Overview of the literary magazine American Short Fiction:
A quarterly, American Short Fiction (ASF) strives to discover and publish new fiction in which transformations of language, narrative, and character occur swiftly, deftly, and unexpectedly. They are drawn to evocative language, unique subject matter, and an overall sense of immediacy. Representative authors include Charles Baxter, Susan Steinberg, and Ander Monson.
American Short Fiction history:
Founded in 1991 by editor Laura Furman, American Short Fiction was published until 1998 by the University of Texas Press in cooperation with the Texas Center for Writers and with The Sound of Writing broadcast on National Public Radio. It was acquired by Badgerdog Literary Publishing and resumed publication in March of 2006.
Awards won by American Short Fiction:
American Short Fiction is a two-time finalist for the National Magazine Award in Fiction; stories originally published in ASF have been included in major literary anthologies such as The O. Henry Prize Stories, Best American Short Stories, the Graywolf Annual, and the Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses.
Circulation and acceptance rate:
American Short Fiction has a circulation of about 2,000 and an acceptance rate of 1%.
Number one thing most likely to spark their interest in a submission:
Precise and vivid use of detail and overall skill in the language itself.
Number one thing most likely to put them off a submission:
Bad dialogue (stilted or too exposition-based).
Submission details:
American Short Fiction accepts submissions of any length all year round; simultaneous submissions are accepted on the condition that the author notify them immediately, by telephone or e-mail, if the manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere.
Write to Fiction Editor Stacey Swann at: American Short Fiction, P.O. Box 301209, Austin, TX 78703-0021. They pay $300 to $500 depending on the length of the manuscript. ASF also holds a short story contest, with a $1,000 prize, each fall.
For more information:
See their website: www.americanshortfiction.org, or email the editors: editors@americanshortfiction.org
Additional advice:
Fiction Editor Stacey Swann writes, "If at all possible, take a look at one of our recent issues. We pass on a lot of well-written work because it doesn’t fall under our aesthetic."
For the nuts and bolts of how to submit your work, from cover letter to SASE, see How to Publish Your Short Stories.
