tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post4648860997255046674..comments2024-03-17T07:55:51.361+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: SHORT STORIES - HELP, PLEASENicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-79267052264788488362010-05-31T18:22:09.653+01:002010-05-31T18:22:09.653+01:00I like to think that having a few publsihing credi...I like to think that having a few publsihing credits will help me to find an agent for my longer work but it hasn't yet. <br /><a href="http://www.admaya.in" rel="nofollow"> PPC Advertising India </a>Nishanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12461392896444120934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-20383890872614699792010-05-27T14:23:23.388+01:002010-05-27T14:23:23.388+01:00Olivia and Cara - thanks for your additions to thi...Olivia and Cara - thanks for your additions to this mountain of excellent info. It will all be absorbed and I'll contacted all those who I quote directly. (But nor very soon!)Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-55812078639051602172010-05-27T12:26:18.424+01:002010-05-27T12:26:18.424+01:00Hi
My name's Cara Cooper and I have had four ...Hi<br /><br />My name's Cara Cooper and I have had four stories published in People's Friend. I have also had 5 pocket novels published by them and My Weekly. I endorse much of what's been said. Short stories are a terrific way of keeping your hand in whilst you are waiting for replies on longer pieces of writing you have dispatched full of hope. The long, long wait is a horribly Cara Cooperhttp://www.thoughtsfromalockedroom.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-3902052033934263002010-05-25T20:23:01.054+01:002010-05-25T20:23:01.054+01:00Hi Nicola
Not sure if I'm too late. I'll t...Hi Nicola<br />Not sure if I'm too late. I'll try to answer quickly! <br />* I've never written without payment.<br />* I do write fairly successfully for women's magazines, alongside writing my novels. (I write my short stories under my own name, Sheila Norton). And yes, I think I found my niche a long time ago - I do much better with the more 'mature' mags like The Sheila Nortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13997206301877289623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-21381478949667186322010-05-21T16:17:09.148+01:002010-05-21T16:17:09.148+01:00Thanks, everyone - excellently useful. And thanks,...Thanks, everyone - excellently useful. And thanks, too to those who have emailed me. I'll be writing the section soonish and will get back to you if i need any more details. <br /><br />What a lot of talents out there!Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-2348282564330450482010-05-21T15:36:18.251+01:002010-05-21T15:36:18.251+01:00Hi Nicola,
Daniel Blythe asked me to stop by to se...Hi Nicola,<br />Daniel Blythe asked me to stop by to see if I could help. I'm a published author of Horror/Fantasy - I have had some short stories published but it is quite difficult to get into the market. Depending on the genre there are several magazines that might interest you. There's Murky Depths Magazine www.murkydepths.com/ Interzone/Black Static in the horror/Fantasy/sci-fi Sam Stonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02589599325650332330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-71179868928096777152010-05-21T14:08:13.974+01:002010-05-21T14:08:13.974+01:00Hi Nicola
I write full time, but mainly non-ficti...Hi Nicola<br /><br />I write full time, but mainly non-fiction articles and books, however, I do 'dabble' in the women's magazine short story market and have had over 20 stories published so far. In my experience, I would say that the market diversity is shrinking, although overall, the number of stories bought by this sector is stable. Magazines like Woman's Weekly Fiction Simon Whaleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17281341760411123469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-21702953433507223642010-05-21T13:53:29.728+01:002010-05-21T13:53:29.728+01:00Hi Nicola.
I've just completed a crime novel ...Hi Nicola.<br /><br />I've just completed a crime novel and I'm actively seeking representation. If it wasn't for building my confidence as a writer by submitting to online short story comps (& winning a few), plus having 20+ published on webzines then I don't think I'd have had the self-belief to complete the novel. The positive feedback I've received online has Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17913040012695421077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-81680276185524339792010-05-21T09:56:41.434+01:002010-05-21T09:56:41.434+01:00My feeings are very similar to Suzanne's. I n...My feeings are very similar to Suzanne's. I now write exclusively for the women's magazine market and it has definitely shrunk since I started with magazines such as Best and Woman losing their fiction slots.<br /><br />The first piece of fiction I ever had published was to a non-paying market, The Momaya Press, but at that stage I was so thrilled to have something published I didn'tHelenMWaltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16182100572365505905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-44646865386323180412010-05-21T09:02:23.554+01:002010-05-21T09:02:23.554+01:00UK literary non-flash non-genre story outlets?
R...UK literary non-flash non-genre story outlets?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.riptidejournal.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">Riptide</a> and <a href="http://www.uppress.co.uk/shortfiction.htm" rel="nofollow">Short FICTION</a> are the only prose-only ones I know of. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.staplemagazine.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">Staple</a>, <a href="http://www.people.vcu.edu/~dlatane/Tim Lovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578925224900533603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-90269084546062594062010-05-20T22:48:06.539+01:002010-05-20T22:48:06.539+01:00I've had short stories published in various pl...I've had short stories published in various places including: My Weekly, People's Friend, The Weekly News, Ireland's Own, New Love Stories (US). I gives talks to other writers on the importance of market research and always make sure I know the kind of story an editor publishes. I'm being more successful this year because of it. I also have a blog providing information for writersRosemary Gemmellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09311840205603508422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-68661448542830252662010-05-20T22:46:52.539+01:002010-05-20T22:46:52.539+01:00The first short story that I ever had published wa...The first short story that I ever had published was in an anthology published by Accent Press that was being sold to raise funds for Cancer Research UK, a cause particularly close to my heart as I work for them. It was the cause that attracted me and I was delighted when My story "Elaine" was included in it. It also gave me the confidence to submit stories to magazines and I've had Colette McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00383068332228040704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-35305288644103048692010-05-20T22:35:39.678+01:002010-05-20T22:35:39.678+01:00And some answers from me -
I've had about 30...And some answers from me - <br /><br />I've had about 30 stories published in the women's magazine market, and sell an average of one a month. The market for women's mag fiction is definitely declining in this country. Those mags who take a lot of fiction have probably increased the number of stories they take, eg WOman's Weekly increased the number of Fiction Specials a couple ofKath McGurlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02526923882402757423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-90421616689586218622010-05-20T22:01:42.058+01:002010-05-20T22:01:42.058+01:00I'm glad you asked this, Nicola, since I'm...I'm glad you asked this, Nicola, since I'm getting all kinds of good advice from reading other people's comments.<br /><br />The story market (US) is a tough nut to crack. I only have one published credit and unfortunately it's in my college literary magazine, which is open only to students. I didn't get paid, although I did get a copy. You can read the story on my blog, Elizabeth Westhttp://aelizabethwest.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-4214309642461685762010-05-20T21:20:29.389+01:002010-05-20T21:20:29.389+01:00Hi, Nicola
I've only had two short stories pu...Hi, Nicola<br /><br />I've only had two short stories published in the same magazine in Australia but would like to add my comments for the following question: How systematic were/are you in identifying the right magazine? Tips about this.<br /><br />I have a very systematic approach. But my starting point, a point that cannot be reiterated enough, is to read the magazines you want to write Julie Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06546678603569056691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-44650666914990686312010-05-20T19:32:18.690+01:002010-05-20T19:32:18.690+01:00Hi Nicola
I've had about 20 stories published ...Hi Nicola<br />I've had about 20 stories published in mainstream woman's mags, including My Weekly, Woman's Weekly and People's Friend. Though I have a very good hit rate (about one in three) I took the decision this year not to write any more stories for commercial reasons. Firstly, the market has got much more competitive and the number of outlets is decreasing. Secondly, the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-40347701783007950132010-05-20T17:59:29.032+01:002010-05-20T17:59:29.032+01:00Hi Nicola
My blog focusses on guidelines and advi...Hi Nicola<br /><br />My blog focusses on guidelines and advice for those writing for the women's magazine market, so you might like to take a wander over there! I'll point my readers in this direction too, and will come back later this evening to answer your questions (I can hear sounds of dinner appearing on the table right now)Kath McGurlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02526923882402757423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-53178929742708082072010-05-20T16:28:53.416+01:002010-05-20T16:28:53.416+01:00Re writing for profit / payment:-
Do you manage t...Re writing for profit / payment:- <br />Do you manage to place stories for paid publication reasonably successfully? Is your success rate erratic or have you developed a good system / found your niche? <br /><br />Yes - most of my stories were sold on the first or second attempt. I write erotic short fiction, which is already a niche market; I studied the market by reading in the genre and Victoria Janssenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12259793807283856761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-20827091799744146512010-05-20T16:14:02.091+01:002010-05-20T16:14:02.091+01:00I've only been writing short stories for just ...I've only been writing short stories for just over a year and have recently had two stories accepted for publication (and one 'nearly' for an anthology). One of these is with a women's mag and the other with Big Finish Productions, which is a Doctor Who story.<br /><br />In my limited experience I would say you just need to keep your eyes open on the internet for opportunities, Juliet Boydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04388850310197925066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-42351059026544859712010-05-20T16:01:39.758+01:002010-05-20T16:01:39.758+01:00I've been writing seriously for the women'...I've been writing seriously for the women's mag market for over two years, have submitted nearly 80 stories, and have sold four (which is a 1 in 20 hit rate so not too bad). I don't do it for the money, but to boost my writing CV, as I am currently submitting a completed MS to agents and I heard from other writers that short story publication can help unpublished book writers be Queeniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06988379866736219329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-75318373643299383302010-05-20T15:24:20.802+01:002010-05-20T15:24:20.802+01:00I have one short story published in an fantasy ant...I have one short story published in an fantasy anthology (Firestorm of Dragons). I found out about this market through a writing group I belong to. It's a print anthology. I didn't get an advance, but I have received royalties from it.Sandra Ulbrich Almazanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15365908651235829765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-53810003467309518312010-05-20T13:07:11.158+01:002010-05-20T13:07:11.158+01:00I've only recently started taking this writing...I've only recently started taking this writing for publication thing seriously -- writing stories from beginning to end rather than skipping from unfinished project to unfinished project. Since then I've had two stories published by Crossed Genres -- an online and print mag that pays what is called "token" amounts. $10 for the magazine credit and $25 for the story they reprintedClothDragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07542830590515695754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-63490876300864561572010-05-20T09:53:04.425+01:002010-05-20T09:53:04.425+01:00The UK market for womag stories is definitely shri...The UK market for womag stories is definitely shrinking - and competition is getting tougher as more people try to break into this market.<br /><br />I've sold about a dozen short stories to magazines such as The People's Friend, The Weekly News, That's Life!(Australia), and to a couple of magazines that no longer have a fiction slot. But I still consider each hit a fluke and am very Suzanne Ross Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08561888635304578484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-77515227541439126332010-05-20T09:22:21.946+01:002010-05-20T09:22:21.946+01:00Hi Nicola,
I've had about a dozen short stori...Hi Nicola,<br /><br />I've had about a dozen short stories published. They're in the SF/fantasy/horror genres, for which there is quite a healthy market, here in the UK but more so over in the States. So I will try to answer some of your questions.<br /><br />I've sold to a mixture of print, on-line and anthology markets. The anthologies generally pay better. Some of the magazines K M Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09801740095715755112noreply@blogger.com