Writing Fiction for Magazines

Posted by Michelle Schusterman Sep 26, 2009

In the last few weeks I've been doing a lot of research on writing short stories for magazines. It's not something I've ever done myself: I write non-fiction for magazines and novels that are fiction (not "fiction novels"!).

What I've learned is that, no matter what genre you write in, it is incredibly hard to make any kind of decent income this way. So many magazines and ezines offer what little they can, or claim to be a "non-paying opportunity". (A phrase that, as a writer, I hate – not that an opportunity has to involve money, but when you're looking for a job...yuck.)

The most lucrative genre for publishing fiction seems to be either literary or science fiction/fantasy. Some of the magazines that focus on these types of stories, particularly literary, offer fantastic payment. Of course, the caveat is that in most cases you have to write the story before it's accepted. (On a side note, how many other careers can you name where the product must be presented and completed before even being considered for payment? Not paid, but considered.)

There are a decent amount of horror magazines out there too. For some reason, despite being a classic and much loved genre, the mystery publications don't pay quite as well. And romance writers? Get started on that novel, your chances are much better. I'm struggling to find magazines that want to pay even a cent for a good old fashioned romance.

An exciting newer genre is flash fiction. This is becoming an increasingly popular fad for online magazines in particular. Generally, it's a short short story under 1,000 words. The challenge, of course, is to create a compelling story with relatable characters in such a short space. This works wonderfully with literary stories, but many mags are interested in sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, horror, you name it. And a few pay quite nicely, considering the low word count.

I'd love to hear from any writers out there who make a decent living off of writing short fiction. What's your secret? Drop me a line if you've got any tips, or let me know in the comments section!