Posts Tagged ‘short stories’

How To Make Your Short Story Shine (From An Editor’s Point of View)

Posted: November 15, 2025 in Tips, writing
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It can be hard to exactly pinpoint what prevents a story from rising out of the slush pile and eliciting an enthusiastic “yes” from an editor, but there are some pitfalls writers make that happen all too frequently.

I’ve been editing for a long time–for nonfiction for decades, and for short fiction for part of that. During that time, I’ve seen common problems that writers make in their short stories. From an overly ambiguous beginning to an ending that falls flat, many passed-over stories share a few key issues that need addressing.

So, how to improve your short story to get to an editor’s “yes”? Here are a handful of tactics and strategies that can make your story shine brighter and improve the odds of catching an editor’s attention. I offer this as a brief guide to help you review your own work and see if any of these areas can be strengthened.

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2025 Eligibility Roundup

Posted: November 11, 2025 in Announcement, recommendations, writing
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  • book cover of MELINDA WEST AND THE GREMLIN QUEEN (Brigids Gate Press)

It’s that wonderful time of year when authors share their published works from 2025 as award submission season nears its deadline. I always love to see these roundup posts and a reminder of what my favorite authors and colleagues have been up to this year.

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New Class! What Editors Want

Posted: November 3, 2025 in Announcement, short stories, Tips, writing
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I’ll be teaching a Reach Your Apex workshop called “Sellable Short Stories: What Editors Want (and What to Avoid)” on Friday, November 14, 2025. This course is for both emerging writers and established authors who want to know: out of hundreds of stories in the slush pile, what makes an editor say “yes” to just a few?

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SPACE HORRORS out today!

Posted: September 20, 2025 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, recommendations, science fiction, short stories
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I’m thrilled to share Space Horrors is out today, September 20, 2025! This fantastic anthology is edited by sharp-eyed editor extraordinaire, E.S. Magill, and features fabulous writers I have the honor of knowing. The TOC includes jaw-dropping stories by: Vanessa Fogg, Eric J. Guignard, Mike D. McCarty, KC Grifant, Jon Cohn, John Palisano, Kathryn Blanche, Vincent V. Cava, David Agranoff, and E.S. Magill.

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Free horror stories to listen to and read for the spooky season

Posted: September 16, 2025 in Announcement, anthology, flash fiction, horror, recommendations, science fiction, short stories, writing
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October is fast approaching! To gear up for the Halloween season, I’m offering a handy list of several of my short spooky stories available for free in audio form and print! These stories span sci-fi horror, quiet horror and weird tales in the vein of The Twilight Zone or Tales from the Crypt.

Hope you enjoy…

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Dread Coast: SoCal Horror For a Cause

Posted: August 22, 2025 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, writing
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Today’s the day!! DREAD COAST: SoCal Horror Tales (No Bad Books Press), is officially out! This collection of Southern California horror short stories is co-edited by me and Dennis K. Crosby. I am so proud of this project and all of the stories. Plus, proceeds go to support the vital long-term recovery work from the Palisades and Eaton fires.

Order signed print copies from SoCal local bookstores!

Order from Mysterious Galaxy
Order from Artifact Books
Order from Warwick’s

If you prefer digital copies you can order from the usual suspects here or on Amazon.

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New Fantasy and Horror Anthologies

Posted: July 30, 2025 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, recommendations, science fiction, short stories, Weird West, writing
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I’m proud to be part of not just one, but several upcoming anthologies from Stars and Sabers Publishing, the exciting powerhouse imprint founded by award-winning authors and editors Jendia Gammon and Gareth L. Powell.

Stars and Sabers is rolling out an ongoing series of beautifully produced anthologies featuring stunning cover art and stories by some of the most talented names in speculative fiction out there. From horror to fantasy to genre-bending crossovers, these anthologies feature bold, imaginative storytelling.

I’m thrilled that my story “Worship,” about a mysterious goddess-like entity in a Puritan town, will be included in Stars and Sabers’ upcoming horror anthology Of Dread, Decay, and Doom. The anthology is currently in fundraising mode; you can learn more about supporting the book here.

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New Book Deal: Fantastica Horrifica

Posted: June 26, 2025 in Announcement, books, horror, science fiction, short stories, writing
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I am so thrilled to have found the perfect home for my second collection of short stories, titled Fantastica Horrifica. Stars and Sabers Publishing, headed up by award-winning authors and publishers Jendia Gammon and Gareth L. Powell, has a fantastic slate of books, anthologies and collections dedicated to speculative fiction and cross-genre storytelling. (You can see several of their anthologies here, which include new stories by me.)

New Fantasy and Horror Anthologies

About Fantastica Horrifica:

These 21 horror, science fiction, and fantasy stories and poems showcase siren songs of desperation, sacrifice, denial, codependency and survival. Mothers, dreamers, and lovers deal with cosmic terrors, some snatching a semblance of vengeance along the way.

Publication is slated for April 2027.

Read the full press release from Stars and Sabers Publishing here: https://www.starsandsabers.com/2025/06/21/stars-and-sabers-publishing-news-book-deal-for-kc-grifant/.

Make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get notified of preorders and special giveaways!

Quick Draw: Weird West Flash Fiction Contest

Posted: June 21, 2025 in Announcement, short stories, Tips, Weird West, writing
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I’ll be judging an upcoming weird-west-themed flash fiction contest through Reach Your Apex–with prizes!

The first prize winner will be awarded $100 U.S. and have their story published in Apex Magazine issue 151, coming out in October 2025. The second prize winner will be awarded $50 U.S. and have their story published on the Reach Your Apex website in September 2025. Three third prize winners will each be awarded $25 U.S. and have their story published on the Reach Your Apex website in September 2025.

Submissions will open at 12:00 am Eastern, July 1, 2025. Submissions close July 15, 2025 at midnight Eastern. Anonymous, original submissions only under 1k words. More submission details: https://reachyourapex.com/weird-west-quick-draw-a-flash-fiction-contest/.

I hope you’ll submit to this diverse and growing genre! If you want tips for writing a story, check out some of the resources I have over at Weird West Fiction. If you really want to dive in, I’ll be offering a virtual workshop on June 27 called “Creating Weird West Stories That Sizzle And Sell” at Reach Your Apex.

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New Class! Learn How to Write a Weird Western

Posted: June 16, 2025 in Announcement, short stories, Tips, Weird West, writing
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I’m thrilled to teach “Creating Weird West Stories That Sizzle And Sell” at Reach Your Apex later this month.

weird west class

In this live virtual course, writers will learn how to:

✅ Build immersive settings and plots that evoke the Old West without falling into clichés and harmful stereotypes
✅ Flip familiar tropes into fresh and thought-provoking elements
✅ Draw inspiration from historical accounts with empathy and nuance
✅ Develop grounded characters and high-stakes conflicts
✅ Blend horror, fantasy, science fiction and history in unexpected ways

Writers will leave with the foundation of a new weird western, along with tools for revisions and submissions ✍🏼 

Use code wwss10 at checkout for $10 off!

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