BTW - I don't know if you saw this magazine's post on SS Notes (Ja wohl!) earlier: https://www.afterdinnerconversation.com/submissions

They publish short stories that raise and explore philosophical/ethical issues, which is a slightly strange brief, but also quite helpfully specific, and the editor has a couple of videos explaining just what they are after.

You can get a sample issue for free - I've read a couple of stories and they're quite interesting.

I have a philosophy of language idea I think might work as a story - I was thinking you might want to give them a go with an ethical quandary piece. The bullying kid locked in the trunk in the cellar story could maybe be adapted, say?

The sample contract they have on the website suggests $75 is what they pay, for 2500-4000 words stories. But it's not made clear that is the actual price, or how it may vary.

Not as good as an old school Medium boost of 1,000 words, but it's publication in a proper literary mag.

I'm gonna give 'em a go, because I'm getting a bit bored of posting short stories here and on SS and getting 15 reads and 5 comments.

It would be cool to think of a story being pored over by high school and college students in their philosophy 101 classes. Maybe?