I've tried. Not successfully. I've reread some of my old stuff and at least now I can realize how badly it was written, so I'm learning anyway.
My one professional sorth story sale was sort of science fiction, it an adventure story in a specific sf setting (owned by someone else). It was a small press -- they didn't qualify for 2nd class postage because of their low circulation. (That said, I did get to write something else for them, and there was that sale to Mad Magazine. 8P)
hee-hee...I can believe the Mad Magazine! :D