The problem is...

Ive been working in the short story format of this genre since I dont deem myself worthy yet to try a novel. Ive read a lot of stories from different magazines and ran into a problem--

I dont like the majority of the stories.

Its not just style, its also plot. I dont feel I can write teh type of stories a lot of books are looking for, and not sure I want to. Ive read so many stories where I think--waht the hell is this? Not just in plot, but in style. Is it good and Im not getting it? Or is it just different?

Any advice?

I always figure that the best reason to write anything is because you don't like what you read.

What better motivation than reading a published story and saying to yourself, "I can write better than this"?

Its not so much better, but just different. And if its different, does that hurt my chances of selling? I read that publishers say to please read their mags to see what they publish, yet they also want something new. Its confusing.:wha

There are a lot of journal sand anthologies out there. I don't like most of them, the ones I do like are pretty obscure and took some finding.

Gosh, I don't think I have but one story involving sand. Uh, are any of those sand anthologies still accepting subs?

I don't read sf/fantasy mags on a regular basis, but when I do pick one up I rarely find many stories I like. So I know that the "publish short stories so your name will be known when you submit a novel" route is not for me. I don't write what most mags publish, and I don't want to.

On the up side, I do enjoy many sf/fantasy novels, so I have a chance there.

Have you tried 'the third alternative' -- I think it is one of the better fantasy mags.

I don't know if you meant me or blue, but no, I haven't, but I will look for it next time I hit a bookstore.

There are magazines or webzines that cover most broad areas, and just because a publication doesn't have a story in it that's just like yours, it doesn't necessarily mean they wouldn't take it. Could you say how you feel your stories differ, and then someone here might be able to suggest appropriate markets.

Is a webzine as reputable as a short story market?

And Ill check the web for Third Alternative.

Both webzines and print magazines vary enormously - the print ones range from professional, glossy efforts to bits of paper stapled together. In the same way, webzines can be either very reputable or fly-by-night affairs. I think you could take as a rule of thumb, if they're willing to pay you, they're respectable. Some publishers/agents/editors might tend not to take them quite as seriously as print mags, but you could always mention what you got paid for the story, that might get their attention.

Incidentally, I'm not belittling bits of paper stapled together, I've read some that have excellent content. They just don't tend to be taken quite so seriously.

Re: bits of paper ...

My first story published (in other than high school or college yearbooks) was in one of those bits-of-paper-stapled-together magazines.

And you're right ... they mostly go unnoticed except for a small cadre of loyal subscribers--who often happen to be the authors since getting a year's subscription of the magazine is how they get paid.

Re: bits of paper ...

I miss that "one-staple wonder" too Pthom.

Re: bits of paper ...

I have a stapler -- and some paper . . .

Re: bits of paper ...

The really good ones were when they were duplicated, and you had to type it all on stencils (manual typewriters, of course). Ah, those were the days...