I know I’m not the only writer here, and unlike me, some of y’all are published.
Although I’m working on a novel, I’ve also been doing occasional writing exercises just to try and keep the juices flowing. I have somebody give me a starting point, such as an occupation, an opening line, or a one-word theme, and then force out a story in under an hour. (Well, that’s the theory. Typically it’s taken about an hour and a quarter.) So I’ve got these little 1200- or 1500-word stories, and I decided to polish one up and actually submit it.
So, I’ve been doing some searching for good markets, but it occurred to me that I hadn’t touched on my SDMB resources. What I’m looking for is either a print magazine or online publication that: a) accepts submissions from unknowns; b) actually pays for publications; and c) might publish a humorous, dialogue-driven contemporary vignette-type story. (Am I a few decades late? It seems like there were a lot more magazines publishing short fiction when I was a kid.)
Getting rejections wouldn’t bother me; I just don’t want to waste my time submitting stuff to the wrong place.
So, I’d appreciate any recommendations from people with personal experience. Scornful ridicule is okay too; even if it makes me cry into my pillow, I appreciate the effort involved. Thanks!