HOW TO SUBMIT SHORT STORIES: how I got published + how you can too | short story submissions 2022

[@meganmaclaine]

Have you submitted a short story before?

[@chadsimmons4496]

I’ve sent a few flash fiction pieces in with submittable. Nothing picked up, but one morphed into a children’s chapter book that I recently finished. Great video

[@meganmaclaine]

@@chadsimmons4496 Thank you for watching! And that's super cool - congrats on finishing it! Are you planning on submitting that anywhere or starting something new?

[@chadsimmons4496]

@@meganmaclaine Thanks. I plan on self publishing. I have a few self published picture books (rhyme) through KDP, but this will be my first “story”. Juggling a handful of WIP at the moment. Kind of how I found your channel, as I’ve recently evolved into outlining.

[@meganmaclaine]

@@chadsimmons4496 that's so exciting! I look forward to hearing how it goes as you continue to develop these projects!

[@shoumik8811]

Hey Megan, I last got published back in Bangladesh (where I'm originally from). Currently I am in the UK. Was hoping to send out some entries, mostly horror stories. What do you recommend?

[@andrevrd]

So helpful, thank you. I'm on Submittable and never knew you could find publications there. This is going to speed up my life a lot.

[@meganmaclaine]

My pleasure! Yes, it's such a helpful tool ^.^

[@Lulu-vo2ml]

Oh well, I call myself a self-pleasing story writer and love writing stupid emotional stuff. Yet i never really published any stories before. I just enjoy transmitting my story characters into chatbots and other people and play with them. Well after i've seen your video i suddenly have the motives to rewrite my stories until perfect and maybe try publishing... Thanks, i followed

[@opiethrice8746]

I have spent this Saturday submitting photos and short stories. I did enter a few contests, but they were reasonable and i picked the ones i was comfy with. So far I am up to 9 different submissions today. Definitely on a roll!!

[@meganmaclaine]

Love to hear this!! Great job :D

[@christopherperry8409]

Hi Megan. Thank you for sharing this video. You have given me a better understanding of how & where to submit a short story and made it WAY less stressful & more helpful for me than others that I've watched on KZbin.

[@meganmaclaine]

Hi Christopher! I'm really glad to hear that! That was my hope in making this one :) Good luck with your submissions!!

[@luckyman11-11]

Hi Megan. I see this video is a couple years old so hopefully, this channel is still active and you'll read this message. I've been on the hunt for anything related to writing and how to get a short story published, and there's no short, straightforward answer to this question. Many companies and people offer their services at a cost, which I'm okay with, but I'm not yet at that stage. I believe my child is very gifted in writing. She's been writing short stories for as long as we can remember, and I always said I would someday try to get her work in front of the right people, this is where I'm stuck. I started searching and have gotten lost, so much info out there. I think what's important for me at this point is for someone to read some of her work and see if there's something there. I believe there is, but having an outsider's opinion, I think would be of more value as I may be biased. If you can point me in the right direction that would be great.

[@meganmaclaine]

Hey! Awesome question. You sound like a great dad and good for you for championing your daughter's work :'). I'm not sure how old she is, but I'd probably suggest a local writing group at the library (again, depending on her age. Usually libraries will have kids and adults programs, though). That'll get her some feedback and is a free option you could look into. Otherwise, writing lessons and direct feedback are great, too. It depends on what your goals are (improving her writing, polishing pieces for submission, etc.). If you're interested in more direct 1:1 feedback, feel free to get in touch: www.meganmaclaine.com/contact

[@toriw.814]

Thank you so much for this video, Megan! I've been considering submitting short stories for publication for a while, but the overwhelming fear of 'how' (and where) stopped me. This video couldn't have popped up on my feed at a more appropriate time. So! Thank you, again. (PS: I hope you're doing well, happy new year!)

[@meganmaclaine]

Hey Tori!! It's good to hear from you. I'm really glad this was helpful for you, and I hope you're doing well too! Let me know if/when you decide to submit :)

[@TheHogsmeade]

Hi. I have written a Sci-Fi novel and pitched it to a literary agent. He said he liked the pitch, liked the first chapter too, and the entire synopsis, only the thing is I don't have any writing credit to my name which he could approach the publishers with. He asked me to publish a short story in any of the reputable magazines, get a writing credit, and then contact him again, he says he will then read the entire book. Now, I have zero background in writing as I live in a 3rd world country, and English isn't even my native language. All I have is my love for stories, and self-taught on how to write. I generally leave out bio sections blank, but all the reputable magazines very rarely publish unpublished writers. What advise would you give me on how to approach and tackle this situation?

[@meganmaclaine]

Hi Sourav - great question. I find it interesting that you need to have writing credits before you can get published, especially if your agent likes your work. That being said, you don't need credits to get published by magazines or journals, simply good writing that fits their tone, theme, and style. You'll want to make sure you fill out the bio section each time but think about anything from your background, education, work history that ties to the themes you're writing about. Or, you can include how long you've been writing, too (even if you're not "published" yet). From there, it's a matter of polishing your work as much as you can and submitting it to a bunch of places until someone picks it up. I hope this helps!! It can be a challenging road to tow, but we're all in it together. I believe if it's meant to be, your story will find the right home

[@gameplay-vh7nh]

Can you review my story

[@grtch]

I submitted my first short story. Thank you.

[@meganmaclaine]

Yay! How exciting!! Congrats ^.^

[@baddnerves3321]

very inspiring! can you talk about books that inspired your writing? would be nice to learn more about you!

[@meganmaclaine]

I sure can! I'll make a video on this :)

[@darinwellnessartist]

Great video Megan! Really helpful information...and delivered so naturally! Thank you for sharing! 🥰

[@meganmaclaine]

Thank you, Darin!!

[@jameswright5627]

Absolutely amazing information Megan, thanks for this.

[@meganmaclaine]

You are so welcome, James!! I'm glad it was helpful :)

[@ghanacryptogurl3574]

I’m writing a short story collection. The theme is mostly sad but not that sad just based on life and something people can relate to in life. I want to publish on kdp. It’s going to be 10-12 short stories

[@meganmaclaine]

That's so exciting! I'm working on a short story collection with sadder themes too 😆. Good for you! Love that you want your writing to relate to others ❤️

[@BooksForever]

Solid content, delightfully delivered. Thanks for the contribution to a better realm of arts and entertainments.

[@meganmaclaine]

Ah, I really appreciate that! Thanks so much for watching ❤️

[@Ruylopez778]

Hi Megan, I've been inspired to attempt submitting short stories for publication by your videos! I'm wondering about the legal or moral aspects. I know that it's wrong to self publish and then try and get that same story traditionally published, but I was wondering the ins and out of short stories. 1. If I get a short story published, does that publisher/magazine then own the rights to it and for how long? 2. Could I include that short story in a compilation and self publish or traditionally publish it? 3. What about taking a short story and reworking it into a novella or novel? I would guess as long as a significant portion of it is different or more extensive than the original, it's considered a separate work. 4. Would you recommend (for practice) reworking a sequence/scene of a manuscript into a short story and submitting it, or is that bad form? 5. If my short story is accepted by a magazine/website, can I decline to be published? My goal would be to get a short story published and/or get feedback to improve my ability and improve my chances of securing an agent with a better writing bio. I'm wondering if saying, 'I wrote a short story based on ideas in this manuscript that got published' to an agent is appealing to them, or a turn off, or would just leave them totally indifferent? I figure that having anything at all published is probably more appealing than nothing, but they are going to offer representation on the strength of the submission anyway, rather than writing bio, right?

[@meganmaclaine]

Hey there! Thanks for asking such great questions, and I'm so glad this video has inspired you! 1. Typically, when you publish a short story, you'll retain the rights to it. Your publisher will have "first print" rights (or something similar), which says they have the right to print it first and then usually you'll agree not to have the story published elsewhere for a certain period of time (typically a year). When your story is picked, they'll provide a contract outlining all of that before publication. 2. After that period of time has passed, you can definitely publish your story again in a compilation. I don't know the ins and outs of self-publishing as much, but you can definitely traditionally publish again. You'd just have to let your publisher know (when you submit your stories) that they've been published elsewhere first. 3. I haven't heard of a case like this before, but I'd assume it's best practice to create a new, original work as much as possible, especially if the short story has been published already. 4. I'm assuming you're referring to an unpublished manuscript for this one? If so, I see no problem in working a section of it into a short story to submit, unless you're going to publish the novel with that same section included. There are a lot of "first chapter" types of contests as well that accept stand-alone excerpts from novels. 5. Yes! You can definitely decline if you decide not to publish or if your story is picked up elsewhere. It's standard practice to let other publishers you submitted to know if your submission is accepted and will be published by someone else (even if you haven't heard back from those other publishers yet). If you decide not to publish and haven't heard from anyone yet, it's also good form to let them know you're withdrawing your story as soon as you can. As far as a query letter goes, you always want to include any previous publications you've had. You could say something like, "I've had ____ short story published with _____, and that story was the catalyst for this manuscript..." I'd say both the letter and the submission matter, as the former is your first impression, which will encourage them to read your submission, and the latter is what will determine whether they select you! If you do want some professional feedback on your story before submitting it, please feel free to check out my editing services: meganmaclaine.com/services/. I think that could be helpful! Otherwise, I hope these responses help and wish you all the best with your publishing aspirations! If you have any other questions, let me know. I'm cheering you on! :D

[@Yuuddaa]

Worldwide?

[@joshuareyes3581]

Hi Megan! Lovely video. This really helped a lot as I am planning to submit my first ever short story I’ve written. I’ve always loved writing growing up, though I never pursued it professionally. Quick question though, do you usually need to format anything? Like spacings, indentions etc?

[@meganmaclaine]

Hi Joshua, I’m glad it was helpful! And that’s so exciting that you’re getting ready to submit your first story :’). As for formatting, keeping it simple is best. If the publisher has requirements, they’ll include that in their listing (usually things like 12pt font, Times New Roman, do or do not include your name in the header, add the word count, etc.)

[@constancekoriwa5337]

Love your presentation, very helpful 😊

[@meganmaclaine]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@ManojYadav-f7s3r]

I would definitely forward some story in English language or English literature , To publish.

[@ruwan591]

Love this video! Just a small question: can I submit work I've already published elsewhere? For example can I put a story I've already shared on medium on submittable?

[@meganmaclaine]

I know you can submit stories that have been previously published unless they ask for unpublished work specifically. You’ll just want to let them know. With Medium though, it might be a bit different since the story would still be available online…. Hmmm not sure about that one!

[@romeu_leite]

Hi Megan, quick question. How it looks from a finantial point of view, that first short story publish? Thank you and keep up the good work!

[@meganmaclaine]

Hi Romeu! I submitted this story to a contest, so the top three stories won a prize (something like $300 for first place, $200 for second place, and $100 for third, though I'm not sure if those were the exact amounts!), and all the other stories were paid a flat rate of $75. Payment for short stories varies a lot depending on who you're published with and how much they're offering :). I hope that helps!

[@senzei-]

I have a fiction -mystery story. I need to reach that to readers for free :)

[@meganmaclaine]

Let me know if you try using Submittable! :)

[@johnfern]

What's to stop anyone from setting up a magazine and then just collecting fees from the many amateur writers out there. Does Submittables verify the magazine before they can scam everyone out of the fee?

[@meganmaclaine]

I think that's a question for them, to be honest. I'm not sure what their protocol is for screening magazines. My advice would always be to visit the magazine's website and read through some old issues (good practice to do this anyway to get a sense of what style of writing they prefer). Check to see if the writers are legit people haha via LinkedIn or another internet search. Usually big publishers (Master's Review, etc.) are fine, but smaller presses you definitely want to do a little research. I'd be surprised if Submittable just let any old "magazine" on there, though. Really great question! Hope this helps

[@johnfern]

@@meganmaclaine Thank you for your response. I appreciate it and I think I will set the filter for no fee on the submittables site and see how that goes.

[@ignacioleikis1784]

Hi Megan, thank you very much for this video! I just discovered your channel. Is there somewhere I can submit my short story for reader feedback before submitting to a magazine? I plan on getting Submittable sometime in the future. Thanks again!

[@meganmaclaine]

Hi Ignacio! Welcome :) Glad you found this video helpful. I think most writers tend to get feedback from friends who write or other people in their circles that are big readers. I haven't heard of any official platforms to get reader feedback unless you work with an editor! I can offer some developmental edits (www.meganmaclaine.com/services) but if you're looking for free input, other writers that you know are your best bet. A lot of local libraries have writing workshops or meet-ups where you can get feedback, too. Hope that helps! :)

[@Nobody95008]

Trying to submit to One Story

[@meganmaclaine]

Ooh, very cool! Wishing you luck!!

[@ghanacryptogurl3574]

Um I wanna write one and publish on Amazon and I was wondering if I can compile short stories and then sell it

[@meganmaclaine]

Hi! You sure can :). Some short story writers create collections where each story has a similar theme or style or goes together in some way. How many stories have you written?

[@drreyaztawheedi]

Nice

[@meganmaclaine]

Thanks!

[@gordonpi8674]

How many words should a short story have?

[@meganmaclaine]

Hey Gordon! I'd say typically around 3,000-5,000! 5k is usually the max I see publishers ask for, but some will go higher than that. 3k is flexible, but it tends to be harder to develop a well-rounded short story in fewer words. Anything close to or under 1k moves into the flash fiction realm. Hope that helps!

[@ClovlynHunt]

I can’t find my original comment that you commented to, but here’s my reply. lol Do you have to split your royalties with who Publish you?

[@meganmaclaine]

When you publish a short story or poem, you're usually paid once for "first publishing rights." That means you retain the copyright but the publisher gets to publish your work first. You typically agree to let other publications know that it was first published with the original publisher if you send it out again (let me know if that makes sense, haha!). But you don't get royalties for every copy they print and sell (to my knowledge). It's different with novels, though. That's where royalties come in, but yes I believe you'd get a percentage and the publisher would get a percentage. I hope that helps!

[@melaniemagtibaymarantal]

How to publish

[@nagendrapandey1189]

Where I submit my story

[@moobamweemba4794]

Hey Megan, cool stuff there. My question is, can I submit my work to a magazine of my interest, if yes, how can I find or search for that particular magazine on submittable?

[@meganmaclaine]

Hey! Yes, definitely. You'll want to go to the Discover tab and then you can type in the name of the magazine in the search bar. If they use Submittable and have an active opening, they'll pop up :)

[@moobamweemba4794]

@@meganmaclaine thank you so much Megan😊

[@meganmaclaine]

@@moobamweemba4794 My pleasure!

[@jeremiahaondoakaa5077]

Hey Megan, I'm new to writing and I'm wondering how I can get my work looked at by a qualified enough editor (basically anyone with even one story published) to help me know if my work is half decent and then the necessary corrections.

[@meganmaclaine]

Hi Jeremiah! Great question. I offer editing that's priced per 1,000 words. Sites like Fivver can be helpful as well, particularly for short fiction. Hope that helps!

[@devvratsingh5728]

You can a.i's help if it's difficult to approach or you have any money problem there are free ai which will offer you this again i also write stories of all kind but specially dark genres and through ai it's not fully but for most of the things it works pretty well

[@thejword]

How long was your first first story that got published?

[@meganmaclaine]

Hey Kenny! It was just over 3,700 words

[@TW-sh2un]

Hi Megan, just had a question. I know how to format a short story in the classic format, however, every website I see, even the New Yorker, has their short stories in a block paragraph formatting style. Should I be submitting in block format? Or is that something they do by altering my submission themselves? Thank you!

[@meganmaclaine]

Hi GS! Great question. I think the formatting doesn't matter as much when you're submitting it (assuming you're not invoking a particular formatting style for a purpose within the story). Publishers will usually go through and adjust your story to fit their formatting once it's accepted and prepared for publication. So no, I don't think the classic format would deter someone from accepting your piece at all! Does that help?

[@TW-sh2un]

@@meganmaclaine Yeah, makes sense. That helps a lot, thanks Megan!

[@meganmaclaine]

@@TW-sh2un you're welcome!

[@harryturnbull1884]

I dont understand. Do you input this yourself into submittable or is it a service they provide. I just make lists and strike through when submitted or deadline passes.

[@meganmaclaine]

Hi Harry, you input everything into Submittable: your submission letter, your story/poem/etc. They provide the platform, due dates, and access to the publishers. Hope that helps!

[@Itsvezrin_86]

I am ten years old and i write a story about a princess can ten years old publishe that 😅

[@ARSbyARS]

Before I submit to publishers do I have to have my copyrighted first or because my name is on it I still retain copyright? People sometimes talk of people stealing IP which makes me wary of publishing…

[@meganmaclaine]

Yes, you always hold the copyright because you produced the work. Whoever you publish with SHOULD have you sign some kind of contract or agreement where you give them "first publishing rights." You retain the copyright, but they have the right to be the first ones to publish it (and often there's a limit on your ability to publish the same story elsewhere for a while, usually a year)

[@ARSbyARS]

@@meganmaclaine Ah okay, thank you! So you still have to get your work copyrighted personally before you publish just to be safe. Got it.

[@meganmaclaine]

@@ARSbyARS no, the copyright is automatic! :)

[@ARSbyARS]

@@meganmaclaineSo when you get a publishing deal the copyright comes with it? If so, I did not know that. I thought that all works had to be copyrighted by their creators before getting published.

[@meganmaclaine]

@@ARSbyARS it is inherent in the fact that you have produced the work, so anytime you put it anywhere, you own the copyright (you don’t have to apply for it). I was surprised by this, too, because I always thought it was an application-based process every time

[@SummerDream3r]

Can a writer submit under a pen name in these contests?

[@meganmaclaine]

Yes absolutely! Sometimes you may need to let them know it’s your pen name (for instance, if your real name is in your email) or just to keep them aware, but you sure can

[@SummerDream3r]

@@meganmaclaineOh, nice! Now I just have to come up with a pen name! hehe Thank you for the reply! I just came across this channel today! Subscribed! 😁

[@meganmaclaine]

@@SummerDream3r Aw yay!! Welcome ☺️

[@Finnleigh.Jackson4141]

What about the copyright for your stories?

[@meganmaclaine]

You retain copyright and ownership of your stories and poems. Publishers get "first publication rights," meaning they have the right to publish it first (and you often have to wait a period of time before trying to publish the same work elsewhere). You'll typically get a contract that outlines all of this before your story is published with them, too, so you'll know what you're signing up for :)

[@Finnleigh.Jackson4141]

@@meganmaclainethank you!

[@teddypatterson1259]

This is my son’s account

[@Knightishere249]

Also she doesn’t tell you is that every single submission cost money

[@meganmaclaine]

They don’t all cost money :) and besides, it’s not a secret. Many publications make money through small submission fees so that they can afford to stay up and running

[@Knightishere249]

@@meganmaclaine is a total crapshoot a poor fucking indie author is going to go broke trying to find a publisher when this wasn’t the way it was done 10 fucking years ago they want to milk creatives for as much money as possible. These publications need to get better at selling books and if they worried about selling books more then they wouldn’t have to rip off writers.

[@meganmaclaine]

@@Knightishere249 my suggestion would be to look for free contests and submissions then. There are many out there :). Sometimes you have to find more local options or take to Google vs Submittable, but you can also filter your search on platforms like Submittable to only show you free options. But yes, it is frustrating for sure. Especially when they ask for submission fees but don’t pay their authors for work. I avoid those like the plague 🙄

[@ClovlynHunt]

Do you own your stories ?

[@meganmaclaine]

Yes, you retain the rights to your stories. Publishers typically get “first publishing rights” meaning they have the right to publish it in their anthology/collection/etc first. You have to give them credit as the first place it was published, things like that. But after a period of time (typically a year), you can publish it elsewhere too

[@motivationvinod4893]

But currently guys author has deleted the site

[@meganmaclaine]

?

[@Isaac__usa]

Do you get paid to

[@mareyuhh]

Can I sell my one shot story?

[@meganmaclaine]

You can submit single short stories, yes :)

[@TheNecessaryEvil]

It’s 2023 and publishers are pandering. If your tale doesn’t involve trans POC, consider self-publishing.

[@meganmaclaine]

Ah man, it's definitely tempting to think so and can feel super discouraging at times! I've had a story published without those elements though, so I'm holding out hope ;). Just have to write a great tale and find an agent who believes in it

[@fojico1234]

Do people make a living out of this or just a hobby?

[@meganmaclaine]

The money in fiction is really in novels. It's difficult to make a living off of short fiction because you're typically earning one-time awards or payments vs. ongoing royalties

[@teddypatterson1259]

Could you contact me,, I’ve had a dream of being a writer for forever and would love your input and to see if I have any hope of this dream coming true…. So if your not to busy then this man from Essex UK would be so thankful yours hopefully J.P also my second name is Patterson could be a sign after 1 of the biggest authors in the world is J.P ..😀😀