Get Paid to Write Short Stories: 22 Places That Will Buy Your Fiction

You can make money writing fiction, but you may have to think outside the box in order to do so. If you are like many fiction writers, you might be frustrated because your short stories or books aren’t selling, or haven’t been published. This article outlines ways you can earn money writing fiction, money that can tide you over until you get your big break.


Step 1

Be willing to write what others want to read. Draw upon your creativity and writing skills to write fiction pieces that are in demand. You can still work on your Gothic novel, but you have to be willing to write pieces that other people are willing to pay for. Look at your writing as a business, and start drumming up business for yourself.

Step 2
Get the freelance bible. Otherwise known as the Writer’s Market, this book is published annually and contains thousands of listings for writers who are looking to sell their work. These listings include magazines, newspapers, greeting card companies to name just a few. Every listing includes all the details you need about what the publication is looking for, submission instructions and pay rates.

• Look at the magazine listings that interest you and start submitting small fiction pieces. Once you get your feet wet writing what you know, you can expand your horizons and write fiction pieces for magazines and other venues that don’t particularly interest you, but that pay well for freelance articles.
• Don’t dismiss literary magazines. These specialty magazines usually don’t pay very much, but you can add publication of your pieces to your resume and still earn a little money.
• Hone your sense of humor. Many periodicals are looking for humorous pieces, and these short pieces usually pay well. Look at every venue as an opportunity. Maybe you wouldn’t consider writing an article for Cat Fancy magazine because you don’t have a cat, but do you have a funny story to tell about your neighbor’s cat?

Step 3

Subscribe to your favorite magazines that publish fiction. Scrutinize them every month and get a feel for what types of articles the editors favor. Deduct the cost of the subscription from your freelance writing business.

 Below are some companies

Contemporary Literature
AGNI
The literary magazine of Boston University, AGNI specializes in publishing emerging authors. It accepts poetry, short contemporary fiction, and some critical essays or other nonfiction. There are two print magazines per year and other fiction is published online biweekly.
You can submit between September and May every year.
Pay: $10 per printed page for fiction, $20 per page for poetry, plus a year’s subscription to the magazine and several copies of the issue.

Black Warrior Review
 Black Warrior Review is the graduate English department publication of the University of Alabama and is produced twice a year. This literary magazine seeks to embrace diversity and risky fiction; it welcomes both authors and stories with diverse backgrounds, including LGBTQ, (dis)ability, and people of color. Although it prefers contemporary fiction to strict category genres, magical realism and futuristic stories are encouraged—anything that pushes boundaries and encourages deep thought is embraced.
Black Warrior Review also accepts graphic novels and visual narratives.
Pay: One-year subscription and a “nominal lump sum fee,” the amount of which isn’t made public.

Boulevard
 Another longstanding, award-winning journal, Boulevard has been publishing contemporary short stories, poetry, and essays since 1985. It particularly encourages new writers to submit—authors who have already been published in another paying market are actually at a disadvantage here!
Boulevard doesn’t accept genre fiction, only contemporary literary fiction.
You can submit between October and May each year.
Pay: $100–$300 for prose, $25–$250 for poetry.

Carve
This literary ‘zine focuses on “honest fiction” published online, but also offers a print magazine that includes poetry, nonfiction, and illustrations. One unique feature is that the editors frequently respond to submissions with editorial critiques instead of just a rejection note.
Carve only publishes literary fiction, not genre fiction (so no horror, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, thrillers, etc.)
Pay: $100 per short story.

Glimmertrain
Glimmertrain champions new and emerging writers in its three annual issues. The magazine has several different submissions periods each year; check the website for details on what they’re currently looking for (categories often include unpublished writers, super-short fiction, and various topical themes).
Pay: $700 and up, depending on category.

The Iowa Review
Part of the prestigious University of Iowa writing program, this journal has been around since 1970 and specializes in publishing fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction in a variety of styles. It publishes three times a year and accepts submissions in September, October, and November each year.
Pay: $0.80 per word for fiction, with a $100 minimum payment.

The Missouri Review
Another journal that welcomes contemporary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction essays, The Missouri Review has been around since 1978. It publishes four issues per year and frequently publishes new writers.
Pay: $40 per printed page.

Ploughshares
Published three times a year as a high-quality paper journal, Ploughshares is one of the most respected literary journals in the world. They accept submissions during a particular window, usually from June through January each year. Contemporary literary fiction is preferred. There’s also an annual Emerging Writers Contest for previously unpublished or self-published writers.
Pay: Ploughshares pays $25 per page, with a minimum of $50 and a maximum of $250.

The Southern Review
The Southern Review publishes contemporary fiction, poetry, and selected nonfiction including essays and book reviews. Submissions are accepted between September and December each year.
Pay: The Southern Review pays $25 per page, with a maximum of $200. It also provides two copies of the magazine and a year’s subscription.
Threepenny Review
About: Pitched as a “general literary publication,” Threepenny Review publishes contemporary literary fiction, poetry, and a wide array of essays and other nonfiction. It publishes four times a year, in print and online.
Pay: $400 per short story, $200 per poem.

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Analog
Analog publishes a wide range of science fiction, including welcoming hard science fiction. The technology, worldbuilding, and characters and plot must all be believable and seamlessly woven together—no tacking a plot on to a really cool world. New writers are encouraged to submit.
Pay: 8–10 cents per word.

Apex
Do you write edgy sci-fi, fantasy, or horror? Check out Apex! They actively seek boundary-pushing speculative fiction for their monthly online issues, which are available through a hybrid combo of free online access and paid eBook editions. Many now-famous writers got their start with Apex, which still regularly publishes new authors.
Pay: 6 cents per word.

Asimov’s
 One of the most prestigious science fiction magazines around, Asimov’s concentrates on character-driven, rather than technology-focused, science fiction. Stories should “examine or illuminate some aspect of human existence.”
Pay: 8–10 cents per word.

Clarkesworld
Clarkesworld has won just about every award out there, and stories published in its pages also regularly win awards. It publishes monthly issues and also publishes story collections through its book program.
Clarkesworld welcomes fantasy, sci-fi, and horror of many types, but they have a long list of themes that they see too often; check it out before you submit.
Pay: 8–10 cents per word.

Fantasy & Science Fiction
Another longstanding, award-winning publication, Fantasy & Science Fiction accepts a broad range of speculative fiction, although stories should be focused more on characters than worldbuilding or technology. Science fiction and humor are particularly encouraged. The magazine publishes six issues per year.
Pay: 7–12 cents per word.

Giganotosaurus
 Giganotosaurus likes long short fiction—yes, kind of an oxymoron, but unlike many markets, they welcome submissions ranging all the way up to 25,000 words. All kinds of sci-fi and fantasy are accepted, and a single story is published online every month.
Pay: $100 flat fee.

Strange Horizons
Every week, Strange Horizons publishes a broad range of speculative fiction, including horror, sci-fi, and fantasy—if you can imagine it, they’re probably open to considering it. They also produce podcasts of published stories and accept poetry, media reviews, and some nonfiction.
Submissions regularly open and close, so be sure to check the website to make sure they’re currently reading for your preferred category.
Pay: 8 cents per word.

Romance

East of the Web
East of the Web publishes a huge array of short stories across all genres, including romance (crime, sci-fi, fantasy, and children’s stories are also welcome). It has an open submissions period for most genres.
Romance stories here should include a thriller or mystery element. Previously published stories will be considered.
Pay: 5 cents per word.

Heroes & Heartbreakers
 Heroes & Heartbreakers is actually an imprint of the publishing giant MacMillan. However, it specializes in short stories and novellas in the romance genre, making it a great place to get paid to start your romance writing career.
Pay: $1,000 advance against 25% royalties.

Shades of Romance
This quarterly print and digital magazine emphasizes diversity, including stories by and about people of color. It publishes short romance stories as well as tips and tricks about writing and motivational or inspirational nonfiction. Any genre of romance is acceptable, though erotica is not.
Query before submitting.
Pay: $25 flat fee.

Others

Flash Fiction Online
 The shortest of short stories are welcomed at Flash Fiction Online, a digital publication. Pretty much any fiction story between 500–1,000 words will be considered, including science fiction, fantasy, romance, and literary fiction.
Pay: $60 flat fee.

Vestal Review
 Do you write flash fiction? Then The Vestal Review is the place for you! It’s the oldest established market for super-short fiction (they only take stories of 500 words or less). It accepts every genre except children’s lit and hard science fiction and publishes twice a year in print, with some stories also published online.
You can submit between February and May and again between August and November each year.
Pay: $25 flat fee per published story, plus one copy of the magazine.

There are so many, more paying short story venues out there—no matter what, there’s a home for your work. Or you could always consider self-publishing your stories. When creating your author career, there’s no wrong choices, only what’s right for you.

Step 4
Read the submission guidelines before you write or submit a piece of work. Adhering to the submission guidelines will save you time and aggravation:

• Look at residency, gender and age 
• requirements first. Strange as this may sound, there are publications that will only accept submissions from residents of a particular state or country, or articles written by women, minorities, or people in a certain age group. Restrictions like these are also common in writing contest guidelines.
• The periodical may not accept submissions, or they may accept submissions only during certain times of the year. They may accept submissions after you have sent an inquiry.
• The guidelines will specify what type of story the periodical is seeking. Don’t make the mistake of submitting an article about romance if they aren’t looking for pieces in that genre.
• Strictly follow their word count specifications. Don’t submit a 2,000 word article when they have a limit of 300 words.
• Be clear about their pay scale, if they have one. Some periodicals pay a flat rate, some pay by the word and some don’t pay at all; your reward is seeing your name in print.

Step 5

Connect with other writers. Search for writing forums on the Internet and join in. It’s a form of networking that could lead you to new writing markets to explore. You will most likely pick up some great writing tips as well.

Step 6

Develop your own website. Start small and keep it simple in the beginning. There are books and websites available to walk you 

through the process. You can serialize your own novel or blog. You can also learn how to make your website earn money for you through advertisers. Last, but not least, your work may come to the attention of editors or agents who might otherwise never see it.

Step 7

Learn to adapt. If you have a storehouse of unpublished articles, sift through them to see if you can find an angle in any particular story that can be adapted to fit within a magazine’s guidelines.

Step 8

Look for a literary agent. Some periodicals will accept submissions through agents only. Search online for websites that list literary agents. Narrow your search for agents that specialize in fiction and short stories.

Step 9

Strive for perfection. Don’t let a sloppy typo cause your submission to be tossed aside.

Short fiction can help you attract readers and increase your author income. See what strategy might be right for you!


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