There are many places to submit short stories for money and a bigger market for them than you might think!
Short stories come in many different forms, from flash fiction to romance novels, and they can be sold in a range of different publications.
If writing short stories is your passion, then there are plenty of opportunities to make money selling them!
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WHAT ARE SHORT STORIES?
A short story is one with a fully developed theme, but shorter (often significantly) and less elaborate than a novel. They generally range in length from 500 to 20,000 words.
Short stories are usually fiction, but there are outlets that also accept non-fiction stories. For the sake of those who write non-fiction, we’ll let you know where you can sell these pieces too!
POPULAR SHORT STORY GENRES
The most popular short fiction genre tends to be science fiction and fantasy.
There is a very large market for these types of writing, so there are many outlets looking to buy.
Other popular short story genres include:
- Erotica
- Romance and love
- Speculative fiction
- Horror and ghost
- Crime and mystery
That is not to say that ‘modern stories with a twist’ or ‘slice of life stories’ cannot be sold either.
If you are good at what you do there will be plenty of opportunities.
HOW MUCH CAN YOU MAKE?
If you follow through with this career path, your earning potential is great.
If you are truly good and can build up a strong following then there’s no reason you can’t be earning multiple 6 figures per year.
Working as a freelance writer for blogs and magazines generally holds less earning potential, but that is not to say you won’t become in demand when your hard work pays off.
HOW DO YOU GET PAID TO WRITE SHORT STORIES?
What types of publishers are buying short stories?
Magazines, blogs, and newspapers (check out cool newspaper name ideas here) have to publish every day and are always on the lookout for skilled, talented writers.
Here are some of the different types of outlets where you can sell short stories.
MAGAZINES AND BLOGS
The largest buyers of short stories are online magazines, news sites, and blogs. This is where most of the opportunities are found.
There are both small niche publishers and large publications accepting submissions year-round.
KINDLE BOOKS AND EBOOKS
Kindle books, or writing short stories for Amazon, are growing in popularity as an avenue for selling short stories online. This way you can retain ownership of your work and have greater control over the publishing process.
When it comes to Amazon and Kindle, there are individual consumers that are ready and willing to pay for good short stories published under your name.
PODCASTS AND RADIO SHOWS
There are podcasts dedicated to telling short stories. Your writing does not only need to be published as text!
For example, This American Life, one of the largest podcasts in the world, is essentially just telling short, non-fiction, stories. There are also many smaller podcasts dedicated to telling short stories on every topic imaginable.
WHERE TO SUBMIT SHORT STORIES FOR MONEY
We’ve put together a huge list of sites to submit short stories for money.
Some of these outlets are large publications with major readership, while others are small niche sites that have a loyal following nonetheless.
It’s about discovering which would be more receptive to your genre and writing style.
The first 3 sites we’re listing are actually platforms for finding opportunities to sell short stories. These are services that display requests from publishers looking for short story writers.
DUOTROPE – ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO GET PAID TO WRITE SHORT STORIES
Duotrope is one of the best spots matching short story buyers with sellers.
It’s a paid tool, but at only $5 per month, it really pays for itself!
Not only does it help you find and apply for writing opportunities, but it is also a writing management platform. If you are intending to frequently make submissions, it’s recommended!
VISIT DUOTROPE
POETS & WRITERS
THE GRINDER
Similar to the previous sites, The Grinder is a helpful site for short story writers.
The tools available will enable you to track submissions and find markets for your work.
Many of the results will include non-paying or very low-paying jobs, so make sure you know what you’re signing up for!
VISIT THE GRINDER
READERS DIGEST
Readers Digest needs no introduction, but did you know they are accepting short story submissions?
These aren’t any old short stories, they’re super short stories of 100 words or less!
Getting published in Reader’s Digest would be a good way to start selling your writing!
Getting published in Reader’s Digest would be a good way to start selling your writing!
ONE STORY
One Story is a non-profit literary magazine that publishes short fiction stories. They also have a companion magazine called One Teen Story that accepts submissions by teens.
If your submission is accepted by One Story, they pay $500.
Submission guidelines for One Story include works between 3,000 and 8,000 words and “stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone”.
Payment: $500
Content length: 3,000 – 8,000 words
Genre: Short Fiction
VISIT ONE STORY
VESTAL REVIEW
VESTAL REVIEW
Vestal Review is a well-established online magazine publishing flash fiction.
Many well-known short story authors have contributed to Vestal Review, and it boasts a large readership. Each issue is free for anyone to read and the site is supported by donations.
Writing flash fiction online can be a good direction to go in as the earnings per word usually work out favorably.
Vestal Review’s submission guidelines state that R-rated content is allowed, but X-rated is not. Other than that, your options are pretty wide open.
Payment: $50 per publication (-$3 submission fee)
Content length: Up to 500 words
Genre: All flash fiction
VISIT VESTAL REVIEW