Today’s post is by author Amy L. Bernstein.
Over the last several years, I’ve spent oodles of time submitting short stories, essays, poetry, and novels to literary magazines, contests, and publishers. We’re talking scores of hours devoted to searching, formatting, and submitting my stuff directly to the publishing gods (I’m excluding agents).
This is where I tell you that all that effort paid off, and I have a ton of author bylines to show for it.
But no. The truth is, roughly 99% of my submissions are rejected.
Does that mean I’m a terrible writer? Not necessarily. My odds just about track industry averages. Indeed, the 1% acceptance rule is fairly consistent, whether you’re submitting short fiction or a novel. and memoir is arguably the toughest sell of all.
There’s a disconnect here somewhere, isn’t there? If the odds are so stacked against the average author, why bother submitting anywhere, ever? Why not go out and buy a pack of lottery tickets instead?
Well, it’s simple, really. Unless you plan to self-publish everything you write, you have no choice but to give editors and/or guest judges a chance to evaluate your work on its merits.
If you don’t play, you can’t win.
and if you are allergic to competing, then maybe getting published isn’t for you.
What I do have to show for all the time I’ve spent submitting is a checklist to help authors manage the submission process in ways that mitigate “bright shiny object” syndrome, so you don’t submit to anything and everything that crosses your path. The outcome is never in your control—so you may as well do whatever you can to make the process work for you to the greatest extent possible.
I’m focusing here on short stories, novelettes (under 20,000 words), novellas (under 40,000 words), poetry, and (to a more limited extent) creative nonfiction, such as essays. For advice on submitting book manuscripts to traditional publishers, see this set of articles.
1. Devise a submission strategy that reflects your goals
Before submitting anything you’ve written (and polished!), think hard about what you hope to achieve on behalf of your writing career. That will help you narrow the submitting field as you seek out publications that will potentially showcase your work in ways that matter to you most. Simply getting published is not always an end in itself; where you publish, the formatting and distribution, the gatekeeping—these all matter in shaping your credentials as an author over time.
The company you keep
What literary company do you wish to keep? The New Yorker only accepts 0.14% of unsolicited submissions, while other publications accept half or more of submitted work. Are you aiming for an elite literary outlet from the get-go (and willing to wait for it) or are you willing to climb the literary latter, beginning with less prestigious outlets in order to build publishing credentials from there? Do you want to “play” in an international literary community, or is the U.S. just fine?
These aren’t trick questions and there is no single right way to do this. But your submission strategy will feel less random, and possibly even less fraught, if you can rationalize your reasons for submitting as an ongoing part of the process.
For instance, if short stories are your chosen métier, and you wish to become known for that—with an eye toward getting a book published—you’ll want to identify the best outlets for short stories, and continue submitting your very best work to better and better outlets. That puts a big fence around your submission universe. and as your track record improves (you move from lesser known to better known outlets, presumably as your writing improves), editors may pay closer attention to your submission, giving you a tiny edge. (This is by no means guaranteed, but your publishing history counts for something.)
By the way: If you’re wondering how to distinguish the elite (most selective) publications from the rest, there is no single source, but many reliable lists point the way, such as this and this.
Formatting and distribution
Some publications are digital-only, while others produce both online and print versions that you (and others) can order through the publisher’s website. Some are distributed by major book distributors like Baker & Taylor, which means libraries and bookstores may stock them. Some literary journals take tremendous care to surround print work with original art, while others do little more than post text and slap on a table of contents. think about how you want your work to show up—and where—before you submit.
The recognition factor
Some literary publications annually submit their best pieces (as determined by the editors) for prizes such as the Pushcart Prize and the O. Henry Prize. If being eligible to compete for this type of recognition is important to you, then check to see whether the publication you’re submitting to does this on half of their contributors. Many do not.
2. Study the fit
The most common mistake submitting writers make—and a huge source of rejection—is the lack of fit between your literary offering and the publication. Note that a huge distinguishing factor among literary publications is the voice they prefer, and whether that voice is genre-dependent or even values-dependent. Be sure you understand this before you submit. For instance, make sure you’re intentional when submitting to a queer literary publication, or a left-leaning culture magazine like Drift, or any other outlet with a specific set of interests. Read several published pieces online before submitting, to make sure your voice is a likely fit.
Likewise, tailor your genre-heavy work to outlets steeped in that genre, ranging from, say, Nightmare Magazine (horror) to Clarkesworld for short science fiction. As obvious as this sounds, writers too often overlook a publication’s milieu—and end up submitting work that isn’t remotely a fit.
3. Follow the publisher’s directions—exactly
Another major reason for rejection can be traced to a failure to follow directions. Read the directions two or three times before submitting. I often copy the submittal guidance onto a Word file, so I can consult it while gathering pieces (such as a hyper-short bio) or reformatting my document (e.g., separate title page, double-spaced, name in the upper-right corner). If they explicitly state that they don’t want stories over 5,000 words, do not submit your 7,500-word piece and hope for the best.
Frankly, prepping a submission can be a time-consuming pain in the neck. But if you wish to be taken seriously—and evaluated on the strength of your writing—then do exactly as requested. and keep in mind you have a choice here: If the directions are particularly onerous, ask yourself if this is a strategically important outlet for you—and therefore worth your time.
Poetry can be especially tricky. The lines are often single-spaced (not double) and the line and stanza breaks need to be crystal clear. If a poetry outlet accepts a PDF, that will ensure your line structure is preserved.
4. Track open-submission windows
In a perfect world, every literary magazine would accept work at identical intervals and respond to authors within the same, reasonable timeframe (less than a year!). But that’s not our world. As part of your submission strategy, use your calendar or task list to note when the submission window opens and closes for a publication you are targeting. Some submission periods run the length of a season, some are open for only a few days.
To find who’s open when, search sites such as Submittable, Chill Subs, the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), Authors Publish, and the fee-based Duotrope.
5. Build a relationship with publications accepting your work
Rather than celebrating a one-and-done when your story or poem is accepted, consider ways to deepen your relationship with that publisher. A number of literary journals also function as presses that accept book-length manuscripts. (A case in point is Able Muse.) and many run paying contests in addition to their general open-submission periods. Begin a conversation with the editor who accepted your work. Express your gratitude and explore what else they may be open to from you. Strike while the iron is hot! (Here’s some inspiration along those lines.)
6. Keep rejection in perspective
Submission and rejection are opposite sides of the same coin. You can’t have one without the other. But you can possibly affect your odds, even just a little, by crafting a clear strategy for where you submit, and why. If an outlet that rejects you is important to you, resubmit in a few months (I’ve done that, and it worked!).
Never forget that this is a terrifically subjective business. An editor who rejects your work has many reasons to do so—and not all of them reflect on the quality of your writing. Many publications received hundreds, if not thousands, of submissions and their publishing quotas for a given issue fill up fast.
In some cases, the editors are looking for a range of subject-matter, and perhaps you’ve submitted something that’s too similar to a piece they’ve already accepted.
If you continue striking out after months of effort, it may be time to revisit your submission strategy:
- Seek out publications that are less selective (this doesn’t mean bad!).
- Double down on assessing where your work fits best, in terms of voice and genre.
- Look for regional outlets that privilege work from your geographic area.
- and subject your work to an independent editor who can give you a professional opinion on whether you’re ready to publish.
The good news is that despite all the challenges facing the publishing industry today, literary magazines of all stripes are alive and well—hundreds of them, catering to virtually every taste and style.
With a thoughtful, realistic submission strategy, you will find the publications ready to share your work with the world and help you parlay your successes into a satisfying career.
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