I’m often asked for suggestions about markets that are more willing to consider new writers.
There are a lot out there. Some will pay you a small amount while others will pay in copies. One market area I had a lot of success with was anthologies.
In fact, I think being published in four anthologies at the same time my first books were published helped me gain a readership I wouldn’t have had they not had read my work elsewhere.
So how do you find anthologies to submit to?
I checked out publishers to see what their current needs were. I found most online publishers market at least one anthology a year. Do a Google search or type in a publisher you have in mind and see what you can find.
Writing magazines also are a good way to see who’s looking for what. I used to have a subscription to both The Writer and Writer’s Digest, and if you’re looking at the UK market, check out Writing Magazine.
Writer’s Groups are another great resource. One person hears about an upcoming anthology and posts it to the group…I actually found two of mine that way.
One thing I did discover was that sci fi and horror seem to have more need for stories for anthologies than other genres so if you write those types of stories I think you’ll have lots of luck.
As always, if your story gets accepted, make sure you know what rights you’re handing over, how long the contract is for, and if you keep the copyright to your story…yes, even after the contract expires. Here’s something I tell my students…if something doesn’t feel right don’t sign away your rights just to get a byline. You’ve heard of the saying, there’s plenty more fish in the sea, well the same goes for markets.
Here’s a link to a site with a current list of markets looking for anthology stories-
http://www.ralan.com/m.antho.htm
And if you write non-fiction, check out Chicken Soup for the Soul…I had a story published with them and I found them great to work with-
http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics