Interested in my weekly market newsletter? Here’s a sample from Feb. 2003.

 

One the questions I'm asked most often is "Where can I sell short stories?" Unfortunately, the short story market has declined dramatically in the last decade, and it's tough to find new markets. But there are still a few good places to send short stories, and I'll be talking about those over the next couple of weeks.

This week, I'm going to take a look at short story markets in Great Britain. Many U.S.-based authors don't think to look overseas to sell their work, but there's no reason you can't make sales to British markets. I spoke with novelist Carole Bellacera, who has made a number of short story sales to British markets. She told me some of the stories were reprints of work that originally appeared in U.S. magazines, while others were stories that never found a home in the states. Though Carole tried to use British spellings and terms in her work, she says this isn't really necessary. If the editors like your work, they'll make the appropriate changes for you.

A few things to keep in mind when marketing to these magazines: Write first for a copy of their writer's guidelines and a sample copy of the magazine. You won't be able to get samples of all of them, but when you can, this will really help you to get an idea of the magazine's style and to hone in on what they're looking for. You can also visit large newsstands in major cities, or even order the magazines online.

When you send in your submission, unless the magazine allows you to submit via email, you'll need to enclose International Reply Coupons, or IRCs for return postage. You can purchase IRCs at any large post office. If you don't live in a major city, your local postmaster should be able to order them for you. In your cover letter, let the magazine know you've enclosed and IRC for their reply, and that if they decide not to use the manuscript, to please destroy it. That way, you won't have to pay for the manuscript to be mailed back to you.

Most of the magazines pay in British pounds, which you'll have to take to your bank and have converted into dollars for a small fee. Some magazines will directly wire money to your bank, by prior arrangement.

A few things you'll notice when looking through these markets: pay varies widely, from a few pounds to a few hundred pounds; most of the stories are short -- under 2000 words; if you write erotica for women, there are quite a few well-paying markets here.

Now, the markets. I've listed payment rates when available and as much information as I was able to glean about the publication:

ACTIVE LIFE, http://www.activelifemag.com
The audience for this publication is †active over-50s'. They're looking for short stories up to 1200 words long. Active Life, 1st Floor, 1-5 Clerkenwell Rd., London, EC1M 5PA

THE AFFECTIONATE PUNCH http://www.affectionatepunch.co.uk
Editor Andrew Tutty wants short stories to 1400 words for this ezine. You can email submissions to atut@lineone.net
BELLA
This very popular British magazine also has New Zealand and Australian editions. The magazine focuses on fashion, gossip and sex for a hip, female audience. Editor Linda O'Byrne is looking for 1000-word stories with a †twist' ending, and other fiction to 2000 words. Bella, H. Bauer Publishing, 24-28 Oval Rd, London, NW1 7DT

BEST
Editor Louise Court wants stories up to 1200 words for their "Five Minute Story." Pays 100 pounds. Best, 197 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9SG

COLLECTIVE PUBLISHING http://freespace.virgin.net/simon.starkwell/guidelines.html
Collective produces paperback volumes of erotic short stories. Each volume has a theme. Check the website for upcoming themes and submission guidelines. Pay is 20 pounds per 1000 words. Stories should be between 2000 and 10,000 words.
Collective Publishing, P.O. Box 6685, Neward, NG24 4WS

FOR WOMEN
Erotic short stories to 2000 words. Editor Zak Jane Keir likes first-person stories. Pays 125 pounds. For Women, Fantasy Publications, 4 Selsdan Way, London, E14 9EL

THE LADY http://www.jbwb.co.uk/lady.html
"Cheerful" literary fiction to 2000 words. Editor Arline Usden
The Lady, 39-40 Bedfort Street, Strand, London WC2E 9ER

MY WEEKLY http://www.jbwb.co.uk/weekly.html
As the name implies, this is a weekly publication, and they print a lot of fiction. Editor Harrison Watson likes stories with strong characterization and modern-day themes. Regular short stories should be between 1500 and 4000 words. They also print short-shorts between 1000-1500 words. The magazine likes romantic stories with surprising outcomes. My Weekly, DC Thomson and Co., Ltd., 80 Kingsway, East Dundee, DD4 8SL

THE PEOPLE'S FRIEND
Short stories between 1000 and 4000 words, and short-shorts 500-1000 words. The magazine likes nostalgic, optimistic stories.
The People's Friend, DC Thompson and Co. Ltd, 80 Kingsway East Dundee, DD4 8SL

SOLANDER http://www.historicalnovelsociety.com
This publication of the Historical Novel Society accepts historical short stories between 4000 and 7000 words. Pays 100 pounds. Stories can be in any time period or genre, including alternative history. You may email your submission as an attachment in Word to Editor Richard Lee at histnovel@aol.com

TAKE A BREAK
Editor Norah McGrath wants short stories of about 1100 words with †twist' endings for the magazine's †Coffee Break' section. The main character of the story should be a woman and there should be no more than four characters total in the story.
Take a Break, 25-27 Camden Rd., Longon NW1 9LL

THAT'S LIFE
The magazines publishes one short story of 1200 words each week. Pays 300. Stories should be told in a †chatty, conversational style, preferably with some love interest, but not an out-and-out romance.' Editor Emma Fabian also likes †twist' endings.
That's Life, H. Bauer Publishing, 2nd Floor, 1-5 Maple Place, London W1P 5FX

VIRGIN PUBLISHING, LTD.
Virgin publishing two erotic short story collections each year in their Black Lace line. They welcome unsolicited submissions from female authors only. Write for guidelines to Black Lace Guidelines, Virgin Publishing, Thames Wharf Studios, Rainville Rd, London W6 9HT

WOMAN'S WEEKLY http://www.jbwb.co.uk/wweek.html
This is another weekly magazine that uses a lot of fiction. Editor Gaynor Davies is looking for uplifting stories of 2000 words for "Your Bedtime Read" and stories between 1000 and 1500 words for "Your Coffee Break Read". Woman's Weekly, IPC Magazines, Ltd., King's Reach Tower, Stanford Street, London SE1 9LS

 

 

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