How to Maximize Profit by Selling Short Story Reprints

Getting your short story accepted in a magazine is a thrill in itself. It is hard to do and takes a lot of dedication, research, and time. When you finally do get your story accepted, it is clear you have a winner. So, why not milk it for all it is worth? You can increase profits from a short story by selling reprints.

Selling Short Story Reprints - Rights

Before you try to sell your short story for the second or third time, be sure you have the right to do so. Most magazines or e-zines use up your first electronic or first North American rights, or first serial rights. They might also keep exclusive rights for a certain period of time: anywhere from a couple of months to a couple of years. They do this in order to be able to use your story in anthologies, reprinted magazines, or maintain on the ezine website for a longer period of time. Read the contract.

Once you are sure that you have the right to sell your story, begin researching markets that allow reprints. These markets will clearly indicate that they do accept reprints. Do not waste your time submitting to markets that do not do so.

Selling Short Story Reprints - Markets

A short story fiction market must state clearly that they accept reprints if you want to sell a reprint to them. The big, professional markets usually do not. Check out e-zines, smaller magazines, and anthologies to submit your short story reprint to. When submitting, be sure to indicate that your story is a reprint, and where it was published before.

Selling Short Story Reprints - Limits

If there is an infinite number of short story markets that want your short story, selling reprints has no limits. However, that is pure fantasy. How do you know when to retire your fiction short story and stop trying to sell reprints?

When you have profited from a fiction short story three or four times and the markets are no longer lucrative, it is time to stop submitting. Your skills and energies would be better spent concentrating on newer projects, new short stories to start the process with again.