Learn How To Submit Short Stories

By Jerry Murray


Anyone who has dreamed of writing for a living will find that the internet has many offerings. These include working with local news sites to writing for blogs or creating social media posts for business. Many of these entities offer a flexible schedule and paid work experience. Some aspiring writers will submit short stories to be used in a number of ways.

The online opportunities sometimes outweigh the publishing houses that follow traditional methods. Locating these companies is fairly easy, as search engines will provide links to their sites. There are also books, periodicals and writing groups that can give further information.

Once a person finds a few prospects, they may wonder what they should write about or which publisher is appropriate for their writing style. Before trying to adhere to the submission format, it may be best to jot down a few ideas. From there, a draft summary or plot with an ending that may be suitable for the designated audience could be the next step.

Often finding a productivity style can be a challenge for the new writer, as well as some who are established. Some wordsmiths jot down ideas as they come to mind while others desire structure by using an outline for each scene or chapter. Either way, or a combination of ways, may work for someone who is finding their writing voice at the same time.

The best stories for a new writer to come up with are those that have not been shared with the world. Some like to take a personal or real life event and convert into a short story that is believable. If that is the route chosen, then it may be beneficial to change supporting character names and use a fictional location.

Writers may choose a character that is completely made up and has a uniqueness that makes them stand apart from most fictional characters. For the reader, this can be just as fun as many read stories as a form of escapism. Yet, it may help to keep the story itself as believable as possible. When exploring things like cultural beliefs as they relate to the characters, continuity is key. For instance, someone of the Muslim faith is not going to eat any dish made with pork.

Sometimes writers tend to get so wrapped up in the process that they may go overboard with the number of words written. The finished content may be broken up as a series or used as a teaser for promotional purposes. It can also be helpful in case the shortened version is not accepted for immediate publication.

Short stories can also be used as selling tools, either to promote a more lengthy works or to cross promote another item. Lighthearted pieces tend to work best in this type of scenario, as they can be used for online content or merchandising. A story that is well written and is marketable can see different forms over time.




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