40 Ways You Can Get Paid To Write Short Stories In 2023 [$5- $3,000]

Most times, your salary needs a helpmeet. If you write amazing stories and get compliments for them, you might be keeping money on the table.

Wouldn’t you be surprised to learn that in 2023, you can make extra money by writing short stories?

You don’t need to publish a book before qualifying to earn from your favorite hobby.

All you need to do is be in the right place and make as much money as possible.

An array of opportunities is spread across the internet. So, focus more on how to find and grab those opportunities.

See the table of contents below to see how you can make money writing short stories.

Where Can I Get Paid To Write Short Stories?

You are probably mistaken if you think this is feasible offline. Although you might get lucky, the money won’t be as much as what you get from an online blog or magazine.

These online blogs pay you a huge sum to publish your short stories on their platform. This simply means you can earn money writing fiction online.

That way, you save and fulfill your dream of publishing your novel someday.

Also read: 11 Websites where you can write and get paid instantly

Where to Submit Short stories for money

You have a long list of platforms to choose from. These sites pay you for writing either a short essay, prose, or poetry. In fact, you can get paid to write short stories online.

Also, it costs you nothing to sign up. In no particular order, here are some of the places where you can submit your short stories and get some reward for them., You can earn money writing fiction online from these websites if you are a good writer.

• Analog
• Lightspeed
• Apex
• Clarkesworld
• Strange horizons
• Virginia Quarterly
• Threepenny Review
• Ploughshares
• Carve
• Glimmertrain

How To Get Paid Writing Short Stories

Remember, you don’t have to be a professional writer before you can start making money from home.

So, it is high time you put your flair for writing into good use.

Like the saying, ‘little droplets of water make a mighty ocean’, your fantasy about being a great writer and author starts from your little efforts in compiling intriguing stories.

As a freelance writer, this activity does not in any way come between you and your other engagements.

So, visit the sites below and create a perfect side hustle for yourself.

#1 One Story

This platform specifically accepts fiction for stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. It pays you about $500 for each submission you make.

Imagine how much more you can earn if you make frequent submissions. It is one place you can earn money writing fiction online.

#2 Fireside Magazine

This is a company for short stories. Here, the goal is to publish mind-blowing stories irrespective of genre.

You can earn about 12.5 cents for each word in your story while you make $400 for a full-color piece.

#3 Reader’s Digest

Have you been looking for a way to tell the world your story? Here’s an opportunity for you. To add some icing to the cake, you even make money for doing so,

All you need to do is to send Reader’s Digest a true story about you in about 100 words or even less. If $100 sounds like a good start for you, you can get paid for writing stories here.

You can also check out: 13 Easy Hacks On How to Make Money from Poetry

#4 Take a Break

If you do not want to write consistently for this platform, you can do a one-time sale of your story to Take A Break magazine and earn up to £2,000.

They provide you with an online story form for you to use as a guide for your own story. You can earn money by writing fiction online. Click the link below to get started.

#5 The Overtake

Here, you can submit your story which borders on social trends, a close-up of a particular culture, and findings.

You will earn £50 per article.

#6 Boulevard

This award-winning journal has been in the business of publishing short stories, essays, and whatnots since 1985.

Therefore, utilize this opportunity to your advantage, especially as a new writer.

You can make submissions between October and May annually. They pay you about $100-$300 for prose and $25-$250 for poetry.

Also Read: Places you get Paid to Write Essays in 2023 | Make $50/Essay

#7 Carve

You only submit honest fiction here and get them published. While other platforms provide you with an outright rejection note, Carve makes provision for their editors to respond to your submissions using their editorial critiques.

It is only literary fiction that Carve publishes. It pays you $100 per short story. A great place that allows you to get paid for writing short stories.

I’m sure you don’t want to know how much that will be if you pay more attention to doing this.

#8 Glimmertrain

At Glimmertrain, there are several submission periods each year. All you need o do is to visit the website through the link below and check out what they currently want.

Depending on the category of the short story they want, you earn from $700 above.

#9 Ploughshares

This is one of the world’s most renowned literary journals. Submissions roll in at a particular time, usually from June through January every year.

Ploughshares has a preference for contemporary literary fiction and pays $25 for each page and a maximum payment of $250.

#10 Zizzle

At Zizzle, you are paid to write fictional stories that appeal to children from age 11 to adult age.

Specifically, you write between 500 and 1,200 words and earn up to $100 for each fictional piece.

#11 The Sun Magazine

Are you good at writing both fictional and non-fictional stories? You can avail yourself of the opportunity of writing short stories for Sun Magazine.

The following are your pay according to the genre:

Non-fiction: $300 – $2,000
Fiction: $300 – $2,000
Poetry: $100 – $250

#12 The Arcanist

Writing short stories for the Arcanist will earn you $10 for every 100 words you put together.

Invariably, the more words you put together, the higher you get paid.

#13 Strange Horizons

This company publishes unpredictable fiction. Their preference is stories under 5,000 words for which they pay up to $800.

If you intend to write short stories for them, you can click on this link to read through their submission guidelines.

#14 Shimmer

Writing short stories for shimmer involves having more female characters and plots.

There is also room for the submission of modern make-believe stories. It shouldn’t be more than 7,500 words.

#15 The Threepenny Review

One of the places you also get paid for writing short stories is the Threepenny Review.

Your earnings range from $200 to $400 for every submission you make.

#16 The Barefoot Writer

There are several types of articles you can write for the Barefoot Writer ranging from writing to teach readers how to improve their writing skills to write on how you got something extra out of life through your skill.

Words for the categories of stories you will submit should not exceed 900 words. Pay is $100 to $300.

#17 Apex Magazine

Apex publishes stories directly under their website. If you have the intention to write short fiction, fantasy, or even horror, you can easily check up their website.

However, they pay about 6 cents for a word in every story.

#18 One Teen Story

Here, stories that have a teen focus are most welcome. If you are a teen who wants to create money-making strategies for yourself with your writing skill, you are advised to check out what it takes to earn $500 per story written.

#19 The People’s Friend

How much you earn writing short stories for this company depends on how long you’ve been with them.

The start pay for a new writer is about £80, but it increases to £150 after you have successfully submitted 6 stories.

Then, for long reads, you earn £300 and £15 for poems. On the website, they have provided a guideline on what kind of short stories they are looking for.

#20 Asimov’s Science Fiction

This magazine publishes science fiction stories. While the stories are to be between 1,000 and 5,000 words, the poems should not be more than 40 lines.

#21 Reader’s Digest

Did you actually know you can make money from writing short stories about yourself in about 100 words or even less?

You will earn $100 for every short story you write about yourself.

#22 Central Coast Journal

Your short stories that are a little bit humorous about travels, entertainment, and health are what Central Coast Journal wants.

The stories should be between 600 – 1,400 words although you can be paid higher if the words exceed the 850-word count.

However, pay for articles under 850 words is about $75.

Also related: 25 Ways to get Paid to Write Reviews in 2023 | Quick Money

#23 Our Times

If you reside in Canada, you can seize this opportunity and make something out of your expertise.

Our Times specializes in three main subject areas. For instance, feature, poetry, and working to make ends meet.

So, the general pay for short stories is $100. Also, if your story gets a review, they pay you a token of $50.

#24 101 Holidays

Whatever it is you think you can write on, 101 Holidays is the best place for such writing. Also, they offer an internship program if you wish to start out remotely and on a part-time basis.

Depending on the length of each article you write, you earn between £50 to £100.

#25 The Green Parent

Articles on family life, alternative education, natural health and beauty, gardening, conscious bitths, etc are all topics you can write on and get paid in return.

A recommended full-length article is between 1,500 – 2,000 words while a short article should be around 600 words.

The pay is £75 for every 1,000 words.

#26 The Stay at Home Mum

If you are interested in writing about parenting issues, family relationships, meal plans, fitness and beauty, cooking and homemaking, or even disability.

You can check for the Stay at Home Mum and make a living for yourself. Pay is $50.

#27 Zimmerit

Posts that are connected to the Japanese fan culture of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s are eligible and up for reward.

You can actually write on any of the following: doujinshi, model kits, toys, etc and earn up to $40.

#28 Advocate

The City University of New York students get their news source from the Advocate. Therefore, you can write for this newspaper on educational, cultural, and even professional interests.

The pay varies according to the length of the article written. So, take a look at the analysis and see if you will take it up.

You earn between $100 – $120 for 1,500 – 2,000 words and about $150 – $200 for longer stories.

#29 Writer’s Weekly

You can write articles on home-based businesses and self-employment on writer’s weekly.

For feature articles, you earn $60 for about 600 words while a freelance success story of about 400 words pays you about $40.

#30 Freelance Mom

Can you offer practical advice and proffer solutions where necessary? Then, you should take write for Freelance Mom.

There are three types of articles that gain a lot of engagement on their site namely: guides on specific systems, personal articles, and researched articles.

Pay is between $75 to $100. Interestingly, you can win a bonus of $150 if your article becomes the most shared for the month.

#31 Listverse

Writing an interesting list of at least 10 items could earn you some cents you know? You can visit the website to get an idea of their great lists.

You can earn from $100 doing that.

#32 iWorkwell

iWorkwell is looking for expert HR professionals who would help them write or edit goal-oriented instructional articles.

Depending on the length, nature, and level of work needed, you earn between $20 – $195.

#33 Cracked

To get yourself to write the type of list-style feature articles that Cracked.com really likes, you have to sign up for their writer’s forum.

For your first four articles, you earn $150 and $250 for subsequent articles.

#34 Travelista

If you are adventurous and like traveling, you could join the team of freelance writers to write for Travelista. Pay is $40 per 1,000 words.

#35 How To Explore

If you are vast on any of these categories travel, mobile, desktop, antivirus, network, internet, etc, you can pick one and develop it.

You earn up to $60 for each article that is approved.

#36 Help Stay

Write for Help Stay and help produce content that will encourage an online community. Pay is $125 per article.

#37 Craft Your Content

If you feel your writing skill needs to be improved, you can join Craft your Content to become a great writer.

While with them, you can write about grammar, business, creativity, writing, and productivity. Also, you can earn between $75 to $150 per article.

#38 Self-Publishing School

Increase your passion for writing. All you need to do is to meet their criteria and you will receive topics to write on.

You will earn $150 for each blog post that meets the submission guidelines.

#39 Wanderlust

This travel magazine accepts different categories of submission ranging from destination features to pocket guides.

You earn £220 for every 1,000 words published.

#40 Land and Wave

You can write on for this outdoor-focused industry. You can write on experiences, vies, and advise people within the outdoor terrain.

Your articles should not be more than 1,500. Pay is between £50 – £100.

Final Thoughts

If you intend to develop your writing skill, this could be the perfect opportunity you’ve been waiting for. It is all so comfy working from home and making some money for yourself.