Submitting your short story

You've created, revised, and polished your short story until it shines. Now what?

I find that finding a market for my stories is the hardest part of the process.

There are many resources out there to use to find markets, such as: http://www.duotrope.com/ and http://www.ralan.com/. And there are many publications, such as:
http://www.novelandshortstory.com/ and Writer's Market .



But, what do you do with these lists? How do you know where to send your story?

Decide the genre of your story. This is the step that puzzles me sometimes. There are some many choices and sub choices. Do the best you can and let the editor make the final decision. If you have a sci-fi thriller, target a market that takes both.

Research the market. You don't want to end up sending a romantic thriller to a magazine that specializes in sci-fi thrillers. Most magazines have sample writing on their website, others you may have to order a copy of the magazine. Don't waste your time or the editors. Do your research to verify that your story is right for the publication.

Follow the guidelines. It is important to read the publications guidelines very carefully and to follow them precisely. You don't want to give the editor any reason to reject your piece, especially something as simple as following the rules.

Address the editor by the right name. Publications change editors often. Make sure to address the right person when submitting. Respect can get you that much closer to publication.

Overall: Send your best work, find the right market, follow the rules, and be courteous.

What are you waiting on? Get that story uploaded to your email or off to the post office. The longer you wait, the longer it will take. Good luck!