Saturday 14 November 2009

Opportunity - One Story

This week's Interesting Place To Send Your Writing To is a fairly unusual one.

One Story is a magazine that showcases one short story per issue. It's mailed out to subscribers (about 5000 of them) every 3 weeks.

It's small and neat looking. The website is impressive.

I like the feeling of the operation; they're very supportive of their writers.

I like that they'll only ever publish a writer once - so there's less 'in crowd', and more opportunity.

And, they pay - $100 dollars plus 15 copies of the magazine. Getting paid is nice, but what's nicer is that feeling I'm getting about how they feel about the short story - there's a lot of respect and admiration for the form:

We believe that short stories are best read alone. They should not be sandwiched in between a review and an exposé on liposuction, or placed after another work of fiction that is so sad or funny or long that the reader is worn out by the time they turn to it.

And they're thorough - there's a generous interview with the writer in each issue - a nice touch.


So, here's the basic info:
Send: literary fiction
Length: 3000-8000 words (consider that the story will be 'standing alone', so they're looking for a sense of satisfaction and wholeness)
How: online entry, automated system
Turnaround time: 4-12 weeks
Pay: $100 and 15 copies of the magazine


Take a look at the site and let me know what you think.

8 comments:

Alex said...

I have found where I'm sending my 3000 word story next! Thanks.

Teresa Stenson said...

Ha, brilliant. Good luck.

I just need to write a 3000 word story first...

Girl On The Run said...

Thanks for the info - like you I need to start writing.

Sophie Playle said...

Hi there, I found your blog through Nik Perring's.

This looks like a great concept for short story publishing. Thanks for sharing!

Tania Hershman said...

One Story does a great job, I subscribed for a year, it's lovely to get a story in your mailbox every few weeks. Of course, some appealed to me more than others, that's always the way, but it's a lovely format, and a great place to send stories too. One Story does well in the Pushcart awards etc..., an added bonus! Do you think I can stick 6 flash stories together and get to 3000 words that way??

Teresa Stenson said...

Hello Girl on the Run and Sophie - nice to meet you both. Really glad the info is useful, and if you send something to them - lots of luck :)

Tania - ha, yes, I might have to do the same... I've never written a short story of more than 2000 words - and 2000 is a rarity. Usually they come to an natural end around 1000 for me. I think I'll subscribe in the New Year, you've convinced me.

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