How to Sell a Story

by staff

Yes, we’ve told you what slush readers hate (Confessions of a Slush Monkey); we’ve even told you what we consider some of the finer points of writing (Letter from the Editors: On Being a Better Author (And Submitting Well).

But what makes stories sell?

In the search for a great short story, it’s easy to begin enumerating what you don’t want to see, especially as a day-in, day-out editor. Sloppiness, poor character development, clichés, great stories rewritten as poorly-disguised imitations – these will quickly be sent form replies. What distinguishes – or saves – a story can be a little more complicated. If there were one great umbrella rule – well, we, at least, can’t think of it; but if there were two, they might be to write carefully, and write originally. After that, we get down to some specifics.

Neatness

We hate to sound like your fourth-grade teacher – but neatness counts. A clean submission following guidelines, a spell-checked story, getting the editor’s name right – it gets you in the door. So don’t forget:

  • Follow each publisher’s submissions guidelines; they are different.
  • No unusual fonts, colors, perfumes, html, or other: your story can distinguish itself.
  • Some publications request summaries and/or biographies; others despise them. If they don’t ask, don’t tell – briefer submissions are almost always better.

    • Something New

    Even in science fiction, probably the newest of genres, there’s a lot that’s been done. (Which is, in a grouchy editorial sidenote, why young writers need to read more – they often unintentionally copy great works that have become part of our culture’s mythos, thereby frustrating editors who are handed story after story attempting to be the original Stranger in a Strange Land.) So when you turn in a story that feels new, no matter how atrocious the formatting (at least here at RE), chances are the editor will want to see it.

    So what’s something new?

  • Innovative solutions to old problems.
  • A story delving into a topic new to society. (Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot)
  • A diverse cast: all-white, all-male, all-youthful casts tread no new ground. Bonus points for women who think. (Elizabeth Bear’s Hammered, Samuel R. Delany’s Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand)
  • New or mixed genres: this is something we’re particularly interested in at Reflection’s Edge. We’re sorry we don’t see more stories that mix styles and genres, break down stereotypes, and generally astound us. This isn’t the time to play it safe – at least not with RE. (Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves, Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Jo Walton’s Tooth and Claw)

    • Know What You’re Talking About

    No matter how wild the premise of your story, if you know the material on which it’s based – be it cultural, scientific, or historical – it will strengthen your story immeasurably. There is little more unpalatable than a story that limps around its subject matter, or worse, gets it entirely wrong, and little more intriguing than an author who completely draws you into his world with all its details. A story that knows what’s it’s talking about is worth its weight in gold. Good examples?

  • Scientific knowledge: Isaac Asimov, Neal Stephenson, William Gibson
  • Cultural knowledge: Tony Hillerman
  • Historical knowledge: Connie Willis (Doomsday Book)

    • Depth of Character

    Yes, everyone wants a great character: but what makes characters great? In writing, characters who are three-dimensional and fully explored are the ones that leap off the page. No matter how heroic (or villainous) a character is, he can’t be one-note; even Frodo had doubts of his success and a fondness for mushrooms. And more than that, characters need to be active. In general, great characters are:

  • Characters you want to root for. (Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game)
  • Characters with many facets.
  • Characters who don’t just sit around, but do things: and when bad things happen, they fight back. (Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Lathe of Heaven)
  • Characters who make mistakes, but change (for good or bad) because of them.

    • Shades of Gray

    Whether it’s characters or plots, black-and-white thinking is disappointing. Don’t be afraid of asking the big questions; chances are that’s why you’re writing the story in the first place, so don’t leave them unaddressed. Strive for the following:

  • Moral complexity (particularly in villains).
  • A story that fully addresses the issues it raises, even when the answers aren’t always clear.
  • Acknowledgement of the possibilities – sometimes the right things are hard to do.

    • Good Writing

    Yes, last and greatest: good writing. A writer who has taken the time to become well-read, to attend workshops, to work on multiple story drafts – it shows. Ultimately, all a publisher wants is something that’s good. And while it can be difficult to pin down what that is, there’s no question it doesn’t come without work. Keep reading, keep writing, keep submitting; but keep self-reviewing, too.