Guest writer Suzan L. Wiener has had numerous articles, short stories, poems, and other shorter pieces published in major publications such as Cross & Quill, Verses, Impetus, and FellowScript, and her greeting cards have been published through several major greeting card companies.
On the Internet you need to start your story where the action is. That is most important. You need to build the conflict (action) to keep the editor and reader interested. The climax of your story must be credible. For instance: If you are writing a story for children, don’t have an adult solve the child’s problem. Have the child solve it. Otherwise the editor will lose interest.
I always do a plot outline when I write short stories. Here is a rough outline that I follow to help organize my story:
I. Major characters—
List the main character(s)
II. Minor characters—
List the minor character(s)
III. Complications (should always move the story forward)
IV. Subplot (if any)
V. Crisis (turning point)
VI. Resolution (end of story)
Below are several tips to help you get that most-welcomed acceptance.
1. Write about something you love—write from the heart and from experience.
2. Look for a new spin on an old concept. (There aren’t really any unique ideas anymore, but when a person can put a new spin on old idea, that makes it interesting.)
3. Don’t be afraid of lesser known e-zines. If you do a Google search for “fiction guidelines,” you will likely find many places you’ve never heard of before. Just always make sure any magazine that you submit to is open to your kind of story. (Writer’s Relief editor’s note: OR you can ask us for help identifying the best markets for your writing!)
4. Network. Having friends who also write fiction opens up a lot of new markets to you. Don’t be afraid to share markets. You might find that your friend has had a good experience with Internet markets, or you might pass your own information along.
If you follow the above rules, you will most likely see a publication acceptance in your inbox.
Writer’s Relief editor’s note: For more help with your short stories, check out this link: Short Story Checklist: Techniques for Getting Short Stories Published. Enjoy!
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