Another One Bites the Dust

Not long ago I read that Realms of Fantasy was closing up shop. I was saddened at the thought that another short fiction market had been lost. There are so few really good short story markets that the loss of even one isn't a good thing. I've since read that Realms of Fantasy has been revived so I'm happy for them.

But, the other night I was chatting with a friend who has a small mystery ezine and he mentioned how he might have to let it go. Seems like subscriptions are down, costs are going up and as much as he'd like to continue, he's not sure if he can. I left the conversation terribly saddened.

It got me to thinking though. I didn't subscribe to his ezine, and I'm a mystery writer. What's wrong with me? I would love to have a story published in his ezine so why the heck hadn't I subscribed to support him?

Because I just didn't think about it. I took for granted that someone else would subscribe and support him. But you know what...someone else didn't. In fact, someone else has let several other ezines I know of fade out of existence. I can name three right now and possibly two more.

So...It's time to take action. Here's my challenge for each of you.

Find a short story market you'd love to be published in and subscribe if you don't already. If they don't do the subscription thing, then donate to their expenses. Markets that pay the writers are few and far between. And not only does the writer deserve to get paid, but so do the editors who work so hard putting out a quality reading experience. So does the owner who pays the web fees and expenses involved with each issue.

One of the best ways to get our name and writing out there to the reader is through the short story market. Yet, if we don't step up and support them, we are going to continue losing them. And that would not be a good thing. We need them as much, if not more than they need us.

Remember, become one of our first twenty-five followers and be entered to win an autographed copy of The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson or The Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing.