Unknown waters

I've finished my first actual manuscript.  It's a short story, though it gotten a bit longer after a solid revision.  After a few more read throughs and pain-staking edits, it'll be as good as I can get it.  I'm getting ready to tread into unknown waters.  I've never attempted to get anything published before.

Normally, I post my stories online, here or on a forum and end up getting some great feedback.  It's hard to emulate how people read a piece without actually having people.  Unfortunately, as soon as something is posted on the internet, it's considered "published."  So....you won't find the story here unless no one else wants it (like my parents didn't want my brother Melvin).  Just kidding.  Melvin is my half-brother.

As for the unknown waters bit, I'm not even sure where to start looking for publishers.  I've found a list of potential literary magazines and I'm yet to figure out what order I will submit to them.  The Colored Lens, Shadowgate, and Aurora Wolf sound like good starting points.  I'm (initially) skipping ebook and online publishers because I would prefer to have some tangible proof of my accomplishment.  I suppose that's vain, but writing always is.

I'll try the zines that offer some pay and have a legitimate base and then work towards my other options.  Maybe, I'll get some feedback and end up revising the piece.  Frankly, I'm not sure what's going to happen.

I can always go back to Spanish pole dancing,
but I'd prefer to leave the days of El Thrusto in the past.