# Publish Short Story **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781 "2003-03-07T19:39:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlmostHeaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@AlmostHeaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlmostHeaven)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/1 "2003-03-07T19:39:18Z")
My granddaughter has a short story she would like to submit for money. Where is a good place for her to do this? I’ve looked on line but the web sites are overwhelming. Thanks for you help! ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/2 "2003-03-07T20:01:07Z")
Depends on many factors; what kind of story it is, who her market is, etc., etc. Have her pick up a copy of the [Writer’s Market](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/158297120X/qid=1047067155/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/102-8717600-5044131?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)… it’s got many, many listings of magazines and book publishers, organized by category, for her to submit to. The listings describe what they’re looking for. It’s really the best way for her to find the markets with the best potential to publish her work. It also has sections on how to go about submitting. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/3 "2003-03-07T20:01:31Z")
Get a copy of _Writer’s Market_ – your local library should have it. It lists thousands of markets for fiction. Where to submit depends on what type of story it is. If it’s fantasy or science fiction (my specialty), there are several very good market lists (try [http://www.spicygreeniguana.com](http://www.spicygreeniguana.com) or [http://www.ralan.com](http://www.ralan.com)). Other types of fiction may have their own lists – do a google search for “market list” and the name of the genre. If it’s literary fiction, try _The International Directory of Little Magazines and Small Presses_, though very few markets there will pay. And have your granddaughter learn this sentence by heart: “Money flows _toward_\* the writer.” Never pay to have your work published. It’s a waste of money. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Brian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I\_Brian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Brian)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/4 "2003-03-07T20:23:16Z")
I’ve got a section on my forum for aspiring writers, with a topic featuring links to market listings [url=http://www.chroniclesofempire.net/yabbse/index.php?board=8;action=display;threadid=94]here[/ur]. Feel free to ask on the writers section of my forum - with more information I can try to help you better. This board in Straight Dope moves so fast that’s it’s so hard to keep up with all the topics. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Brian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I\_Brian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Brian)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/5 "2003-03-07T20:30:42Z")
Sorry - didn;t realise that function was disabled: [http://www.chroniclesofempire.net/yabbse/index.php?board=8;action=display;threadid=94](http://www.chroniclesofempire.net/yabbse/index.php?board=8;action=display;threadid=94) ---
**Author:** ![micco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@micco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micco)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/6 "2003-03-07T20:45:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by I, Brian \* > \*\*Sorry - didn;t realise that function was disabled: > \*\* It’s not. You had a typo in your closing tag. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Brian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I\_Brian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Brian)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/7 "2003-03-07T22:13:02Z")
Ah - thanks for that. Darn that I can’t edit posts, but that’s quite understandable in a debate and Q/A environment. ---
**Author:** ![llydiabeato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@llydiabeato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llydiabeato)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/8 "2003-03-08T06:32:02Z")
My daughter has written a children’s book and it is very good and since she is in the medical profession with little time off, I am attempting to find out the process of how to find a publisher who is honest and won’t take all the money. Her writing is very good and I believe would be a wonderful learning tool for children. Any help would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/9 "2003-03-08T06:37:22Z")
You might want to consider [subsidy publishing.](http://www.writing-world.com/publish/subsidy.html) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/10 "2003-03-08T06:52:04Z")
If an editor wants money just to read the story… get a new editor. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/11 "2003-03-08T18:20:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by llydiabeato \* > \*\*My daughter has written a children’s book and it is very good and since she is in the medical profession with little time off, I am attempting to find out the process of how to find a publisher who is honest and won’t take all the money. Her writing is very good and I believe would be a wonderful learning tool for children. > Any help would be appreciated. \*\* [The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators](http://www.scbwi.org/) has a great deal of information about legitimate publishers on its web site. Unfortunately, it is as difficult to publish a children’s book professionally as it is any other type of book. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/12 "2003-03-08T19:12:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*You might want to consider [subsidy publishing.](http://www.writing-world.com/publish/subsidy.html) \*\* No, no, no, no, no, no, no. You might as well just burn the money (or send it to me). “Subsidy publishing” is the buzzword for a vanity press, which means you are getting ripped off. It gets you nothing but a bunch of books that collect dust in your closet or garage. Online vanity presses don’t even give you that. It gives you no credibility with legitimate publishers (and is much more likely to hurt your credibility). The link, BTW, surprised me in that it was a legitimate discussion of what subsidy publishing is. However, nearly all vanity presses claim they are “subsidy publishing” and even legit subsidy publishers – and there are very very few – are not likely to be useful to the writer. Money flows **toward** the writer. Paying to be published is just about the worst mistake a writer can make (up there with paying for an agent). Go to places that will pay you. If you can’t sell to them, try those who pay in copies. If all those are exhausted, think bout a subsidy publisher – or face the fact that that particular work isn’t good enough and start writing something better. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Brian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I\_Brian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Brian)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publish-short-story/159781/13 "2003-03-08T20:27:36Z")
Getting published in general is an extremely tough business - the markets are absolutely flooded, so it takes real dedication to get noticed and published. Somewhere out there are great works of literary art that have rotted to dust, because the writer’s lacked the confidence to face market realities. It generally takes a lot of effort to get published, which starts with researching the markets. Going on to the end goal really isn’t for the faint-hearted. Btw - vanity publishing isn’t to be classed as publishing IMHO, anymore than simply printing out your MSS and passing it around is classed as publishing. Cheaper than the former, tho’…