storySouth: Market Spotlight
For this week’s market spotlight, we look at storySouth, a biannual online literary journal. Submission period open through July 15, 2020.
storySouth is a biannual online literary journal that publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, including reviews and interviews.
The editors say, "storySouth's most important mission is to showcase the best fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry that writers from the new south have to offer. Special emphasis is given to finding and promoting the works of promising new writers."
What They're Looking For
storySouth publishes poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. They also publish interviews with writers and book reviews.
The editors say, "storySouth is interested in all types of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry by writers from the new south. The exact definition of 'new south' varies from person to person—if you can make a case for why you consider yourself part of the new south, then submit your work. storySouth seeks works representing the entire range of southern experience—including all races, genders, and views on life. However, excellence in writing is the only criterion used in choosing works to publish in storySouth."
As an online journal, there are no word limits on pieces. In fact, the editors encourage long pieces.
How to Submit
Potential writers should submit one story or essay per submission period or three to five poems (if submitting poetry) via their Submittable page by July 15, 2020.
The editors say, "Works submitted to storySouth don't have to be set within the south. A writer who was raised in the south but now lives elsewhere has as valid a view of the south as someone who just moved to Alabama. Please note, though, that storySouth has no interest in writings that merely muck around in old stereotypes and cliches of the south. Bring something new to your writings about the south and we will be interested."
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No other market is as open to the freelance writer as the magazine market. From trade and association publications, to special interest magazines, to regional and national consumer publications, editors are looking for writers who can deliver well-researched, reader-targeted articles on deadline. To make it in this market, you want to learn how to identify a magazine's editorial needs and—most important—how to fill them.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
