My dream is to be a published novelist someday, but I know that I can't just jump into that right away. I have a novel in the works, but getting an unsolicited manuscript published is no small task. I need an agent. And to get a decent agent, I have to get something published.
The answer to this is, as far as I'm concerned, is to publish short stories in literary magazines. The only problem is: there are so many magazines out there. I don't know where to send my material, and I don't know how to narrow it down. The only advice I've ever received on this matter was "send your stories to a magazine that publishes similar material."
That's not the only thing that maters though. How do I know that a magazine is reputable in the writing community? How do I narrow it down further one I get to 4 or 5 magazines that publish similar stories to mine? And most magazines only specify that they publish, poetry, fiction, or nonfiction (or any combination thereof). To know what type of fiction stories a magazine publishes, I"d have to purchase a copy of the magazine, and its financially unfeasible for me to purchase one of every literary magazine. Or is there an easier way to figure this out that no one's ever told me?
Also, if anyone can suggest a specific literary magazine to me, that would be infinitely helpful. As for the kind of stories I write, they are suspense. Quite similar to the type of fiction that Stephen King writes. My work isn't exactly like his, but I he's the closest that I can think of.
Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks.