10 Best Ways To Get Paid To Write Stories

Are you looking for legit ways to get paid to write stories? We can help.

The good news is, there are many places you can submit stories and make money with your passion for writing.

But you might be thinking:

“How much do story writers make? “

Your potential income as an author totally depends on your writing skills, the quality of your work, and who you are writing for. 

But according to Zippia, story writers in the United States earn an average of $63,400 each year or approximately $30.48 per hour.

That being said, you might get a lower or higher rate depending on your writing style and other factors we mentioned above.

How to Become a Well-Paid Story Writer

The first thing to consider if you’re interested in becoming a successful and well-paid story writer is if you are genuinely passionate about writing. 

Writing stories requires a lot of focus, dedication, and inspiration; if you’re only doing this to make money and not because it is something you love doing, you might find it hard to write good stories that clients will publish.

Secondly, the amount you earn writing stories depends on the quality of your work. Is your story compelling? Is the idea original? Is the genre in high-demand?

Finally, your educational background can have an impact on your career as a story writer.

According to sources, around 72% of story writers have a bachelor’s degree and 13% have master’s degrees.

That being said, it’s also totally possible to become a successful story writer even if you dropped out of school like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mark Twain, and Jack Kerouac.

Speaking of ideas to make money without a degree, check this out, or consider becoming a freelance writer and apply for different writing jobs.

But if you’re set into following the path of Ernest Hemingway and Stephen King and get paid by writing short stories and short fiction, below are 10 best places to get started.

Best Places to Submit Stories and Make Money

Sites to Submit Stories	Income Potential
AGNI	$10 per printed page for fiction
Analog	8-10 cents per word for short fiction
Carve	$100 per story submission
Duotrope	Depends on clients
East of the Web	5 cents per word
Flash Fiction Online	8 cents per word (minimum) and 2 cents per word for reprints
One Story	$500 per story submission
Ploughshares	Minimum of $90 and maximum of $450
Poets & Writers	Depends on clients
The Sun	$300 to $2,000 for fiction

1. AGNI

AGNI  is a literary magazine that was founded in 1972.

They accept submissions of different story idea from writers of all identities from anywhere in the world, both published and unpublished.

However, AGNI will only consider stories written in English or translated into English.

Besides stories and fiction, AGNI is also looking to publish other written works in different genres such as personal essays, think-pieces, memoir, prose poems, formal poems, blank verse, free verse, and short shorts.

All submissions in both print and online publication will also be considered as long as you send them between September 1st  to May 31st.

How much can you earn?

AGNI will buy first worldwide serial rights and pay $10 per printed page for fiction.

How to get started?

Visit the AGNI website and check out their submission guidelines to get started.

2. Analog

If you love all things Science and have a passion for writing science fiction stories, then Analog is for you.

Analog is one of the most popular online platforms and a Science fiction magazine that publishes science fiction work with an accurate scientific base.

They also publishes Science-related fact and research articles.

Analog will consider stories submitted by any writer and are eager to find and develop new, capable writers.

How much can you earn?

Analog will pay the following rates for different works:

• 8-10 cents per word for short fiction (up to approximately 20,000 words)
• 6 cents per word for serials (40,000-80,000 words)
• 9 cents per word for fact articles
• $1 per line for poetry

How to get started?

Visit the Analog website and go to the Writer’s Guideline section to learn more on how to submit your story.

3. Carve

Carve is a magazine subscription company that accepts submissions of new honest fiction, poetry, essays, interviews, illustrations, and other literary works.

One thing we like about Carve is that they accept submissions year-round!

Moreover, Carve accepts submissions from authors living anywhere in the world.

However, your story must be in English.

If you are a non-English author, Carve accept translations of your original work as long as you provide translation permissions of your work in writing.

The word count limit for the story you can submit to Carve is 10,000.

How much can you earn?

Carve will pay fiction contributors $100 and offer feedback on 5-10% of declined submissions.

How to get started?

Visit Carve website, click the “Submit” tab and select “Fiction”.

4. Duotrope

Duotrope is an established and award-winning publisher listing service.

They will not publish your work themselves but rather, they will help you and other story writers find potential publishers and agents.

How? Duotrope regularly updates and compiles writing contests, agent listings, and journals that accept submissions.

During publication of this article, Duotrope has over 7,600 active publishers and agents on their list, and they accept a wide range of literary works from general literary fiction to near-future science fiction.

How to get started?

Visit the Duotrope website to learn more how to submit stories and get paid.

5. East of the Web

East of the Web is a website that publishes imaginative, idea-filled science fiction, and fantasy short stories.

They also have a mobile app ‘Short Stories eReader’ which has been installed on over 100,000 mobile devices.

As an open submission site, East of the Web is always on the look-out for fresh authors and continues to accept short stories regardless of the author’s experience.

East of the Web also accepts previously published work.

When it comes to genre, East of the Web publishes a huge array of short stories, including romance, original short fiction, crime, sci-fi, fantasy, and children’s stories.

The stories you submit on East of the Web should be at least 7,000 words.

How much can you earn?

East of the Web pays at a rate of 5 cents per word or a mix of an advance and a royalty.

How to get started?

Visit the East of the Web website and go to the Writer’s Question section to learn more about how to submit stories and get paid with this platform.

6. Flash Fiction Online

Flash Fiction Online is a digital publication site that accepts even the shortest of short stories.

How short of a story is acceptable?

Flash Fiction Online will accept and publish 500- to 1000-word stories as long is it is complete, have crisp prose, well-developed characters, compelling plots, and satisfying resolutions.

They also publish short stories across many genres, including fantasy, slipstream, horror, and literary fiction.

And guess what? They welcome submissions from writers of all backgrounds, regardless of age, race or nationality, sex or gender, religion, disability, neurodiversity, or other social identity. 

Flash Fiction Online’s submission portal for original stories will be open from the 1st to 21st of each month (unless they reach their submission cap of 425 stories).

How much can you earn?

Flash Fiction Online will pay $80 for original fiction (8 cents per word at minimum) and 2 cents per word for reprints.

How to get started?

Visit the Flash Fiction Online website to submit your short story.

7. One Story

One Story is a nonprofit literary magazine that began in 2001.

They provide an easy way for fiction writers of different ages and backgrounds to publish their work and reach a wide audience. 

One Story believes that all authors should be treated equally,hence, they accept short story submissions on any theme or subject that you want.

One Story also has a category for teenagers aged 13 to 19. 

So if you’re a teenager and looking for a way to make money without a degree yet,  you can get paid to write stories with One Story.

The submission period for One Story is between the 15th of January to 31st May, and the 3rd September to 14th November. 

Besides publishing stories, One Story also offers extensive editing on the page and ongoing mentoring and professional development of authors.

How much can you earn?

One story will pay you $500 for a single submission and provide you with 25 contributor copies. 

How to get started?

Visit the One Story website to get started.

8. Ploughshares

Ploughshares is one of the most respected literary magazines in the world.

And as a proud member of the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, Ploughshares strives to be the beacon for talented new writers hoping to make money in the industry.

Ploughshares publish four issues a year and they accept submissions from June 1, to January 15, at noon EST.  

For reference, Ploughshares welcome unsolicited submissions and consider primarily poems, short stories, and personal essays for the Spring, Summer, and Winter Issues of the journal. 

For the Fall Issue, Ploughshares will consider long-form fiction and nonfiction.

How much can you earn?

Ploughshares pays $45 per journal page; minimum payment is $90 and maximum payment is $450. 

How to get started?

Visit the Ploughshares website and navigate through the “Submit” section to get started.

9. Poets & Writers

Poets & Writers (P&W) was founded in 1970 and is one of the largest nonprofit literary organizations in the United States today.

They serve fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, and poets.

So how does it work?

Poets & Writers have a job board for writers looking for opportunities to publish their short stories.

You can browse the job listing and search for clients that might be interested in publishing your work.

They also have creative writing competitions, including poetry contests, short story competitions, and essay contests.

Besides short stories, Poets & Writers will also publish the following literary works:

• Brief articles (500-1,200 words) that keeps readers abreast of pertinent information in the writing and publishing industries.
• First-person essays (1,500-2,500 words) on the more contemplative aspects of writing, ranging from creative process to the art of reading.
• Advice and how-to articles (1,500-2,500 words) that offer nuts and bolts information about the business of creative writing.
• Profiles of and interviews with (2,000-3,000 words) contemporary writers who reflect the rich diversity of current American literature. 

How to get started?

Visit the Poets & Writers magazine website to get started.

10. The Sun

The Sun is a reader-supported and ad-free online magazine described as celebratory, fierce, unflinching, thoughtful, truthful, dark, darkly funny, and tender.

They publish fiction, personal essays, and poetry. Personal stories that touch on political and cultural issues are welcomed as well.

And while there’s no minimum length requirement for work submissions, The Sun rarely run anything longer than seven thousand words.

Both professional writers and new short story writers can submit their work. The Sun also encourages submissions from writers of color.

For genres, The Sun states on its website the following statement:

“Surprise us; we often don’t know what we’ll like until we read it.”

How much can you earn?

The Sun magazine currently pays the following rates for different submissions:

• Fiction – $300 to $2,000
• Personal Essays – $300 to $2,000
• Poetry – $100 to $250

How to get started?

You can check out The Sun website to learn more on how you can get paid to write stories on their platform.

The Bottom Line

There are different ways to make extra money by writing contemporary literary fiction, speculative fiction, graphic novels, personal story, and other types of short stories out there.

However, keep in mind that getting paid to write stories takes a lot of dedication and hard work, and it surely isn’t an easy way to make a full-time income.

However, if you truly love writing stories and you are serious in becoming a good writer, you might be on the right path to become the next Ernest Hemingway, Stephen King, or J. K. Rowling.

Start with the list of websites and short story publishers we’ve shared above and before you know it, you could be making a a lot of money like a professional writer.

Frequently Asked Questions