If you’ve got loose change jangling in your pockets, this article is for you. Here are seven ideas to help you get your short story in front of readers.Short stories are the loose change in the treasury of fiction.” Those are the words of one J.G. Ballard, a guy who knew a lot about short stories.
Submit It to a Short Fiction Market
Although there are fewer of these around than there used to be, there are still many magazines and websites on the internet dedicated to short fiction. Start by sending your story to them!
- Each publication has its own style and tone, so it helps to read an issue or two before submitting.
Use It as a Reader Magnet
A reader magnet is a free piece of content a writer gives to a reader in exchange for the reader’s email address.
- If you create something tantalizing that a reader would normally pay for, they’ll gladly trade their email address instead of cash.
Submit It to an Anthology
Anthologies are collections featuring work from several writers, often unified by theme. They’re great for padding your publications and discovering new readers.
- Try websites like Duotrope or Google to find anthology opportunities. You might even join with a few friends to create your own.
Publish Your Short Story to Your Website
You can give stories away for free on your website.
- If you want to make a little extra dough, you could sell it from your website (eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce and Shopify).
- One important note: If you publish your fiction on your site, you’ll almost certainly preclude it from being published elsewhere.
- Most short fiction sites are looking for original submissions.
Create a short story collection of your own
Packaged oldies like I did, or write new ones for the collection based on your theme.
- Best for both authors and readers alike: short story collections are a refreshing change of pace from novels
- Highly recommend this path
Create a Kindle Single
Even if you don’t have a full-length book, you can still publish it to Amazon.
Submit It to a Contest
If you can put that winning tagline in your bio, you’ve got instant credibility
- There’s no better feeling of validation
- And if there’s a cash prize involved in winning, well, nobody’s going to say no to that
