Guidelines for Getting Your Fiction Published

By Lanee’ Blunt

Getting your fiction published is challenging. It is different from looking for a non-fiction publisher because you cannot sell fiction with just an outline and a query. After you have written your story you should consider submitting it for publication. One of the best feelings is to see your story in print in a magazine. Most new writer’s find the submitting process a little overwhelming, and often want to give up after receiving rejection letters.

Know Your Market
It is useless to submit your fiction to a magazine that does not accept fiction, or to submit your romance story to a mystery magazine. You will receive a rejection letter if you don’t know what the magazine publishes. “If you’re not at all sure where to send your story, your first step should be a trip to the library,” according to Laurie Henry. Spend a day browsing through magazines paying attention to stories that are similar to yours.

Research
Write down the name, the address, and fiction editors of magazines that you want to appear in. Read the stories in the magazine paying close attention to point of view, the protagonist, and look at some of the ads. You can get a good idea of the readership by noticing the ads.

Create a Target List
Start with the highest paying magazine first and send them your story. Make sure that you give them a chance to accept the story or turn it down before you send the story out again. Send the story to the second best, and then the next best until the story is accepted. Keep track of submissions by creating a market list, for example you will list where the story was sent, the editor’s name, and the reply, if accepted or rejected.

Reference:
Laurie Henry; Submitting Your Short Story-The Waiting Game; Handbook of Short Story Writing; Writer’s Digest