Write a story that is 750 to 2,000 words in length. Literary websites generally do not publish stories that are much shorter or longer than this, but each publication's guidelines vary. Focus on character development and plot. When you're finished, review your work and cut any extraneous words or phrases to keep your story concise and focused.
Show your story to friends, colleagues, family members, classmates and teachers for feedback. Revise and rewrite, keeping their criticism in mind.
Check calls for short story submissions on literary websites such as Poets & Writers, New Pages and Literary Gazette. Follow each online publication's guidelines carefully and submit your work by the deadline specified.
Look for calls for submissions on the individual websites of online literary journals and magazines, including Exquisite Corpse, Bloodroot Literary Magazine, The Main Street Journal, Medulla Review, Concisely Magazine and Wired Ruby. Read through the latest issues of each publication to get a feel for what it publishes. Submit your story to journals you feel are a good fit for your work.
Wait and be patient. It might take several weeks or months for you to hear back. Typically, publications state their reply times in their calls for submissions, but not always. If you don't hear back within six to eight weeks after you submit your story, send the publication's editor a short, polite e-mail and ask about its status.