Writing Short Stories that Sell

tharris

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Hello all,

I've been getting back in the short story game this year. I have about seven stories (some flash, some short) that I've been submitting for the past few months. I haven't sold any yet, but I've been aiming high at challenging/prestigious pro markets first, so I'm not panicking about not selling, but...

I love what I've written, but I'm self-aware that my stories are pretty experimental, usually involving some sort of prose gimmick or the stories are about some mundane situation happening in extreme circumstances (like: an alien spacecraft has been hovering over London for a month, but the MC in Nebraska still has to go to work and pay her mortgage--I didn't actually write this, but now I think I just had a new idea, LOL). These are passion projects for me. I write what I like to read. But if I wanted to try to write some more traditional stories that the market would be more interested in, what are some tips, resources, examples I should be looking at?
 

lizmonster

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But if I wanted to try to write some more traditional stories that the market would be more interested in, what are some tips, resources, examples I should be looking at?

Really and truly, the best thing you can do is read the markets you're trying to sell into.

And I'm not convinced that "more traditional" is a better idea than what you've been doing. The truth is the SFF short story market is pretty tight and brutal, and you can write gorgeous stuff that still may not find a home.

But I'm always a big advocate for writing what you love, no matter how the market receives it at the moment. If you don't love your work, how can you expect readers to love it?
 

tharris

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Really and truly, the best thing you can do is read the markets you're trying to sell into.

And I'm not convinced that "more traditional" is a better idea than what you've been doing. The truth is the SFF short story market is pretty tight and brutal, and you can write gorgeous stuff that still may not find a home.

But I'm always a big advocate for writing what you love, no matter how the market receives it at the moment. If you don't love your work, how can you expect readers to love it?

I have been inclined to agree with you, but lately my thinking has shifted a bit, and I learning how to write more formulaic, accessible stories would probably help my writing in general. Something like: learn how do something following all of the rules before you start trying to break them.

You're right about reading where I want to be published, but most of them charge money to read, so I really need to pick two or three and get a subscription. Thanks for the advice!
 

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I have been inclined to agree with you, but lately my thinking has shifted a bit, and I learning how to write more formulaic, accessible stories would probably help my writing in general. Something like: learn how do something following all of the rules before you start trying to break them.

What's hard, though, is that "formulaic" doesn't necessarily sell. Too often a story-by-the-numbers ends up being passionless and unengaging. And yes, while markets want stories that a lot of people will read, they're all casting about for the unusual and the captivating.

Which is not to say you shouldn't try it! You may find you really enjoy it. I just don't know that it's going to increase your odds of selling. (I don't know that any single story does, actually - I expect it's a bit like a coin toss, where your odds are pretty much the same each time.)
 

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learning how to write more formulaic, accessible stories would probably help my writing in general.

Here's the thing: Formulaic stories run the risk of being too by-the-book and not having any heart to them (as others have mentioned) but accessibility is a really good thing to be striving for. I know I personally have a tend to go on these great, many-month expeditions into some kind of experiment with my writing before finally reaching a crescendo with what I believe to by a work of unimaginable genius-- only to realize, of course, that they're unreadable to someone who wasn't in exactly my state of mind when I wrote it.
So, maybe that is an important step-- take a look at your writing and see if you think you're going to far, pushing past cutting edge and into something unintelligible. Then, maybe some more traditional work might help you.
 

Elle.

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I think it's pretty much the same as other types of writing poetry or novel): read, read, read the kind of stories published in those magazines you are submitting to, read short stories from acclaimed authors in the genre you're writing and other genres as well. Read them as a writer not just a reader: how to they differentiate from yours, how are the style, the themes, the prose, etc... and then it's practice, practice, practice. Another option is using an editing or critique service and get some professional feedback on some of your stories to find out what are their strengths, and where you can improve. Finally, are there any universities or other places running courses on writing short stories to develop your techniques. Is it worth investing in a course?
 

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If you write well and work on your writing continuously, your stories will sell and be read.

There’s only a handful of pro-markets, and they need neither more quality fiction nor your support. Small markets, however, desperately need both. Not enough readers support them financially, and writers who write well don’t give them a chance by allowing their work to be published by them. This only leads to the pro-markets creating a monopoly of content, determining what will make it as long as the narratives meet a relatively narrow aesthetic. And then, anything that doesn’t fall into the narrow aesthetic of a dozen or so pro genre markets will remain obscure and unread, which fails not only readers but also writers.

Though I do think you should buy magazines/journals and/or donate to as many markets as your funds allow, I don’t agree with reading a market and then trying to write a piece that “sounds” like what they want. I think that line of thinking leads to stagnation. A common complaint people have about top markets is how all the content sounds the same. But if writers are encouraged to produce content that sounds like what’s already been done, what else would one expect?

Publishers of all stripes are often closing, but I don’t think it’s entirely because of a lower readership (though writers not supporting markets doesn’t help). Too many of these magazine and journals spend too much time trying to limit competition amongst themselves while at the same time publishing what they’ve already done.This won’t bring in new generations of readers.
 

Vincent

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I really appreciated Damon Knight's Creating Short Fiction.

Perhaps its a little dated now, but I thought the advice was sound.
 

Harlequin

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It's a highly subjective numbers game.

I've written 5 short stories this past year. 4 I considered good enough for submission. Of those, so far I've collected:

-- 18 rejections for the piece A, and 1 acceptance (semi-pro zine)
-- 28 rejections for piece B, and 1 acceptance (semi-pro zine)
-- 8 rejections for piece C, and 1 acceptance (pro zine)
-- 10 rejections for piece D (AND COUNTING), 0 acceptances

That's a total ratio of 64:3 for me so far (and will go up as more JKJ rejections trickle in.) you might also note that it's not a straight improvement, and in fact the current story on sub may not sell at all, so will probably rake in around 30 rejections before I shelve it.


Through all of that I'm starting to get a feel for the different places. For example, it's a pretty safe bet that F&SF and Apex will probably *never* take anything I write, because I just don't write the style they're looking for. Same for Clarkesworld. That's three who I can essentially discount (and it does narrow down the pool a lot). Analog and Asimov I've had near misses with, so maybe someday I'll nail it (I'm not there yet, though). SH is probably too literary and experimental for what I'm able to do, although I enjoy their stories as a reader. And so on and so forth. And yes, I am still new at it, so hopefully with time I'll be able to narrow down better. Skip some markets entirely.

I don't have control over my stories in the sense that I can't sit down and create one through discipline (some can! a good skill.) I think I can sometimes be a match for certain zines though there are other factors (lots and lots of other factors) that have to line up, too.
 
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pdichellis

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You might take a look at a book titled Playing the Short Game: How to Market and Sell Short Fiction (2014) by Douglas Smith, an award-winning SF author.

The book was serialized online (pre-publication) at Amazing Stories, where I read it free, but I don't think the serialization is still available. Was filled with good step-by-step info.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1928048226/?tag=absowrit-20
 

thearchduke

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If you write well and work on your writing continuously, your stories will sell and be read.

There’s only a handful of pro-markets, and they need neither more quality fiction nor your support. Small markets, however, desperately need both. Not enough readers support them financially, and writers who write well don’t give them a chance by allowing their work to be published by them. This only leads to the pro-markets creating a monopoly of content, determining what will make it as long as the narratives meet a relatively narrow aesthetic. And then, anything that doesn’t fall into the narrow aesthetic of a dozen or so pro genre markets will remain obscure and unread, which fails not only readers but also writers.

Though I do think you should buy magazines/journals and/or donate to as many markets as your funds allow, I don’t agree with reading a market and then trying to write a piece that “sounds” like what they want. I think that line of thinking leads to stagnation. A common complaint people have about top markets is how all the content sounds the same. But if writers are encouraged to produce content that sounds like what’s already been done, what else would one expect?

Publishers of all stripes are often closing, but I don’t think it’s entirely because of a lower readership (though writers not supporting markets doesn’t help). Too many of these magazine and journals spend too much time trying to limit competition amongst themselves while at the same time publishing what they’ve already done.This won’t bring in new generations of readers.

I agree with this whole thing, particularly with the first sentence (emphasis added). External validation is wonderful, and it will come, through practice, talent, and community. Especially if you don't just focus on the big-name pro 'zines--you wouldn't only send out college applications to Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.
 

Denevius

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And you wouldn’t apply to only the top jobs in your field. Not if you want to eat.

But people have big dreams, and that’s cool. My suggestion, though, is to see if you can sell to smaller markets, and work your way up. If writing is your lifestyle and not just your hobby, *and* if you actually are good, your writing will eventually place in a pro-market. And then the heavens will open and the angels will cheer your accomplishment.

But not really.