Metal Reviews

Anyone subscribe to magazines that publish short fiction? I've been hitting the keyboard hard since I decided to give up the rock star dream and sold all my recording equipment. I've tried microfiction, submitted two stories. One was rejected, the other is pending. No worries there. How the fuck do you tell a tale in 500 words or less? It's not easy. Especially for a blabber like myself.

But I've also been doing some short stories. I currently have four in the works, but one is nearly complete. In the end, I think it'll be about 6,000 words. It's something of a sci-fi/horror tale. So I'm looking for genre-specific magazines that cater to short fiction. I don't want to submit stuff to those webzines that look like they were made in 1991, with all their rotating gifs and shit. Haha. I'm looking for some of the more respected magazines.

I have a copy of The Writer's Market (where all this info can be had), but can't find it right now. So in case I can't, I figured I'd ask around for now, until I can buy another copy.

I don't know the answer to this, but I do know people who know, and I'll get back to you.

Thanks.

There are plenty of literary magazines. Some are high-end paying several hundred dollars per story, some are low end only paying you 25-50 dollars and giving you a subscription. If you send in a story and you're a subscriber (and mention it) the process of publishing is generally faster.

The word length of 6000 is good. Determine whether your story is more sci-fi or horror. If it it sci-fi, determine whether it's hard sci-fi or soft sci-fi. If hard sci-fi, Asimimov's or Analog. Not so sure about soft sci-fi and horror. Google for it and look for submission guidelines. Aim for the highest-paying magazine first, then send to lower-paying ones if rejected.

Best of luck.

At the moment I'm sitting on 6,367 words. I haven't even written the end yet and it's before any edits. I'll likely chop things down, but I may add more. Who knows. It may end up as a novelette.

I think this would probably be more of a horror/suspense story than sci-fi. Yeah, there's some inhuman things going on, but it doesn't really come off as science fiction at all.

Thanks for the recommendations!