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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

#CRPLyrebirds happy almost Friday! We're winding down today and tomorrow, and I want to thank all of you for being a part of this. I learned a lot this year from your engagement, and I hope to apply those lessons next time. Anyway, as promised, here's a list of places to pitch short stories.

Several databases make finding the right market significantly easier:
The Submission Grinder – my favorite – free, comprehensive, community-maintained. Searchable by genre, word count, pay rate, and response time. Tracks your submissions and shows real response data from other writers. The best starting point for most writers.
Duotrope – similar but subscription-base. It’s more polished, and slightly more curated. Maybe worth it once you're submitting regularly, but I personally don’t use it.
The SFWA Market List – curated list of professional-paying markets only (currently 6¢/word minimum). Trustworthy and genre-specific, but limited by design – doesn't include semi-pro markets where many writers start.
The market's own website – always check submission guidelines directly before submitting. Whatever a database says, the market's current guidelines take precedence.
Published to Death (publishedtodeath.blogspot.com) — author Erica Verillo's blog cataloguing speculative fiction markets. Not a submission tool exactly, and not comprehensive or filterable — but worth a look for obscure publications and anthologies that the larger databases miss, and useful as a reality check on markets that have closed or gone dormant.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

I love it! And you really do keep the genre to the end. I mean, some say setting reveals genre, but a hospital setting I think reveals stakes more, and the moon setting at the end wraps it all up neatly.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

If all I saw was "A girl stole a life," I'd immediately wonder why. Or maybe how. Either way, if I were rewriting that, I'd try to answer one of those questions - like, instead of where (an academy) - I'd allude to what she stood to gain, followed by the risk or consequence of failure. (2/2)

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

It is indeed hard - I use it mostly as a thought exercise rather than a starting point for a logline, but it often turns into one anyway. Of these four, I like your second one - three of your five words imply massive stakes! But the first five of your original isn't bad either. (1/2)

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds, it's the penultimate day of #CampRevPit! Let's talk about pitches/loglines/one-sentence summaries. How many variations of yours have you written, and how do you go about testing them?

DAY 11 – HOOK BEFORE GENRE
A good one-sentence summary hooks a reader before telling them anything about the genre. Read the first five words of yours; do they create a question, establish tension, or introduce something surprising, or do they establish setting? Try coming up with several variations of just the first five words that establish human, emotional stakes before setting the scene.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

... while other places only want the title and completed story and word count, and it's all in an online form, so all the pitching material I have ready is pointless. So I just prepare it all before I start pitching so I'll be ready, just in case.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

It varies from one outlet to the next. I used to think it was the better-paying ones that wanted a pitch, but lately I've come to believe that it's just a matter of preference on the part of the editor. Like Escape Pod, for example, wants a pitch, but also a completely anonymized completed draft 1/2

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds I hope everyone saved to a folder somewhere all the cheat sheets I've been posting; if you find one of them useful later, I'll be a happy camp counselor. Now let's move on to the easy stuff: PITCHING!

Pitching short fiction is a LOT easier than querying a novel. Markets move fast – you can submit, hear back, and resubmit within weeks.
A short story cover letter contains four things: title, word count, genre, and a one or two sentence summary that conveys premise and stakes without over-explaining. Add a brief bio with any publication credits. That's it.
Before you submit, have ready: a clean final draft, accurate word count, properly formatted manuscript, and your bio. Check each market's submission guidelines – they vary, and they matter.
What to expect: response times range from days to months, simultaneous submissions are sometimes but not always permitted, and rejections are normal and almost never personal. A rejection with specific notes is rare and worth taking seriously.
A word on etiquette: don't reply to a standard rejection – it's expected and impersonal, and editors don't have time for acknowledgments. If you receive a rejection with specific feedback, a brief "thank you for your time" is acceptable but not required.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Indeed, in much the same way that micro- and macroeconomics are different areas of study. I mean, who's to say an editing bootcamp couldn't cover both?

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

This is good feedback! I know the main camp is doing a query bootcamp, but something more specific to writing that crucial one line... I'll pass that up the ladder.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

If that's not the best method, what would be? (I mean, the way you're doing it is SO much better than the shotgun approach...)

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

I'm sorry to hear that! Maybe we need to do some sort of editing bootcamp to help with that. It's a long and comprehensive topic that'll take more than a few prompts and some social interaction, but if you're stuck on how to pitch one story now, you might just wind up stuck on another one later...

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

The beginning – the unforgiving environment is what strands him in the first place. The middle – every solution he tries creates another problem. The end – he gets to go home, but he leaves behind the innocence and trust he had when he started. 2/2

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Here’s how Andy Weir’s “The Martian” would map onto the compressed arc as a short story with the unforgiving environment of Mars and the logistics of an interplanetary rescue mission as the speculative element: (1/2)

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds The last short structure I want to share with you is called The Compressed Arc. It’s especially suited to writers coming from novel-length work who need a framework that feels familiar but is scaled down. I'll include an example in the comments below.

The Compressed Arc maps a complete three-act structure onto a single scene or day. The structure is simple. Your MC wants something and is blocked. They try, fail, adapt, and are changed by the attempt. Something resolves – but they're different than when they started.
The speculative element has to be load-bearing throughout all three beats:
Beginning – the speculative element is why your MC can't simply have what they want. The obstacle should feel inevitable, not imported.
Middle – every failed attempt is a direct consequence of the element's internal logic, not bad luck.
End – the resolution isn't clean. They get what they wanted but something else was lost in the process. The element should make a bittersweet ending feel earned.
Before you outline, run your speculative element through the Load-Bearing Test. If it doesn't pass all four questions, it's still decoration.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

I think that's the best way to give advice, too. Instead of a negative ("don't be afraid to fail"), show them the positivity of it being a learning experience.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

It's a cool idea! But yeah, I need to tighten up the premise of this new story I'm outlining as well.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds, quick check-in question: is there anyone here who signed up for a feedback partner but has not yet swapped with a partner?

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds it's day 8 of #camprevpit! I develop a lot of stories from prompts, but before I take them from the idea to the outline stage, I need to be sure my idea is unique enough to engage readers. To that end, I need to know that the speculative element is load-bearing, not just decorative.

DAY 8 – THE LOAD-BEARING-TEST
Before moving from idea to outline, make sure your speculative element is load-bearing — meaning the story becomes impossible without it, not just different.
Run it through four questions:
1. What human experience does it unlock that nothing else could? Push past plot mechanics to emotional consequence. FTL travel is interesting not because it moves people between stars but because it means someone can age a year while everyone they love ages a decade.
2. What does it cost? If it solves problems without creating new ones, it isn't doing narrative work. The cost is where conflict lives.
3. Who is most vulnerable to it? Someone's specific circumstances make them uniquely exposed. That person should probably be your MC.
4. What does it make impossible? Most writers stop at what the premise enables. But a world with seamless surveillance isn't just a world where criminals can't hide — it's also a world where teenagers have nowhere to sneak off for a snog.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Pictures and everything! You've really done your homework!

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Ah, I love those older ones, though. Also Blake Crouch. Yume Kitasei I haven't read yet, should add that to my list.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Awesome! Are these the comps in your query letter?

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds, welcome to day eight of #CampRevPit! For today's discussion prompt, let's forget about alphabetical order and look at similar voices and themes.

DAY 8 – LITERARY NEIGHBORS
If your story were shelved in a bookstore, what two or three books would be sitting right next to it? What does that neighborhood on the shelf tell you about your own work?

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Examples: The Martian by Andy Weir The container is Mars itself The clock is calories The conflict is between a man and a planet The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers The container is the ship The clock is the destination The conflict is incompatible species stuck together

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds What do “The Martian” and “The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet” have in common? They’re both Pressure Cooker stories, a structure which Hollywood loves, and which is actually super easy to outline. I’ll include a couple examples in the comments, along with my own attempt.

DAY 7 – THE PRESSURE COOKER
Two or three characters, one location, a ticking clock, and a problem that can only be solved by people who don't entirely trust each other. Welcome to the Pressure Cooker, where the sci-fi element provides the stakes and the characters provide the tension. Hollywood love these sorts of stories because they’re budget friendly, and outlining one is a lot easier than some think:
Start with your container – a space that your premise makes impossible to leave.
Build contrasting characters with their own separate agenda, fear, and reason to distrust the others.
Now set the clock – a deadline that flows from the premise. Something is running out – time, food, crew members…
Escalate the conflict through failed attempts to escape or stop the clock to the point where someone has to make a sacrifice.
The container isn’t just a setting – it’s a test that changes everyone who goes through it.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Oh my goodness, I remember how, in the days of photoshop, I used to wonder whether something was fake. Now, in the days of generative AI, I find myself doubting whether anything I see online is even real to begin with...

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds, the #CampRevPit Query Bootcamp starts tomorrow! I just saw a sneak peak of what's being readied, and it is looking really good!

Caption: when writing a query letter feels impossible
Body: Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride saying, "Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up."

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

But those who lack the long perspective really do seem to conflate looks with morality without understanding why, and I don't think there's anything boring about exploring that in a story.

A two panel comic
In panel 1, a fit guy compliments Susan on her looks, she responds positively.
In panel 2, an unfit version of the same guy compliments her and she calls human resources.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

...and starting to date, he struggled. I remember a girl saying she wouldn't kiss him because she was afraid she'd sprain her neck. But he looked that way because two thousand years ago his ancestors thought big noses were handsome. I suppose it's evolutionary; we're wired to want beautiful babies.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Is it though? I had a friend growing up who despaired about being ugly, he had an absolute honker of a schnoz, a veritable beak beneath his eyes with nostrils like caverns containing entire ecosystems. Great guy, smart as a whip, but when everyone else was getting over their allergy to cooties...

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

I love it! And oh my goodness, what a GREAT gif to illustrate it!

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds, welcome to day seven of #CampRevPit! How's everyone doing? Any news, updates, or accomplishments you want to boast about?

DAY 6 – THEMATICALLY SPEAKING
What's a question your story is trying to answer — not a plot question, but a thematic one? What drew you to that question?

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

(But you do bring up a good point, which is that it's incredibly difficult to write an unreliable world story in just 5k words. It really is more of a novel prompt.)

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

I pared my example down quite a bit before posting it, but now I'm thinking I could have pulled a Chaos on Legs and had a draft of a full-length novel already!

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

I'm continuing with the characters I developed in the first couple days of #camprevpit, here's my attempt:

The lie the world tells is that vigilantes are crime fighters and not criminals.
Candy believed it at first, but doubts creep in when Duder boy (I really need to come up with a name for this character) murders a “criminal” before the criminal can make a statement.
Now she has to choose between going along with it, which is hard in part because Murder is Bad, and in part because she’s developing feelings for Duder boy, but mostly because she doesn’t want to wind up like the guy who just got murdered.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

#CRPLyrebirds Have you ever wanted to write a story like Fahrenheit 451 or The Handmaid’s tale? It’s called the Unreliable World plot, and if you’re familiar with the Unreliable Narrator, this is similar, except at a macro scale.

Imagine you're in a job interview when your interviewer sneezes – and for just an instant you see narrow pupils, a forked tongue, green scaly skin beneath the suit. Suddenly, that conspiracy theory about lizard people running the world isn’t as kooky as it is terrifying. What do you do?
Welcome to the Unreliable World – a story where the characters see their reality differently than the reader does. It works best in dystopian, psychological, or political sci-fi where dramatic irony does the heavy lifting. Here are four steps to build such a story:
1. Define the Lie – What official (yet untrue) version of reality does your story world accept?
2. Position Your Narrator – do they believe it, enforce it, or just go along with it?
3. Plant One Crack – One small anomaly the lie can't quite account for. Ideally, this is your opening scene.
4. Make Knowing Cost Something – Knowing the truth has to be risky enough to deter people from learning and/or spreading it.

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jaredchenwynn.bsky.social @jaredchenwynn.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

I love it! I always enjoy stories where people come back from the dead for revenge, but the personal twist makes this even more compelling!

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