Antwar Saloon

[AUSKAR]

Faceless is a 3500 word short story about a dream (sort of). The major character is Julianne.

It has been accepted by Short-Story.me, which accepts about 25% of the stories submitted to them, and it will probably appear in about two months. They will pay me a token fee.

Previously, Androids in the Garden was accepted by Bewildering Stories, which accepts about 62% of the stories submitted to them. It occurred to me that I should look up Sonar 4 ezine (which closed). They accepted about 20% of stories submitted to them and did accept Collector.

I wanted to see what "level" I was at, so I sent stories to publications with differing acceptance ratios. Places like Clarkesworld are well below one percent.

All figures come from duotrope.com.
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[Axeminister]

Excellent!

Glad to hear your stuff is getting out there.

Axe

[AUSKAR]

Golden Visions ezine just accepted Beauty Wears a Gun.
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[AUSKAR]

Untied Shoelaces of the Mind just accepted One Soldier's Reason. This is a flash story about a soldier that is unmentioned by name. Untied Shoelaces of the Mind offers "semi-pro" payment and accepts 3.79% of the short stories submitted.
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[jeffg]

You know, I didn't know anyone was accepting shorts - or anything these days, so I'm psyched that you're getting your stuff out there.

I know you really want to do this, so keep at it - and if you want to send stuff for me to read I'll always make the time.

Jeff

[AUSKAR]

Visit Duotrope.com.

They have LOTS of registered users and those registered users report on markets, how long till they get a rejection, acceptance, or an author withdraws a story. Not only do they have more information about markets than you can collect from search engines on your own, they save it, compile it, put it in a database, and more.

There is a "multiplier affect." Not only do they keep your information, but everyone like you, people that are better than you, people that are worse than you. Lots of authors.

They have everything you ever heard of, are willing to take suggestions, and have LOTS of markets you never heard of. The most important is the "acceptance ratio." As you reach lower numbers in acceptance ratio, you begin to get into professional markets.

Keep your own worksheet. I do.

I would send things I've written, but I wouldn't know what to send. There are humorous pieces, serious pieces, long pieces, short pieces. Most have much shorter paragraphs than I am used to seeing. Maybe seven or so qualify as "flash fiction." Mostly, that is because I've written a series of short humorous pieces about "Bud & Judd," two twins that get abducted, see robots in the desert, think a girl is an alien or a robot, go back in time, and accidentally seem to get killed.

I'm impatient and send everything out to a market as soon as I write it. Then I make changes (assuming it will be rejected). I've written almost thirty short stories, five have been accepted, none by a professional market - only one of those five stories has run (so far). Last time I counted, I had received over 150 rejections, but I don't think I'm to 200 yet. Maybe.

The reason I want to do this is because it is one of the things I CAN do. And I want to get my novel out (now that I've gotten better at writing). Short stories are a way to get noticed. I think (my opinion) that it is one way toward that goal.
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[jeffg]

I guess I would say send anything you want, but especially stuff you want constructive criticism on.

I've already done that for some of your stuff - and I'm not brutal - the goal is to be helpful. I've been in some writers groups that are just abusive in a gleeful sort of way, and I really dislike that.

You seem to be selling your stuff without it, but if you want someone to run through it first, I'm your guy.

Jeff

[AUSKAR]

I sent a really short story, Jeff. One of the "Bud & Judd" stories. It's unpublished, so I cannot show it to everyone. I like real constructive criticism.

I'm in a hurry. Have to rush.
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