In my role as first reader of an online speculative fiction magazine, I have truly been blown away by all of the things that I'm learning about regarding the story selection process. So many well-written stories get rejected because they do not adhere to these 5 simple, but not all-inclusive, standards below.
1) Make everything that happens in your story matter
Eliminate extraneous details, if you say it once, it's enough. And be concise with dialogue and descriptions, purple language doesn't get brownie points if it doesn't enhance the story/arc.
2) If it's critical to understanding the punchline, make it clear in the narrative
The worst thing is getting a really well-written story with a fuzzy/muddled plot. Make it clear what you're trying to say with your story, don't veil it in mystery.
3) Foreshadow twist endings
It really sucks to read an amazing story with great characters and action and then BAM! Something crazy happens at the end that comes completely out of nowhere. While this may seem like something clever to do, it's almost guaranteed to end in rejection. Foreshadowing is paramount to twist endings. Something in the twist needs to tie back to the rest of the story and tension build-up.
4) Avoid a setup that is too convenient or too disconnected
Too many well-written stories move the plot along in ways that feel too convenient to be believable or are too disconnected to make sense, and this eliminates the tension in the story. The solution really boils down to adequate foreshadowing. Anything can be written in a story, especially genres like speculative fiction or magical realism, but just make sure your critical plot points are adequately foreshadowed.
5) Make your character motivations clear early in the story
If I can't connect with your character, then I honestly don't care what they're about to go through in the next 5000 words. Make it clear to your reader what your character wants early in the story so we can view what happens to them from their point of view and understand why they do/think/say/respond the way they do.
I hope you've found these tips helpful in your writing and publishing journey! Thank you for being a member!
Happy Writing!
~MJ