Get a short story published

I had a story published a few years ago as I was a runner up in a short story competition in Woman’s Own.
Although I was pleased to be chosen (only four winner out of three thousand entries) and liked seeing my story in print, I did not like the way it was edited. A few parts that I thought were important were removed, seemingly just to allow space for a picture of a woman reading a magazine. Seemed pointless to me. The readers surely already knew how to read and didn’t need a picture as illustration!

So, you have to accept the editing when your stories are published. Also. you will need to be persistant and try lots of different publications, submitting or as competition entries. Do not be put off by rejection letters – you may need to develop a thick skin, something I’m still working on!

If you don’t know already, you can publish your own works at a little place I love called fictionpress.com. This is where my work is published and it’s the first step to bringing your stuff into the real world! On there you can post your stuff and people can read it and give you feedback etc., and if they like it, favourite it. But whatever you do, whether you take my advice or not, don’t let those plot-bunnies go to waste! If you leave a story too long without writing it, it will dissolve and you’ll have lost it. So get out there and knock ‘em dead! (Fictionpress.com/u/562734/ is my page)

I’m working on a story now. Actually it is my first. I need to finish it before I do anything, so I’m just looking around.

Along time ago,when monsters walked the earth,there lived a young man named Lance. Lance lived in a lovely place named Crete. He worked as a priest there in an old,crumbly,fallen down temple. Lance had light blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds when he looked at you. He had hair as soft as animals fur.

well I’ve written one – now I just need to edit it- and then
submit it for publication and then who knows? Maybe this goal will be accomplished?

This story takes place along time ago. When the air was clean and water was blue and it did not matter if your sneakers were new. The only thing did matter to these small town people is were their next meal was coming from and how they can help someone else out to get a meal because food was scarce but friend were even more scarce and in this town you did need to have friends because this was a town of craziness and was run by a man named Shawn Ellis. And he was a sick one he thought of him self as god greatest creation his gift of glory and he was destined for great things and to be King so some how which is unknown he took over this small town and it seemed like this small town just vanished off the face of the earth so in away he did become king for he ruled this town not run this town but ruled if there was a problem we had to go to him no one was higher no one was even in second command jus him and if you did wrong you were dead just like that no fair trial no laws just his rules which would not be broken. The towns people often wonder if he a parents after all he was human or at least they think he is human for no has ever seem him bleed or sweat or even age now that think about it. There was one man who dared to challenge Shawn and when we thought he won his right to leave for that is what he fought for he gave him a boat and food and told him to leave if he dares but you will not make out there and the second he put his boat in the water a wave came and took him away and every body who watched would swear on their life that the waved looked like Shawn and no ever wanted to leave again for then it rained for two weeks but this was not normal rain it was blood bones body parts, body parts of the man who dared to leave. And he stopped feeding us for a week so it was important that the town folk stuck together especially in times like these. But even though time were tough they did not let that keep down they were all still happy people and acted normal kids were still kid and adults were still adults just like anybody else as long as every body followed the rules if Shawn Ellis. Just like any where else there is always that one kid who goes a little to far just a little to curious but bold and outgoing always trying to out do and out smart any one so his sixteenths birthday he felt he was grown and would speak to Shawn and then take him down so when he announced this to his parents and to the town they begged him not to they said you are one of the strong boys the town needs you to look after the young help the old hunt and gather food and finished school. The young boys shouts I am done with school and I will not stay trapped in this town and be a slave and I don’t want this for any of you and I watched growing up the fear he has put in to this town and I know there is a better place out there were Shawn just does not rule. Think about it he sets curfews say we must all be a sleep at a certain time why what is he doing I will tell you what he is doing he is communicating with other places where else does he get his food his money everything else he puts in this town and do not tell me you believe he is sent from god and has power because you all pray to god and if he was gods gift he would have if helped us already and if you guy won’t help you r self I will do it for you. Then a cloud of smoked appeared and the young man jumped down of the rock in scariness of what will happen and as the smokes went away there was Shawn standing there and he said with his voice as solid as a gods Who son is this. and an old man step forward trembling he….he is my son and I apologize for his behavior and the bold boy stand tall again as if he was just not scared and screams no father do not apologize for me he must be stopped for what he is doing to us we are not slaves we deserve to be free and I swear with all my might I will kill you Shawn Ellis. Than your reign of terror will end. Than it began to rain hard and thunder storm and Shawn just laughed and then spoke how dare you stand there and accuse me of doing wrong and call this a reign of terror did you not grow up to be strong and believe in your self is this not what you have been taught in school that I as his voice gets louder provide for you the food that you eat the knowledge that you speak the anger that you scream is that not all because of I decided to give it to you and you call this a reign of terror and you stand there being strong simply for the fact that I allowed you to be and all of you are here and alive because I want you to be and you say I do wrong. It is you that are wrong but if that is what you want you want to see anger as the sea begins to rise and evil I can show what a reign of terror can feel like still shouting. And then the sea came and just slammed over the town but seem to split around Shawn and the boy and he screams and jumps to save his father and he was unable to touch his father like he was a ghost and he just stands there screaming and crying as he watch his family and all friend die a slow and painful death Knowing that there is nothing he can do to save them. Now he is begging and pleading with Shawn to stop and Shawn turn to him and says this is all your doing if only you took what you had as a blessing in stead of a curse maybe your family would not of had to die but you left me no other choice and he laughs and just vanished in thin air and all the rain stops and the sea retreats back into the ocean and the sun comes up and all his family was standing over him as he was laying in bed he begins to cry and hugs his parents and tell them I thought you guys were dead and the town was destroyed and his mother say it will be okay it was just a dream but it felt so real he managed to get out between his tears his mother simply just tells him you see we are alive so get up you have a big day ahead of after all it is your birthday and he put a shock look on his face as if he forgot to day was his birthday his mother begins to laugh please don’t tell me you for got it was birthday you have been waiting for this for so long maybe that dream did have you a little scared. So has his mother leaves the room and he begins to get dress than he hears a ringing and he follows the sound under his bed it is a cell phone he pick it up and a voice says hello hello is any body there. Than the boy says i knew there was a whole nother world out there

I have so many short stories that I have written in the past four years. I don’t know why I haven’t tried to get one of them published yet. Maybe that will be one of my goals for this summer.