how to sell short stories

[fenrah]

As I've gotten involved in the podcasting community, I've run across a number of talented writers who've never placed a short story and are sad about it. The process of placing short stories seems mysterious to them

Comments

[irishnutt]

That whole issue of payment is funny. You're right: there's a certain issue of respect involved. We pay for what we value and, conversely, value what we pay for. It's a weird system that's come about where writers don't expect to be paid for their work. Strange. And yet I don't think that most literary magazines that can't or don't pay contributors don't respect them. And plenty of people submitting don't respect the journals or other writers enough to pay to read them either

[fenrah]

This is absolutely true, and I probably should have said "how to sell speculative fiction short stories." I'm sure that literary fiction (which I know nothing about selling) is different. Poetry certainly is. Religious fiction, which I do know something about selling, is somewhat easier than spec fic. Non-fiction also seems to be a little easier, and the rules are different

[fenrah]

Oh, and fees for contests seem ridiculous. It means (I think) that they couldn't figure out any other way to meet basic costs than to charge the authors. That seems like poor management.

[jkivela]

You should repost this to your forums, might be helpful there too.

Good job on Dunesteef on the Broken Mirror story!

[fenrah]

Maybe. I don't know. I'll post a writing thread over there and see what they say.

The Broken Mirror Story - Thanks! But I'm pretty sure you have me confused with someone else. I only read like two or three lines for one of those. I didn't write any of them.

[jkivela]

No, I ment the reading, was able to pick out your voice easily enough.

[fenrah]

Aw, thanks. It's nice to be recognized. :D