Newbie with a couple questions

[RedbeardzReveng]

Hello everybody, I am a 19 year old extremely introverted aspiring novelist and screenplay writer from Seattle, you can call me Red. I just signed up for this site, and i am blown away with all of the positive people and ideas being floated around on the numerous blogs i have perused. This seems like a wonderful place for like-minded people and those with differences in views and opinions to interact and expand their understanding of the world in the unique way that literature affords. The question i had was if anyone knew of a place to submit short stories either for contests or for publishing? The story i have been sitting on for about a year is sort of... genre-less, for lack of a better term, it is a ballad inside of a short story, and i have never felt entirely comfortable submitting it as either poetry or a short story. Anyone have any tips on how to proceed? I would love to get my name and work out there in the world, i just don't exactly know how to get my foot in the door.
I look forward to learning and growing with you all :cheers2:

[NikolaiI]

Hi Red, welcome to the site!

You joined the same age as I did. . only 7 years but it seems like so much longer, but when I think that it's more than 25% of my lifetime, I guess that makes sense ;p
My initial thought about your question is that either one would seem completely fine, by what you describe... I've never read much of it, but prose-poetry is something of a genre, so it would seem good to post it there - but then short story would be equally a good place, it seems to me :) I've never posted any short stories here, but I imagine it's as straightforward as posting poetry. . .

From what you describe, it sounds very interesting, and I hope we get to read it. It's good to have you here and thanks for such a positive message! Hope you enjoy it here, and look forward to reading some of your stuff.