Reading 5X5 x3: Changes

How SFF stories move from ‘maybe’ to published

What's needed to take a story from interesting to publishable? What changes during the editorial process?

Reading 5X5 x3 presents 15 case studies of stories published in Metaphorosis magazine. For each story, the anthology includes:

• Final version — the published version of the story
• Revision notes — the editor's initial feedback on the submitted version; the author's intent for the piece; and notes from both author and editor about the editorial process: what surprised, pleased, or disappointed them about the process and the result.
• Original version — the version of the story originally submitted.

There's also an extensive list of common writing flaws, suggestions on how to address them, and examples of stories from the anthology that faced those issues.

Reading 5X5 x3 offers not only a selection of great science fiction and fantasy stories, but a terrific learning tool for writers.

If you've ever wondered what it takes to get a story published, here's the answer for 15 stories from Metaphorosis.