is too many? Most seem not to mind if you do, as long as the writer withdraws the story as soon as it's picked up by another publication. I figure I might send a short to two or three, if it fits the themes or scope of the magazine/issue.

anyone else have experience publishing short stories? all input welcome.