“There’s a story in that.”
How many times have you heard, or thought this?
When events in real life amaze us, touch us, and make us feel, humans have an inherent desire to transform these experiences into story. What makes this transformation successful is not always the ‘quality’ of the writing, but can be the medium chosen to tell the tale.
Before creating your story, you might consider how you plan to present it to the world. There are so many ways to get stories out there, it’s not all down to major publishers putting it on the shelves of the major bookshops.
Here are the pros and cons of each type of outlet for short stories:
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Literary Magazines
There is a great variety of magazines which publish short fiction. Some are online and some are in print. Some have loyal readerships, others are themed. Most importantly, by selecting your story, the editors of the magazine have chosen to present it to their readers. They think it is a good fit, or representation of their readership. This is perhaps the most traditional outlet for short stories, and being published in this way can help build your writing CV and get your story in front of short fiction fans.
Pros:
- Editors who can help improve your story
- Possible payment or contributor copies
- Works well for literary stories
- Publishing credits
Cons:
- Acceptance rates can be low
- No direct interaction with readers
- Readers are often other writers, so the market can feel insular
If you would like to submit your story to a magazine, check out the useful links to lists and submissions tools here.
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Podcasts
There is a growing number of audio outlets and platform for stories. Reading your story aloud can be a great way to convey your story in a different way. This format works well for genre fiction like Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. If you have the know-how, you can produce the audio yourself, which may make acceptance more likely with some outlets. My story was presented on a fiction podcast. Listen here.
Pros:
- Reaching a different audience (listening on journeys or at home)
- Addition of post production (music, sounds and editing)
- You often retain all rights after first broadcast
Cons:
- Writers Sometimes need to produce audio yourself
- Listenership for emerging podcasts can be low
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Self Publishing
If you think your story works well as a stand-alone read, then you can prepare to publish straight away. This works best for genre fiction such as erotica and crime and also for novelas or longer short stories which may not fit into other forms of publication. Many authors like the flexibility and immediacy of KDP. You could publish one story, or build your own collection.
Pros:
- Complete creative control
- Control of distribution (price and format)
- No waiting. Just publish.
Cons:
- No editing or professional guidance
- Marketing is the duty of the author
- Not considered traditionally published
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Serials
If you have an ready-built universe or an ongoing story, you might choose to serialise it. This means releasing a new chapter or section of the story to your audience. In this model, it’s up to the author to build interest in their story and effectively use suspense to keep readers hungry for more. Platforms such as Wattpad or Patreon can help authors find an audience and use different subscription models to compensate authors.
Pros:
- Complete creative control
- Close interaction with readers. Build a fan base
- Long term home for your stories
Cons:
- Considered self publishing
- Finding readership and payment can become full-time job
- No checks on quality of content
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Social Media
Nowadays, stories can take form as Instagram videos, Facebook posts or even tweets. These mediums can be a great way for authors of flash or micro fiction to publish content. In order to stand out above the noise of social media, authors will have to carefully consider how to build their brand and also be consistent with the content they create.
Pros:
- Easiest tool to build a following
- Variety of formats and platforms
- Immediacy
Cons:
- No payment
- Not regarded as an outlet for quality fiction
- Not considered traditionally published
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Anthologies
If you’ve ever wanted to hold a copy of a book that contains your own story, then this might be your best bet. Anthologies, often themed around people, events or genres, are produced by smaller publishers to promote varied stories and authors. If you have a story that fits, you’ll undoubtedly get a huge boost from receiving a copy of the book. Writing magazines and submission platforms such as The Grinder and Submittable are good place to find anthology opportunities.
Pros:
- Editing and quality production
- Kudos of being among other great authors
- High quality publishing credit. Two of mine can be found in Waterstones!
Cons:
- Long lead times
- Authors must ensure they understand the rights they sell
- Payment is rare as publishers need sales revenue to cover costs.
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Visual representation
If you think your story would be best told visually, there are plenty of options to do this. Authors can use video platforms like YouTube to host the screenplay representation of a story. Why not try animation, or connect with an illustrator or artist to produce a story as a graphic novel?
Pros:
- High impact and engaging way to tell your story
- Freedom to use different platforms
Cons:
- Expertise and equipment needed to produce visual stories
- No guarantee of gaining audience
- Hybrid type of storytelling
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As you can see, there are many ways to get your stories out into the world as a short fiction writer. All you have to do now, is choose the best route for you. There seem to be exciting developments every day in the way we consume stories. This company has installed dispensers at transit stations to offer free stories to millions of commuters. Imagine having your story read by so many people!
If you have a story that you would like to improve before sending it to a publisher, I offer a reasonably priced critique service with a fast turnaround. Find out more here.
Thanks for reading. Good luck publishing your stories, however you choose to do it.
Philip Charter 