I'm having a hard time figuring out...

a) where they would go.
Each one of course is different. One definatly has no magic or sci-fi in it, the others are skirting 'mystical'. Do I need to work on them until they have a definate home? If not, how do I find a label for them? The one thing they all have in common is they are flash fiction. Three are under 1k, one is under 1.5k.

b) where to find a good list. The Writers Market book is not cheap and is often only available as a prior year around here and I'm not sure I can trust 2-3 year old 'zine lists. I would need to make sure my list is organized by genre so that I submit the correct story to the correct 'zine. I can't find the links I had and google shows too many pages of sites.

c) what I need to know before submitting. I've spent time learning some of what I need to know about the law, rules, market and manners of the novel publishing. I would assume 'zines have different rules. I am quite cabable of translating legalesse and wouldn't mind learning some of the good and bad phrases as relates to 'zines for my own info.

www.ralan.com is a fairly comprehensive list of markets. There are others, but ralan will have enough to keep you busy for years.

You will probably find dozens of possible markets. They will vary wildly in pay range and respectability and merit; they will also vary wildly in what they're looking for, and their style.

Some people recommend starting with the top markets and only "settling" for "lesser" markets after you've exhausted them. Other people (me) think the top markets are a big waste of time unless you've got something truly exceptional and even then you've got one chance in a million, and that the mid-level markets are more accessible, often have more interesting stories, and could be a better fit in every way except the check. But it's up to you; decide what you want from publication and approach the publications that are most likely to give you that. If what you want is fame and glory and a big paycheck, then it makes sense to focus on F&SF and Asimov's and SciFi.com and the other top markets. If you're not so driven by that, there are a wealth of other interesting possibilities.

Now go and read the guidelines for each possibility. They will tell you more about what they're looking for. One might say only dark SF but your monkey story is heartwarming and uplifting; off the list. One might say only Christian SF and your monkey story isn't. Off the list. One might say they like all SF but hate monkey stories. Off the list. And so it goes until you have a pared-down list.

Now start reading the publications on your short list. If they're print only, this is more difficult, and you should buy and read a sample copy. If they're free and online it's easier and just takes time. But if you read the publication it will give you a better idea of whether your story is the kind of thing they're looking for or not - and it will also give you an idea of whether it's the kind of place you want your story to appear. (I'm thinking of one online market that uses what I think is a really atrocious design - it's very hard to read. I don't really want my stuff to appear there.)

Once you have identified your most likely markets - say, 5-10 of them - read the guidelines again and find out how they want work submitted to them. E-mail subs in a particular format only? Ok! Snail-mail subs in a particular format only? Ok! Hand-delivered by monkeys? Ok! Whatever they say they want, do it, or they will assume that you're an amateur who has not bothered to read their guidelines.

When the first market rejects it (they will. I bet you a quarter.) send it on to the next, and so on, until you've exhausted your market list. Then it's time to rethink - does the story need more work? Or is it your marketing approach that needs work?

It's more work than writing the story in the first place, especially at first. But after a few months, you'll start to become familiar with the markets and the decisions about what stories might have a chance at which places will become easier.

For genre stories I use ralan.com and storypilot.com

"non-exclusive electronic" means they're going to put it up on their web site, but that doing so does not exclude you from publishing it simultaneously in other electronic places.

"non-exclusive anthology" means they can republish it in their anthology if they want to, but they're not stopping you from publishing the story in other anthologies.

I seem to have another question now. My man says I should wait to submit anything because I only have 4 short stories. (If anyone thinks this subject should be a seperate thread, feel free to say so or make the thread)
Our compromise in this debate is to ask a forum (aka, here) when did you start sending things out? How long did you wait from when you started making complete stories and how many bodies of work did you have completed? Is it better to write and wait until you have a set style? Or is it better to send out a story once you have one?
He says I'm jumping the gun. I think I am ready to start collecting rejections. He thinks I should wait till I have something I feel is a masterpiece story and have additional work ready (he used the example of a painter trying to get gallery time but having only 4 paintings). My arguement is that if I wait until I have a work I am emotionally attached to it would be harder to deal with the rejection (and that a zine only wants 1 work a month or quarter, not an anthology worth of stories).

Editors care about the story that's sitting in front of them. They don't really care much about your body of work (unless you're already a well-established writer, in which case they care because your name can help sell copies - but that's not going to apply for you, now).

If you were trying to sell a short story collection, then yes, your man would be right. But if you're just trying to sell a single story - it'll be sold on its merits, not on the merits of the rest of your work.

http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/dec97/cew3.htm

http://www.writing-world.com/rights/copyright.shtml

Case in point: My first pro sale was earlier this year to Orson Scott Card for his new magazine. My 'library' of available stories was incredibly short. He bought the only completed story I had (besides a very few half-baked attempts that had flopped).

I've discovered that I'm not very prolific. Since then I have only submitted one other story, and I have yet to hear back on it. I have three more (good) stories in process (though I've written a bunch at Liberty Hall, most of them aren't going to be pursued), with hopefully more to follow later, but if I had waited until I felt 'ready' then I can guarantee you I wouldn't be waiting for my story (a cover story, no less) to appear online in the next couple months.

Oh, and since selling that story, I've already found things wrong with it that I would change if I could. So the longer you sit on a story, the more likely you are to become dissatisfied with it and find reasons not to submit it at all.

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I use writersmarket.com for my non-genre stories. It's $2.95 per month, or $24 per year and is updated constantly

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If you buy the deluxe print version, you get one year of the online access for free.

While reading this, I pulled my file card on the first story I submitted anywhere. SF, of course. I sent it to four magazines, all of which I read, one after the other, till all four had rejected it. (A wise decision on their part, I now realize.)

At some point, though, before I submitted, I obtained a copy of "The Writer," with a list of what magazines were looking at SF or fantasy stories. In those days, it wasn't a long list. (There was no Internet to look at or check for markets back then.)

If you are looking for literary flash markets (typically stories under 1000 words), you could try "The Pedestal Magazine" http://www.thepedestalmagazine.com/ or "flashquake" http://www.flashquake.org/ . If you think any of these stories might be suitable for a younger audience, you might consider Carus Publishing http://www.cricketmag.com/kids_home.asp (look under the "Contact Us" link at the top to find their submission guidleines).

mikemunsil posted a pretty exhaustive list over in "Markets for Our Writing" including several flash markets (some genre specific, some literary).

I looked over at Liberty Hall and noticed you are a member there. You might consider joining the Sub Club. The sub club can help with editting, but it is a great resource for finding markets. Post a story in your private forum and ask for market recommendations. I always wind up with several good leads.

And if you haven't joined Notebored, consider doing so. Deanna has several threads there with information on various markets: paying, non-paying, on-line, print, etc.

As for when to get started subbing...

I started with one short story to a low-paying, on-line market. It was accepted. Since then I've collected several rejections for a few other stories, but I've only had a maximum of four out at any one time. Currently I have five stories that are ready for sub. Three are subbed to on-line markets, one is a re-print and I'm still looking for other potential markets, and the last I'm holding on to for a specific market which opens for subs on October 1.

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So the longer you sit on a story, the more likely you are to become dissatisfied with it and find reasons not to submit it at all.

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Other people (me) think the top markets are a big waste of time unless you've got something truly exceptional and even then you've got one chance in a million, and that the mid-level markets are more accessible, often have more interesting stories, and could be a better fit in every way except the check.

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Right now I'm making a pre-list while I take a break from the story. Then I'll run it over again, and after that narrow down my possiblities via back issue reading.
Then I'll submit.
Right.

Thank all of you so much!
My man has bowed to the knowledge of other writers and will support me subbing now.
ralan.com and storypilot.com are wonderful and have kept me quite busy.
I spent over an hour today looking at The Pedestal as it seems like a good place for that one story.
I'm joining the Sub Club (tomorrow really, too tired tonight) but I didn't find the "markets for Our Writing". Where is it hidden?

Must rest brain now as it has passed from sponge to putty.

Thank you!

[Edited to add more 'Thank you's']

I admit my own magazine reading has shifted to nonfiction of late. I still subscribe to several SF magazines, but rarely read every word inside the covers as I once used to do. (But I still send stories to them from time to time anyway.)

[I just had to revise this one. I had to clarify which magazines I wasn't reading.]

JmariC, I think it's great that you're joining the Sub Club. It really makes things easier when you don't have time to read everything printed, or uploaded, under the sun.

Spicy Green Iguana: a detailed database of both print and online SpecFic markets
http://www.spicygreeniguana.com/

If you're looking for a significant challenge, try the Drabble at Sam's Dot Between Kisses (the 5th Drabble Contest details are halfway down the web page). Composing a complete story in exactly one hundred words is a significant exercise towards tightening one's prose.

http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/betweenkisses/main.htm

A slightly more prestigious market specializing in works one hundred words or less is Flashshot

http://flashshot.tripod.com/

Good luck!