I've declared May the "Month of Short Fiction" here in the world of EM. (You'll notice that this month's highlighted new release is an anthology. Wizards: Magical Tales from the Masters of Modern Fantasy is released today, an auspicious start to an illustrious month.)

But the Month of Short Fiction isn't just about reading. It's also about writing! (Isn't everything?) So I'll be working throughout the month of May on making some real headway into the short fiction market. I've started by sending the short I wrote for Sword & Sorceress back out again. I'll also be polishing two pieces I wrote over the last few months and embarking on some new projects. My goal is to have a minimum of four stories out at once, editorial response times being what they are. (Enough said...)

Today being the first of the month, it's also time for Rapid Fire Learning, hosted by JJL. So continuing in our Month of Short Fiction theme, I have the following to report:

• A little research goes a long way. In writing for short fiction markets, I've discovered the value of researching the prospective buyer and writing specifically for the market at hand. You can't sell a piece to an editor if you don't know what he or she wants. In the case of magazines or annual anthologies, read prior issues. And always, always, always take a look at the market's website. A good editor will tell you what he or she is looking for. (And following the submission guidelines precisely doesn't hurt either.)
  


• Suspense sells. The quickest way to draw a reader--or an editor--into your story is to make them care about your character right from the beginning. Which means you need a likeable hero with a real problem. The problem can be either internal or external, but it has to be believable, serious, and captivating. (I'll have a hard time caring whether or not Sally Do-right has enough cheese dip for her Christmas party, but I'll care whether or not she can save her marriage--at least I will if I like her.)
  


• The ending is the best beginning. I can't even begin to write a story unless I know at least three things: 1) who my main character is; 2) what his or her problem is; and 3) how it's going to be resolved. As a reader, I hate knowing the ending before I get there, but as a writer, the situation is reversed. I can't write a good story unless I know how it ends. Otherwise I end up with too much drivel in the middle. So figure out your ending, and then make sure your whole story builds in that direction. You'll keep the reader on his or her toes until the very end. And if the ending leaves them satisfied, you have a winner!

And to round it all out, here are a couple of links to short fiction markets that I've found to be useful:

• SFWA's magazine list. It's far from exhaustive--Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine, for example, isn't even on there--but it does include some interesting entries. The list includes a short blurb about each market and a link to each magazine.
  


• Duotrope. This one's terrific. It includes a searchable database of all kinds of short fiction markets. Look them up by genre, length of stories published, pay scale, publication medium (print vs. electronic) and even submission type (i.e. being able to submit electronically). Whatever you're looking for, Duotrope will find it.