Rejections are part of the writing process, but that doesn’t mean anyone enjoys getting them! Many editors have been at the receiving end of a rejection email themselves, and know the frustration of getting turned down for a story you’ve toiled over.
But with every submissions call-out, only a few pieces can be selected. Editors need to make difficult decisions to make their final selections, and inevitably good stories don’t get chosen for publication. Perhaps this is because they weren’t quite ready, or didn’t match what the publisher was looking for at the time.
To help improve your chances of getting your short stories selected for journals, anthologies and other outlets, we’ve put together ten key suggestions, drawn from years of experience of both writing and reading short fiction.
1. Become an expert in your genre
When a publisher asks for stories in a particular genre, they’re going to be an expert in it. Even if they hadn’t read a hundred stories in the specific theme before, they will shortly when the floodgates open for submissions. That means they’ll be exposed to all the latest trends and classic conventions, and will know when a story feels fresh or when it follows overly-familiar paths.
If you read widely in your genre – not just novels, but the latest short fiction too – you’ll get a knowledge of what you can do to make your story distinctive.
2. Get familiar with the press
Learning about a publisher’s submissions call-out might be the first time you’ve come across them. If you get familiar with what they like reading, you’re less likely to submit a story that isn’t a fit for their vibe or mission.
Do this by reading what they’ve published before (if they sell books or magazines, consider buying a copy), by checking their website for guidance, and following them on social media. Joining their community means you’ll build a deeper awareness of the editor’s tastes over time.
3. Check the guidelines
With every submissions call-out, there’s always a few people who submit ineligible work. This might be sending your story to a UK-only opportunity when you’re from the US, submitting something that doesn’t fit the wordcount, or formatting incorrectly (more on that below).
Always make sure you carefully read the full guidelines. If you’re not sure about something, see if your question is answered on an FAQs page. If it isn’t, see if you can check with the press on social media or by email before you submit. And if the guidelines are clear and you’re not eligible, don’t be tempted to ask the editors for an exception. There’s plenty of other presses out there to try!
4. First line, first paragraph, first page
Your story should of course be high-quality throughout, but the first words are especially important. Editors will be looking for stories that immediately grab a reader’s and keep them reading past the first page. This means you need a captivating opening line, a first paragraph that introduces the style, theme, or setting of your story vividly, and a first page that gets the plot moving.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to open with high conflict and drama. Indeed, a story that is too brazenly dramatic at the start risks feeling contrived. It’s more a case of sharing excellent prose, demonstrating you have something unique to say, and giving the reader something to care about.
5. Proofread thoroughly
Readers aren’t going to disqualify you for a typo or two, but if there are lots of errors in a submission this suggests a lack of care.
The best two ways to polish your manuscript without doing hundreds of edits are to read it aloud, even just to yourself, and also to swap your work with peers for proofreading and feedback.
6. Format sensibly
Submissions guidelines will let you know how to format your entry. Some presses will be more relaxed than others, but a general rule of thumb is to use a sensible font (Times New Roman, Arial, etc) in a standard size (12pt). You should also indent speech and new paragraphs.
Over-using underlines, bolds, and italics risks making your work look juvenile. Embellishments, like images, should be avoided unless the press specifically asks for them.
Using popular manuscript formats from the start, like Shunn Modern, means you’ll have less re-formatting to do for future call-outs.
7. Make the title do work
A submission’s title is the first thing readers will see. It’s therefore as important to have a strong title as it is to have a cracking opening line.
Consider moving away from titles that are literally what the piece is about in favour of ones that suggest particular thematic readings of the work, contrast with it in unusual ways, or are otherwise evocative or intriguing.
Using popular phrases or idioms, like ‘two birds with one stone’, risks making your story feel derivative – as do conventional title formats (e.g. ‘A Tale of Magic and Swords’).
8. Make a good impression
Always be polite and concise in your communications with the press. You won’t be disqualified for a dodgy cover letter, but publishing relationships can last a long time, so you want to make sure you start things on the right foot.
You don’t need to be particularly formal, either. “Dear Sirs” is a red flag when so many outlets are women-led, queer-led, or simply run by one editor. Above all, be gracious if you don’t get the result you were looking for. On that note:
9. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Every successful writer you know has had dozens of rejections. Getting published is a numbers game, and those who get their work consistently selected also submit consistently. The more you submit, the better you’ll become at everything mentioned above.
It’s worth being strategic about what you write, too. If you’ve started to write a story, consider what journals or competitions you’ll send it to in advance. If a journal asks for new short stories on a very niche topic, think about what you’ll do with the story if they don’t select it.
If a journal or competition allows for simultaneous submissions, take advantage of that opportunity. You don’t want to avoid submitting the story elsewhere while you wait for a response if you don’t need to!
10. Volunteer for first reading or editing
It’s valuable to get a look behind the curtain. Follow micro-presses, online journals and competitions online, and connect with peers in the writing community. If an opportunity comes up to help out with reading entries, or even guest editing an issue of a journal, it’s worth seizing it.
As soon as you have experience of reading submissions, it’ll make sense why publishers make the choices they do, and how writers can make their submissions as compelling as possible for editors.
We hope this helps you on your writing journey, and wish you best of luck! If you’re looking for opportunities to submit short stories, take a look at our submissions page, and sign up to our newsletter to hear about future call-outs.
100% human-written, by Nathaniel, our editor
