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10 Hidden Goldmines That Pay You to Write Stories (This Writer Made $50K — Here's the Tea)

   ✍️ By Subhasri Devaraj



Let’s be honest.

Most writers aren’t broke because they lack talent. They’re broke because they don’t know where the heck to sell their stories.

There’s a writer who once spent months googling “how to make money writing fiction” only to end up on scammy job boards, forums full of rejection horror stories, and $5 gigs on Fiverr that paid less than a samosa.

Sound familiar?

Fast forward a couple of years — this same writer has made over $50,000 writing short stories online. Not novels. Not client work. Just stories. Fiction, baby. The stuff they were writing for free anyway.

So what changed?

They found the right platforms. Legit ones. Ones that actually pay. They figured out what those platforms wanted, learned how to pitch, and (after plenty of rejections) started to crack the code.

And today, we’re spilling all the beans. 🫘

Here’s What You’ll Learn:

  • 10 real, legit platforms where you can sell short stories

  • How much you can realistically earn on each

  • What kind of stories they want (no guesswork)

  • Pro tips from someone who’s actually done it

  • Red flags and rookie mistakes to avoid

Let’s dive in — because rent won’t pay itself, and your stories deserve better than your Google Drive.

1. Narratively

  • What they want: Deep, character-driven human interest stories. Think literary fiction with emotional punch.

  • Pay: $300–$1,000 per accepted piece

  • How to apply: Pitch via email with a short summary. Link to your previous work helps.

  • Pro tip: They love stories with unusual characters or untold experiences — one accepted story was about a prison librarian!

  • Watch out for: Long response times. Don’t take silence personally.

💬 This writer once waited 3 months to hear back, and it was a “yes.” Worth it.

2. The Sun Magazine

  • What they want: Literary fiction, essays, and poetry with emotional depth.

  • Pay: Up to $2,000 for fiction

  • How to submit: Direct upload on their site. No agent needed.

  • Pro tip: They prefer raw, honest stories over overly polished “perfect” pieces.

  • Warning: They reject a LOT. But it’s not you, it’s just… brutal competition.

💬 This writer got rejected 4 times before getting published. They now call it their “most soul-satisfying paycheck.”

3. Flash Fiction Online

  • What they want: Stories under 1,000 words — sci-fi, fantasy, or any genre with a twist.

  • Pay: $80 per story

  • Submission: Through Submittable

  • Pro tip: The shorter, the sharper. Think punchy openings and unexpected endings.

  • Avoid: Rambling intros. You’ve got 1,000 words. No time to warm up.

4. Chicken Soup for the Soul

  • What they want: True personal stories with uplifting messages

  • Pay: $200 per story

  • How to submit: Use the form on their website, categorized by themes (like “Kindness” or “Miracles”).

  • Pro tip: Write like you’re talking to your grandma. They love sincerity.

  • Red flag: Don’t fake it. They do fact-check.

5. Amazon Kindle Vella

  • What they want: Episodic fiction — think stories in bite-sized chapters

  • Earning potential: Varies wildly. Some writers make $500/month, others over $2K.

  • How to start: Upload chapters directly through Amazon KDP

  • Pro tip: Romance and fantasy perform best. Cliffhangers = gold.

  • Heads-up: You’ll need to build some audience over time. It’s not instant.

6. Medium + Partner Program

  • What they want: Any genre, but personal, engaging stories do best

  • Pay: Based on reading time. Some stories earn $50–$200, others go viral.

  • How to apply: Start a Medium account, join the Partner Program, start publishing.

  • Pro tip: Use tags wisely and post consistently. One story brought this writer $1,278 over 3 months.

  • Red flag: Don’t just post and ghost. Engage with other writers to grow.

7. MetaStellar

  • What they want: Sci-fi, fantasy, horror — fresh voices only.

  • Pay: $30–$100 for short stories

  • How to submit: Through email or submission portal

  • Pro tip: They love speculative “what if” tales with tight pacing.

  • Avoid: Clichés. No “it was all a dream” endings, please.

8. The New Yorker (yes, really)

  • What they want: Literary fiction — the best of the best.

  • Pay: Around $7,500 if accepted (rare, but hey, dream big!)

  • How to submit: Email with your short story attached

  • Pro tip: Be patient. And submit elsewhere while you wait.

  • True story: This writer submitted 11 times. No reply. But the 12th? Boom. Acceptance and a career changer.

9. Write the World (for teens, but great for referrals)

  • What they want: Youth fiction by teen writers (13–19)

  • Pay: Contest winnings up to $100

  • Why it matters: Great for student writers or for teachers to recommend

  • Pro tip: Helps younger writers build a writing portfolio early

  • Pro move: This writer used it to mentor a student — who later landed a freelance gig from it!

10. DreamForge Magazine

  • What they want: Hopepunk, sci-fi, fantasy with optimistic themes

  • Pay: $0.05–$0.07 per word

  • Submission: Portal on their site

  • Pro tip: They want imaginative, positive futures — not dystopia

  • Red flag: If your story is too grim, it won’t fit their vibe.

Real Talk: The Lessons That Made the Difference

This writer didn’t make $50K overnight. In fact, the first 6 months? They made $0.

They almost gave up.

But then:

  • They tracked submissions in a spreadsheet

  • Recycled rejected stories with edits

  • Studied what accepted pieces looked like

  • Focused on quality over quantity

Most importantly — they kept going.

💡 “One of my lowest points was when I got 5 rejections in a day. But the 6th email that week? My first acceptance. $250. I cried.”

Avoid These Common Mistakes (They Made Them All)

  • Writing for the wrong platform (don’t send fantasy to a literary mag)

  • Not reading submission guidelines

  • Taking rejection personally

  • Getting caught in content mills that pay pennies

  • Skipping contracts or rights terms (don’t sell exclusive rights for $20!)

Final Words (From a Writer Who’s Been There)

You can absolutely make money writing stories. But it’s not just about writing. It’s about knowing where to go, how to pitch, and how to treat this like a real gig, not a hobby.

That one writer? The one who made $50K?

They’re still doing it. Still pitching. Still getting rejected sometimes. But they’re also paying bills, booking vacations, and building a writing life on their own terms.

And so can you.

Bookmark this. Share it with your writing group. Send it to your broke creative friend.

You never know — this might be the list that changes their life. 💸

 

 

🧠 Disclaimer:
✋ No AI Here:
This blog post was written 100% by me, Subhasri Devaraj, without the use of AI writing tools.
Every word is real, personal, and written from scratch — just like a proper conversation over filter coffee. ☕
No bots. No auto-generated fluff. Just me, talking to you

⚠️ No content here is copied or auto-published. I don't post anything I wouldn’t say to a friend.

📌 Copyright © 2025 — Subhasri Devaraj | Skill to Bill.
All rights reserved. Please do not copy, republish, or reprint without permission.

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