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In today’s video, I’ll:
- Tell you about getting my first short story publishing credit (not the first short story I wrote or submitted, but the first one that got published)
- Explain why I recently rekindled my love for the short story form
- Emphasize the importance of not putting yourself in a box when it comes to what you write
- Encourage you to celebrate all of your writing achievements—big and small
- Invite you to Writer Unboxed on July 23 to read my guest post, ‘Getting Short Story Credits is Getting Easier (Sort Of)’
If you’ve been published in short fiction, please leave a comment below telling us a bit about your experiences.
Note – if the video is not displaying on this page, watch it on YouTube. You may also download and read the video transcript (PDF).
[spoiler /Click Here to read transcript/ /Click Here to hide transcript/ ]
Hi everyone, Suzannah here.
I just wanted to take a minute today and tell you a little about one of the achievements that I’ve had in my writing journey recently, and that was publishing my first-ever short story.
Now, the reason why it’s taken me so long to actually publish a short story is because when I was studying writing in school I was short-storied to death, and what I really really wanted to do was work on a novel.
So I started working on a novel and I completely forgot about short stories. It wasn’t until earlier this year that someone approached me—someone who produces a literary magazine—and said, “Look, would you like to submit something?” I thought, “Oh, do I have this in me?”
But I said ‘yes’, and I said I would get something off. I spent about 6 weeks on it. And as I was working on it, as I was researching the form a little bit more and reading more short stories, I actually fell in love with the short story form again. So although I still love my novel and I still want to be a novelist, I really did enjoy writing that short story. Since then, I’ve written a couple more and they’re on submission as well.
So, you can see the finished product here.
<shows copy of journal>
It’s called The Sand Hill Review, which is published in Stanford, California. Beautiful volume here. It’s got some beautiful artwork, full colour cover, beautiful artwork inside as well. It’s just a really nice thing to have. I got a couple of contributor copies to thank me for submitting.
The beautiful thing about it is that it’s something that I probably would never have done if I hadn’t been prompted. That’s just sort of a reminder for everyone out there: you may think of yourself as a novelist only, but don’t completely shut yourself off to the idea of writing a short story. And the other way around as well. If you’re a short story writer, don’t completely close yourself off to writing a novel one day. Or creative nonfiction or nonfiction. The possibilities are endless. Don’t put yourself in a box just yet, because you never know what you have inside of you.
Another thing I wanted to mention was that this story that I wrote called ‘The Third Day’ was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. The thing I wanted to mention about that is that there are those out there on the internet who would say, “Oh, that doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t mean anything unless you win.”
I’m here to tell you today that it does mean something—maybe not to all those people, but it does mean something to a writer who didn’t think that they were able to write a short story at all. It also means you’re out there—you’re writing, you’re submitting your work. So don’t let anyone discourage you, If you’re a finalist in a contest or you’re nominated for a prize, and other people are tempted to tell you “It doesn’t mean anything,” —it does mean something. It means you’ve been hard at work getting your writing out there. That is the first step in getting yourself published.
If you want to hear any more about short stories–some advice I have—you can drop over to Writer Unboxed on July 23rd. I’ll be guest blogging there, and I’ll be talking about 5 Reasons Getting Short Story Credits is Getting Easier. I hope to see you over there in a few days.
I also wanted to mention that you’re going to have to expect more video posts these days from me because I’m having a bit of trouble with my wrists and I’m looking into some dictation software to help me out with that. All the work on my ebook, I’m doing a lot of typing and it’s taking a toll on my wrists. So do expect a few more video posts. I hope you enjoy them, and I hope to se you around Write It Sideways very soon.
Have a great day!
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Totally agree about not boxing yourself in and only thinking you’re a certain type of writer. It’s really easy to stick with what you a) are comfortable with or b) think you’re best at. But you don’t know what you’re best at until you give everything at least a try.
I wrote short stories until I had a crack at the novel. Turned out I was a novelist. That said, it could change again, depending on where I am with my writing and what ideas I happen to have at any given time.
So yes, no pigeon holing! Be free! Experiment!
*lies down*
Hi Iain! That’s exactly how I feel. I know I’m a novelist, but it was amazing to discover just how much I enjoyed writing a short story after leaving them for so long. Hope things are going well with your projects 🙂
You know, the problem I have at the moment is that I’m concerned about wasting time if I write something else instead of going headfirst into novel two. We think in such stoopid ways sometimes, us writers.
Projects trundling along, thank you!
That’s what stopped me from bothering with short stories for a few years—because I figured I should be putting 100% of me into my novel. I’m of two minds. In one way, I think it’s better to immerse yourself in one project at a time. In other ways, I think it’s important to give yourself freedom to stray a bit, so as not to burn yourself out.
With the eBook I’m writing at the moment, I’ve decided I need to be 100% focused on that. The couple of short stories on submission won’t take too much effort, and my novel can just mellow until I get the eBook done. I think I’ll finish much quicker without added distractions of working on more than one thing at once.
We’ll see 🙂
Over the past 3 years, with diligent submitting, I’ve had an unbelievably frustrating time trying to get short stories published. Honestly, I think the key is, as you said…”an editor approached me.”
With multiple “send more” “almost but no cigar” rejections from Missouri Review, Alaska Quarterly, Crazyhorse, New England Review, The Sun, Pedestal, The Collagist, and these are just the ones that leap to mind immediately– I am certain that if one of these editors had shared a bottle of wine with me at my MFA program, my bio would look very different.Ya gotta know somebody or be very lucky. For this caliber of publication, anyway.The good news is that I have happily prostituted myself. I found a publisher of e-stories and they’ve been snapping my stuff up. I console myself that someone in Ghana who wouldn’t give a rip about Crazyhorse (if she’d ever heard of it), is now a potential reader. To be blunt, the editors of this e-site wouldn’t give a rip about good literature, (if they’d ever heard of it). I have to assiduously correct their edits of my work.
But hey. How did Fitzgerald feel about writing for Hollywood? And at least I wake up sober every morning.
I well remember the rejections I got from literary magazines before I decided to give up on short stories some years ago. Personal rejections are okay, but the form ones are always painful. I’ve received a combination of personal and form rejections for the stories I have on submission right now.
I know what you mean about the big name journals, but I’m not sure it’s so much about knowing someone on staff as it is about writing an outstanding story AND having it picked up by an intern that likes your story and style. Places like the Missouri Review have a number of interns, and I’m pretty sure that if the first intern doesn’t like your story, it doesn’t get passed along to the next one. Since writing is so subjective, one person might like it and one person might not.
But you do have to realize just how high their standards are. Read this blog post from TMR: http://www.missourireview.com/tmr-blog/2011/03/interpreting-the-not-quites/ It’s about how both the winners of the poetry and prose Editor’s Prize this year had been submitting to TMR for at least six years and had been repeatedly rejected! That just goes to show how much work one has to put into one’s craft to get to that standard.
I don’t think there’s any harm in aiming for the top, but there are so many reputable magazines out there that aren’t well-known. Why not try some of those?
This has definitely inspired me to try my hand at short stories, as did your email. I mentioned the idea to my mom and she is encouraging me to do so.
I think that write a short story will help me get with my unfinished projects. I have so many ideas and stories that I want to put to paper, but now I have realized that I don’t have to make them all into novels.
Thank you for inspiration!
I’m so glad to hear you’re going to try your hand at some short stories, Ashley. I really think, with your busy schedule, that you’ll find it’s a good way to do some creative writing and submitting without committing to a novel right now. Good luck!
Congratulations! It does take diligence and hard work to get short stories published.
I spent a chunk of time submitting shorts and got turned off by all the rejections. But then, moments after I declared that I was quitting submitting them, I got an email saying my short was tentatively accepted but then cut at the last minute for space. I’ve never had a more lovely rejection! It was *nearly* as good as getting in. And by that, I mean, I squealed and danced around the room like a maniac. I bet you did that too, though, right? 😉
Thanks, Dalya 🙂 That does sound like a pretty good rejection letter. I’d probably be squealing and dancing around, too!
Congrats on publication. Sorry to hear about your hand. I’ll be interested to hear a review of the voice software program.
Thanks, Stacy! I’ll definitely do a review once I get myself some dictation software.
Thanks, Suzannah, for an inspring video, which has come just as I was considering doing more short story writing. I so agree, a nomination can mean so very much to a writer, I was on the shortlist for the last Asham Award, which was scaled down to 80 from 700 entries. I was on cloud 999 for at least a week! Not winning or even getting placed in the final was not such a blow because I felt such a sense of achievement to have got so far.
I look forward to reading your post on 23rd and hope the wrist is better soon
I hope you do get back into submitting your short stories, Rhiannon. The rejections are no fun, but those small achievements along the way make up for it!
I went to Sandhill and read your story. I enjoyed it very much. I also enjoyed this post and the tenor of it has put a fire under me to start sending out some of my own short stories. Love this site as you well know … hope your arm heals soon. In the meantime I will enjoy the videos you post. Thanks for the references and the links 🙂
Congrats, Suzannah! So excited for you. I’ve avoided writing short stories for the same reason as you. Am working on a novel, love creative non-fiction, maybe a short story soon. I do love reading them. Look forward to reading yours and to your guest post…
I’ve recently had my first short story accepted. It is a ghost story and will appear in the Halloween edition of a family magazine in Ireland, which is my native country. I’m really honoured that they liked my story as I’ve lived in India for 17 years. My Irish writing voice is obviously still coming through!
One more thing, Suzannah! Congratulations on getting your story published!