I've noticed a greater pattern of lit journals failing to promote their issues and submitters upon publication, after promising to do so in lieu of payment. getting published without any monetary payment is already begging for thread, but lately, i've worked with some journals that have promised to sing my praises and promote my work widely after publication, and then just gone totally dark. i know these journals run on volunteer or student labor, and the labor of social media is no joke, but ... the way i see it, it is part of the offer, and it's confusing for everyone involved (why wouldn't the members of a staff want to sing their own praises after all their hard work on an issue?) sharing a post created by a lit mag (instead of just say, tweeting a link to your own work) lends validity and credibility to getting a publication, and gives it a chance (however slight) to have eyes on it other than just your own network and close friends. i'd love to see a discussion on this…!
Oh, this is a great question. Why do some lit mags do so little to promote their contributors?
We know the answer is likely time, that it takes time to promote work, time to build a following on social media platforms, time to find compelling ways to engage an audience and get their attention.
But the time spent on this is important. Particularly when, as z. says, editors state that the currency they pay in is “exposure.” If what a lit mag is offering is not cash payment but a wonderful opportunity to be read and seen, then don’t editors and staff have a responsibility to do their most to make that happen?
I, too, have been baffled by the silence from some editors after a publication appears. I agree with z. that we writers can and should promote our own work to the very best of our ability. But for many reasons, it helps when promotion also comes from the magazines themselves.
Now, this is far from the case with all lit mags. There are many wonderful journals who I see daily making an effort to celebrate their contributors’ work. They share teasers on social media and in their newsletters. They host events and further opportunities for their contributors—virtual readings, interviews, podcast invitations, invitations to contribute blog pieces to the magazine, guest editorships, and more.
What might be interesting would be for writers to have a way of knowing which magazines do the most promotion for writers. For many writers, monetary payment is besides the point when seeking lit mag publication. The chance to do a reading at AWP or be honored in a debutante ball might be a greater incentive to submit to particular journals.
Would writers benefit from knowing which journals do the most active promotion for their contributors? Is a lit mag’s efforts to help you connect with an audience important to you when submitting your work?
You tell me.
As a writer who’s had work published in lit mags, have you been disappointed at the lack of promotion done on behalf of contributors?
If you’ve had positive experiences with lit mags promoting your work after publication, care to share what those experiences were?
Editors, is promoting contributors important at your magazine? Could you tell us what kinds of promotional efforts you do?
Writers, would it make a difference in your submitting if you knew how much or how little the magazine would promote your work?
Might there be a way (perhaps a filter on Chill Subs!) for writers to learn ahead of time what sort of promotional efforts their work will receive?
My work was recently in Split Lip Magazine and their social media game was remarkable! (Twitter/X) Lots of shares from the journal AND the editors. And they regularly share additional pub news from past contributors. To me, this is the gold standard. Consequently, I find myself responding more to their posts about others, wanting to support a journal that truly supported me.
I love Split Lip; the gifs that they use to illustrate each story are particularly well suited to catch the eye of people scrolling on Twitter (can't quite bring myself to call it X).
Congrats, Leslie. They are really active on Xitter. Have to say, I had an excellent experience just corresponding with their head editor for nonfiction reviews / micros. He was so responsive. My (first-ever) review wasn't accepted, but he took the trouble to tell me it made it to the editorial team & several round of discussions, encouraging me to submit again. They do really seem on their game.
I think the simple answer to the question is burnout. Even small journals are flooded with submissions, and the pile keeps growing while each issue is being produced.
I've had a good run with lit mags (more than 50 pubs over 20 years, including places like Kenyon Review and Missouri Review). When I was a professor, the publication was value enough for things like tenure review and promotion. But now that I'm out of academe, I can't justify paying $3 a pop for submissions when publication is pro bono and when the pure volume of submissions has ballooned the acceptance:rejection ratio, even for seasoned writers like me. What was once something like 1:15 is now closer to 1:100. Which often means paying hundreds to be published for free.
It's a completely broken system. Institutions are slashing even the most storied arts and humanities programs. And the smaller journals just don't have the reach to offer anything better than Substack does. At least that's what I've concluded. The main reason to keep submitting to lit mags is to hope an agent will find you there or you'll get a prize nomination or selection in Best American.
I came to feel that publications in lit mags were like one-night stands. The writer and editor served a purpose for each other, and that was the end of it. I've never had an enduring relationship with an editor after publication. But now I think that a more charitable view is that these folks are completely snowed with work and just can't beat back the slush pile enough to catch a breath. They are burning the candle at both ends.
Interesting comment about being a one-night stand. I've send stories to reviews were I was published before and several times they sent me a nice note saying that rarely do they publish from the same writer. So you have a point.
Which may reveal that editors wish for a different dynamic, too? I haven't read the whole comment thread, but I'd be curious to hear one of their responses. I've had nice exchanges with some of my editors when I've asked for them, but they haven't led to any standing invitations to send more work or what I would think of as an ongoing collaboration, like those that writers sometimes forge with their book publishers (although that, too, is increasingly rare).
I think this is a very reasonable and fair take, Joshua. The journals and their staff are often overwhelmed, and they are competing to be heard within a glut of information available online, via streaming, etc. etc. I will say Hayden's Ferry Review is lovely to publish with and hosts contributor readings. But literary magazines are generally reaching and speaking to such tiny audiences, I'm not sure how much they can do, publicity-wise, given their small volunteer staffs, and the very noisy online world we live in, where there are so many competing demands on potential readers' attention.
"But literary magazines are generally reaching and speaking to such tiny audiences, I'm not sure how much they can do, publicity-wise, given their small volunteer staffs, and the very noisy online world we live in, where there are so many competing demands on potential readers' attention." Exactly!
Incidentally, I always liked HFR, but never made it with them :). I think this question inevitably leads back to the value proposition that Substack offers. I now have 2,000+ free subscribers, which is more than twice HFR's circulation. I still prefer the idea of someone else judging my work fit to print, but why would I keep paying HFR $3 a pop for 15-20 years (or forever) for smaller circulation? If readers are voting with their feet, and if some of them are paying me, it's hard to go back. And yet some deep part of me is still thinking that this is not how it should be. I miss that feeling of being a cool kid in someone else's pages!
In my experience, all agents that I have come across, you say the word short story and they acted like I was talking about soggy saltine crackers. They had absolutely no interest. They wanted novels. They wanted genre fiction. They wanted the stuff the market wanted to buy. Don't say the lit word too loud because they would think something was stinking in the room. I paid top dollar in conferences to hear their god-has-spoken advice and again, I would walk out of those one-on-ones angry and with a desire to do absolutely the opposite. Is there a way around the agent dilemma?
The point about burn-out is understandable to a certain extent, Joshua. But I think, if journals run out of energy to promote, perhaps they should step back and ask themselves what they are doing it all for. Speaking from my theatre background, any artistic event needs a certain amount of promotion. Or it dies, no matter how worthy the work. The online space (at least) is already so crowded out with journals. And if they've stopped doing promotion, remove those "we can't pay, but we promote and celebrate our writers actively" messages in the guidelines.
Why don't _more_ editors choose to close to submissions once they've reached the limit of what they can reasonably handle? It would be much less exhausting for them--and kinder to the writers.
(I do wish I'd started submitting before the dawn of electronic submissions; I'm beginning to wonder if I will ever beat those odds.)
Three lit mags immediately came to mind when I read this article. The first, Cleaver Magazine, promotes both the new issue and individual contributors across social media platforms. They also organize online readings for each issue for any contributor who'd like to read. I had a blast reading my piece & enjoyed meeting the magazine editors as part of that zoom presentation. Putting faces to names was amazing. This journal offers excellent workshops (I've taken several) and sends out a monthly newsletter which offers past contributors a chance to share their publishing successes.
The second lit mag is Five Minutes which publishes CNF of exactly 100 words. They too promote their issue and contributors on social media. The editor Susanna Baird offers contributors an opportunity to be a reader for a month for a future issue. I volunteered & enjoyed that experience immensely. They also send out a monthly newsletter, like Cleaver, where past contributors have an opportunity to post information about recent publications.
The third lit mag is Flash Fiction Magazine and I mention them specifically because of the care they take with their writers. I had a flash accepted which required light edits. I worked with the same editor throughout who saw the heart of my story and the edits she suggested improved the piece without changing its spirit. They also promote their issue and contributors on social media but, really, it was that experience with an editor that won me over.
I've had other good experiences but these were the first I remembered.
Thanks for posing these questions!!
One last point: When I self-published a collection of short stories a few years back, I reached out to editors who'd published a couple of the stories included in the book. Every one...every one of them agreed to write a blurb for my back cover or for the inside Advance Praise page. Taking the time to do that meant more than any payment they could offer. (Sadly, only the first two are still publishing.)
Val McEwen, editor, The Dead Mule School for Southern Literature
Dr. Abigail Favale, George Fox University, Contest Judge, Brilliant Flash Fiction
Kerri Farrell Foley, editor, Crack the Spine
Scott Waldyn, editor, The Literary Orphans Journal
I don't think I've ever expected publicity from a literary journal, but I'm pleased when it happens with announcements, links, readings, and so forth. Also, the assumption that one is paid somehow--money or publicity and exposure--isn't something I've thought about too much either. We are talking about small literary journals!
However, I've been so gratified with various journals that have linked up and made a to-do and nominated poems and stories. It seems a great and wonderful bonus. Great weather for media published a prose piece of mine last year, and they just really go for the publicity, holding in-person and Zoom readings, linking and liking and sharing.
On the other hand, I've been surprised a couple of times to find myself published in a journal without being alerted 1) with an acceptance and 2) without an email to tell me the work is up and 3) that I've been a finalist or semifinalist in something. The piece appears and then, more radio silence.
I think there is a need to take a lot of this in stride as folks aren't paid for their work, either, at least most of the time.
My experience has been: don't trust what they say they will do, trust what they already do. Some publications have a whole machinery for promotion. One of my favorites is Carve. They interview you. Promote you. Their print version has this awesome stylistic illustration, the design is impeccable and then the online version is just as good. Another one, The Seventh Wave, out of New York. They do not have a lot of money, but they are all committed to promote the work, the cause, so you feel that vibe and energy. Then you get to some other publications and you hear crickets. Some of the old-fashioned print publications do not have an online presence, and that hurts them. Others that have an online presence do not understand or want the cost of print. They are going to promote only through their existing email list and their social media. If they are part of a university, they will use their website to promote it as well, but that is about it. Personally, I think it's up to you as a writer to promote your own work. List it in your social media. If you're part of a writer's club, mention it to them. Atlanta, where I live has one of the largest clubs in the country with over 450 active members. There are also over 20 active workshop groups in the club. They welcome when you show up and talk about your story, memoir or novel. I come from marketing, so I am a snob. When I go to the publication's website and it looks like they just threw it together with HTML I cringe and don't send them anything. But when you go visit, you see how they procure images and illustrations. It tells me that to them it's a labor of love and they are pouring all they got into making it that good.
Becky, is correct in stating that a number of literary magazines fail to follow through on publicizing the work of the authors they selected for publication while others do their best to "spread the word" through social media, and readings. So I will share a few examples of what I've personally experienced. In 2022 I was delighted to have my CNF essay "The Horseback Riding Accident" accepted for publication in Spry Literary Journal. The online issue did not come out until 2023 and when it was released,, it was with no messaging via their newsletter, no social media posts and no updating of their blog. The content of what is in issue 15( https://sprylit.com ) is excellent, I felt in good company, but they really dropped the ball. (I'm not sure what is going on there.). Meanwhile, that same year another CNF essay of mine, "Back to School Night" was accepted for publication by Stonecoast Review, a print publication (https://www.stonecoastreview.org/stonecoast-review-issue-19-now-available/).. I should reveal at this point that the Stonecoast Writing Program at USM is my alma mater, however they've rejected plenty of my work, so I was pleased that the Nonfiction editor was excited to publish this particular essay. At the time of release, they had a hybrid reading ie live and on Zoom and I was invited to do a short reading from the essay. and yes, there ware plenty of posts on social media about the new issue of Stonecoast Review. (Currently they are open for submissions on the theme of ethical storytelling.) Another online publication, that published my flash fiction piece "Maggie's Gift"https://www.thesunlightpress.com/2024/01/22/maggies-gift/
The Sunlight Press, also does a great job promoting each issue and sharing individual pieces on social media. Maybe the enterprising Chill Subs can include the promotion info when provided by users in their next update!--Nadja Maril. Nadjamaril.com
Honestly, I don’t expect this of most journals, for several reasons: 1. Staff are often volunteers. 2. Staffs are small. 3. Volume of submissions is such that putting a ton of emphasis on past contributors impacts the review of present candidates. 4. For bigger lit mags, they’ve done their writers a service by exhibiting work to a large readership.
I worked for an MFA Graduate Run lit mag and interviewed w. LMN in December. What I can't remember if we touched on or not in that conversation is the kinds of administrative pressures that limit or enable the lit mag to have the resources it needs to follow through on its promises!
On one hand, a past masthead for our mag lobbied the English Department to make a line of funding available for a Social Media Manager so that we had someone devoted full time to our Instagram and Twitter presences.
On the other hand, the second or third person elected to that role shirked their responsibilities, and majorly dropped the ball on promotion of a) new issues and b) our contest and submission periods. As a result, our subs were down the following year, we brought in way less money to cover overhead, contributor pay, and printing costs, AND the University took away the line for SMM since that editor had essentially wasted that line.
I think our example opens up the dynamics of social media professionalism on multiple fronts: the individual responsibilities, the institutional responsibilities, the actual Abilities of editors (does an editor have the skills to make up for the lack? even the skill of social media content management?). But the example from the reader in this post draws a fine bottom-line for me: if a magazine makes a promise, it needs to follow through. I daresay, (especially if a contract has been signed between the mag and the contributor), that the contributor has a right to complain, or have their work retracted and submitted elsewhere.
A tip of the hat to Silver Birch Press who not only promotes your published poem online but provides artwork for each piece. Their current theme is Mothers.
Yes, I've been really happy with how they've handled my work in several "themes" and they also will take previously published poems, which, in itself, is an act of publicity.
I suppose we should define "promote", not that I want to do it. But is it promotion when a review posts "our new issue is up with a table of contents" on their own website? I suppose. Or are we talking about the promotion of individual authors, and what about poems in a review versus a poetry book. It seems odd to me, but many publishers of even webzines seem unfamiliar about how easily real publicity is done virtually (social media posts, zoom readings, youtube/Tiktok/IG videos). I am sympathetic to a lack of promotion of individual poets in a new journal issue, most of which contain 20-40 poets, but surely tables of contents are easily posted on social media. I also don't understand why more journals don't host virtual readings, although it requires a small expenditure for expanded Zoom use. Other journals/readings sites are really good at this, such as Sheila-Na-Gig, a review that really promotes their authors with online readings and social media posts. What really frosts me is book publishers that provide little publicity for author's work. There is a major poetry publisher that asks you to pay for a Zoom reading to promote your book (no I'm not going to name names), although that publisher does pay royalties. Well, just a few thoughts
Hayley,I’m curious as to why you’re so dedicated to publishing the same poets over and over. In your rejection letter you stated that half of your space is dedicated to repeat contributors. I find that rather intimidating. That’s not unusual—even the New Yorker has repeat contributors—but coming from a smaller-circulation journal it kinda makes you seem like an exclusive club—especially with the seemingly strong bias to free verse ( I,too, am a formalist).
Hi. T. R. -- At Sheila-Na-Gig online, I'm especially proud of the sense of community we have created among our authors and readers. It's an honor when writers want to continue to be a part of your journal, and unlike many journals, I don't ask writers to wait to submit again. Since we began charging for submissions in Fall 2023, I feel we have made a better conscious effort to include writers new to the journal. Your post encouraged me to check out the stats on Winter Volume: 8.2 . Our guidelines note that we publish 30-45 poets per issue (sometimes the issues end up much bigger). In that issue, we received 151 submissions and published 41. Our Editor's Prize Winner and 11 other writers were new to us. 13 were past regular contributors, and 5 others appeared for the second time. Another 11 (more than usual) were Sheila-Na-Gig Editions authors. These are folks who have published books with us. They pay the same fee to submit, but I don't count them among the first 30 acceptances, to keep that space open to others in the broader writing community. Your post encouraged me to add that information to our submissions page. I never award the Editors Prize to authors whose books we've published, although some have won my prize before I published their books. Our upcoming Spring issue includes 56 poets (bigger than the norm) -- 22 of these are new to Sheila-Na-Gig. Back to the formalist question, we'll never reject a poem just because it is a form, and we're as happy to read well-crafted forms as we are to read well-crafted free verse, but our bias is toward free verse. It's just what we do.
Thanks for your thoughtful answer. I really value honest conversations with editors, and I like and admire different editorial styles. I do admire your journal, and so many of your poets. I really really enjoyed Dick Westheimer’s book, which I believe you published.
I've published formal verse in Sheila-Na-Gig. The editor, Hayley Mitchell Haugen, is outstanding at choosing and publicizing work. And, she herself writes excellent formal verse. ( Ms. LoSchiavo, I urge you not to make the turn at the crosswalk. 😁 ) In addition, Sheila has created--by virtue of it's online readings and other activities--an interesting community of poets who submit regularly. While they write differently from each other--no house style--they maintain a connection and enjoy reading and hearing each other's work. (I should add that this happened organically. There were no camp counselors telling everybody to get in the water.) I'm not claiming Sheila is unique, but it is a great example of what a lit mag should be and can be.
This is a little off-topic, and I apologize, but I think it's odd and unwise for any lit mag to turn down poems based on their form rather than based on whether the poems work. Though, I can imagine that some magazines may be terrified of seeming "academic." Sigh.
Hi, Gary! A "major poetry publisher asks you to pay for a Zoom reading"? Wow. The cost of a single Zoom reading is so low I wouldn't know how to calculate it. (For my law practice, I have one of the yearly paid accounts, and it's not much at all.) For a publisher, it would be one of those cost-of-doing-business expenses--not to be passed on to the writer. You have to wonder....
There's one lit mag I've been published in multiple times but hasn't published at all in 3 years yet still does monthly readings-- but Why??? I wonder....
Chiming in here a bit late as someone from a younger generation who's also an editor and submitter: as others have said, I'm not sure what we can expect of journals seeing as they're often run by overworked volunteer staff and rarely well-funded. It's a testament to people running journals that they're doing that in the first place. If they're charging submission fees, maybe then we can expect promotion/publicity and/or payment; if it's free to submit, I don't think we can expect anything. Many editors do this because we want to build literary community. I definitely try to promote contributors' work on social media, and ideally contributors read each other's work and share it, too. Yes, I want my work to be read widely. Yes, I submit to bigger journals in the hopes of payment, prestige, and publicity. I'm active on social media promoting my own work and others. But ideally it's about community and care, not about the reach a particular piece gets.
A special shout-out to the editors at Vestal Review and Milk Candy Review who promote their authors energetically online, and to Milk Candy Review and Nunum who post mini-interviews with authors. They and all the magazines who’ve published my stories nominate their authors for “Best of” lists and publications. I really don’t expect more from volunteer-staffed publications.
Most of my published short stories predate the internet. I've only recently started submitting work again so I have nothing to contribute here about what literary magazines are doing now to promote their writers. But I definitely would like to know before submitting to journals that don't pay anything.
As a lifelong freelance writer - journalism, travel, consumer protection, copywriting etc - I am familiar with the commissioning purchaser's plea to either write for free or for a pittance in exchange for "exposure". Every freelancer has heard this many times and every freelancer knows that usually nothing ever comes of it.
But I know that is not the case for fiction. Even in those ancient, pre-internet and social networking days, I occasionally heard from a reader who then became a fan. I actually framed my first reader letter - on stationery, with the pressure imprint of a typewriter and posted in an envelope with a stamp! Somehow, a Glaswegian reader living in Boulogne-sur-Mer read my story "Big City Blues" in Iron Magazine, supported by Newcastle University and Northern Arts, and felt moved to write to the magazine about it. The letter, forwarded to me, was thrilling.
I believe the magazine paid me with two copies. But knowing that I was reaching readers was the best payment of all at that stage of my career.
Another magazine - also print, also pre-social networks, produced an offer from an agent and a review in the Scotsman.
I think an occasional call out to writers here about what various literary magazines are doing to promote contributors' work would be very useful and helpful. Without some kind of promotion, writing without payment is just pissing in the wind.
From my experience, Allium, Streetlight Magazine, The Smart Set, and Cleaver make a strong effort to promote their authors' work. It is much appreciated!
On a tangentially-related note, I just had a piece rejected by Big Wing Review. However, even though BWR processes submissions through Submittable, there wasn't even a form rejection acknowledgement. It was just rejected, and I had to hunt around to determine my status. I've never had this happen before- and I've been rejected a lot. Has anyone else experienced this?
I sent some poems to BWR and they never responded to them. Then they sent an email saying they were reading for their next issue, and seemed to expect me to be interested in sending more. No thanks.
Interesting. Usually poetry and fiction will have different editors and staff. BWR has sent me many times the usual form rejection, but recently sent me an awesome letter that left me speechless.
Glad you got the awesome letter. I didn’t have a huge amount of interest in them in the first place, just thought I’d give them a try, which can be a good idea.
It has been my experience with many publications that poetry, non-fiction and fiction have different editors and staff. So I am sorry that happened to you.
Yup, declined without any notice on Feb 27. First time I can remember not getting a rejection email via Submittable, but maybe it's just they "didn't push the right button" or something.
Thanks for the heads-up on Big Wing Review... I sent a story there for their last call so I'll remember to root around the Submittable trash bin if I don't otherwise hear from them.
"Unpardonable laziness" made me smile. Literary magazines, in general, are megafactors better at rejections than literary agents for novel queries. The norm too often in that world is the silence of deep space. A writer may spend three years on a novel and query 10 prospective agents. Hearing back at all from 5 of them, even if all are rejects, is practically a victory.
Patrick, I am still waiting to hear from NINETEEN indie presses - - - from way back in August 2022 - January 2023 - - - to whom I sent my intriguing and illustrated Hallowe'en poetry collection.
Recently, it has been acquired by a good press.
No, no, I won't be going back to Autumn 2022's list to bother to withdraw my ms.
Thanks. This was a first for me but I guess it wasn't a glitch or, as I thought: "Maybe they are just waiting to write a nice personal rejection." Hah!
I have to say that although this is worthy discussion topic, Becky, I would hesitate to name names, simply because I know editors of journals also subscribe to you. That makes it not feel like a safe space to be completely open with experiences. Just my 2 cents.
That said, 2 of my earlier publications last year both disappointed me with promotion. Both were active on Twitter - which was still Twitter at that time. One editor did ONE tweet - for what was a quarterly issue. And retweeted a couple of writer's tweets. It was a journal where we all had separate links to our pages & only 11 contributors. How hard would it have been to tweet an author's work each day? Then the other didn't tweet AT ALL when the issue landed. They put it into their email newsletter. That's it. As a writer brand new to the world of submitting, this was very disappointing (and confusing). I did receive a payment for both these journals & they were no-fee to submit. BUT. After all that work to put their journals together, why wouldn't an editor want to do some basic social media promo-ing. As someone else said, it's publicity for their journal too.
I do think, out of all the examples discussed - that the one who deserve the most "boos" and to go on some kind of blacklist (hello Chill Subs) are journals that charge fees, don't pay writers AND promise to razzle-dazzle promote you, but actually do zilch.
Melissa I totally agree with you about the you about the blacklists. Someone needs publish a list of journals who don’t promote their writers ( and more importantly those who do).
QUESTION: Why do some lit mags do so little to promote their contributors?
REPLY: Maybe it is because lit mags are taking a cue from the indie presses ---- who do very little to promote a poetry book (or novel) they just published.
And when it comes to "promoting," is a "shout out" on Twitter the best you can expect? :-O
I'd like to hear what else lit mags are doing to boost writers ---- and who is doing a SUPER job of it.
To be honest guys, reading some of these comments makes feel lucky I guess-- or maybe I'm just ignorant. I've been surprised to have had my poems given homes in 191 lit mags the past 7 years, a total of 353 times as of last week-- which means some editors have published me from 2 to 11 times---and yeah, I've developed 'friendship' with a few of them. Sometimes they don't accept the work and that's fine-- having done a bit of voluntary reading/assistant editing, I know it's tough as well on the other end of the creative process.
Now the thing is, I don't know if anyone of them has ever 'promoted' my work. I'm an old guy who doesn't have much time for social media [keeping up with reading gets my attention instead] and frankly I thought with the exposure I've had in all those lit mags, my 3 poetry trade paperbacks would have sold better. Maybe it's me--I don't how to 'promote' my writing other than sending it all out as much as I can--ALWAYS without paying any fees, and then seeing what sticks. Never looked for an agent, and as someone said, they probably only want novels cause that's where the money might be, I guess.
The thing is, though, all I care about is the chance that someone might read something born in my mind [soul?] and a few of them might be even be moved by it. But if you're looking to make fame and fortune off of writing? Man, don't be crazy--forget the MFA and get an MBA!!!
I think, if it was ever possible to build up a reputation by publishing widely (instead of “big”), it’s harder on the internet, where there is a glut and a lack of association between where you read something and anything else. The best you can do is get an email list together, and maybe be active on social media. Otherwise, it’s up to your publisher (which may also be you).
At two journals, Sweet and About Place, I felt enriched. Both journals did a wonderful job of publicizing and promoting to their mailing list.
Sweet printed my poem on a bookmark and distributed it at AWP. They also printed an anthology of everyone they’d published in the first 5 years of the journal. And they regularly highlight work in each issue via their very regular e-mailings. And, important bonus, Sweet keeps all their issues available online.
About Place set up online readings and encouraged everyone in the issue to read the entire issue first. Then they actually curated the reading, grouping readers in a meaningful way, and the editors introduced it and highlighted things throughout. The zoom reading remains available online. About Place has a different theme and set of editors with each issue, but the editors are always highly engaged.
To me, it’s always frustrating when they don’t share their circulation data. When I publish things I want to know how many people have read my writing, how they’re engaging with it, and what they think, where they live (geographically, not their address), etc. I want to know who their readers are and how the journals market their product.
It frustrates me too, Richard. There's often an unspoken imbalance of power between journal editors and writers. They have writers running in circles trying to adhere to their sub guidelines, deadlines, further requests for edits, bios, author pics. Yet, for so many, we can't view any stats about their readership. It could be one aunty and their three cats for all we know. And how awkward is it to ask them? I've tried. Awkward! I spent 3 days worrying I'd offended them & feared they'd withdraw their offer of publication. Journals should be required to show it. CLMP should action it as a requirement of membership.
Great topic of conversation here! I've had nice experiences with Orion Magazine and Los Angeles Review of Books, both of which shared my work in multiple social media posts and both of whom seem to have very engaged readers. It's probably best for my mental health that I don't remember which literary magazines made me sad about not promoting work they published, but I think Chill Subs has a way of searching for magazines that are good at promotion.
I had a great experience with Fatal Flaw. They did author interviews, in-person and online readings, and social media posts for each piece. They are not a paying outlet (or at least they weren't two years ago) but I can't recommend them highly enough in terms of professionalism and author promotion.
How much a journal will promote my work is important to me because I do want my poetry to actually get READ...by more than just the editors...and I've specifically submitted to journals that I know reach an audience that I want to reach, whether the journal is prestigious or not.
I don't personally have time or inclination to do a lot on social media (I do a little bit--@thisquiethour on X ...or Twitter??...whatever!) but I'm not in a place in my life where I can devote the time necessary to make an impact on social media--so I want a journal (or indie press) that can help me with that. A lot of journals (and indie presses....) do drop the ball with promotion, and it's something I am being more careful about with where I submit moving forward.
Definitely! And sometimes I'm surprised by how far a little unassuming journal is able to promote my work! But with limited time to send out my work, I do aim first for the journals I Know are really getting their contributors work seen.
YES. I find that lit mag publication often feels so transactional. Editors will accept my work without really saying anything they like about it (just "We would like to publish this, is it still available"), then hit publish a couple months later, tweet out one link to the issue, and be done. I never hear from any staff or readers that they read it or anything they liked about it. It feels like it just gets tossed out into a void.
I wonder if this norm is just as weird for them. Like they don’t know how to go about it. I imagine the work itself interrupts what seems like what should happen here. And they’re also putting something out and maybe looking for feedback instead of thinking of themselves as sources of that engagement.
Eleanor, this is one reason why Verse-Virtual is so wonderful. It's not just an online journal; folks read each other's writing - mostly poetry - and, if so moved, write to each other about their work. It's such a delight to hear from someone that they really liked my poem(s)! And to let others know when I appreciate their work. I've made some friendships there, over time, very sweet.
I agree with my colleagues that most literary journals could do more to promote the work of their writers and artists. This is good publicity for the literary magazines, too. Some journals organize online or in-person readings and other creative ways to give contributors public exposure. I appreciate those colleagues who have listed magazines that really make an effort to publicize authors and artists.
Best wishes for the spring!
Janet Ruth Heller
Author of the poetry books Nature’s Olympics (Wipf and Stock, 2021), Exodus (WordTech Editions, 2014), Folk Concert: Changing Times (Anaphora Literary Press, 2012) and Traffic Stop (Finishing Line Press, 2011); the scholarly book Coleridge, Lamb, Hazlitt, and the Reader of Drama (University of Missouri Press, 1990); the middle-grade chapter book for kids The Passover Surprise (Fictive Press, 2015, 2016); and the award-winning picture book for kids about bullying, How the Moon Regained Her Shape (Arbordale, 2006; seventh edition 2022).
Two thoughts, LindaAnn: One, since it's reasonable to conclude they're not interested, don't bother to withdraw your ms. Should one actually show interest--and a comet hasn't hit you first--just politely inform them you assumed it got lost or flushed down the slush toilet and you've moved on. Two, if you want to be Machiavellian and stay in good graces with a few whom you prize the most, you might deign to make a formal withdrawal. You don't need to give a reason. BTW, an illustrated Halloween collection seems like it would be a scream!
The full page customized b/w drawings certainly add to the enjoyment.
My "author portrait" has me facing front at my desk - - - as a skeleton sneaks up and my blue point Siamese cat arches his back (all out of my sight line).
I will also use the "author portrait" as this year's Hallowe'en card.
Another problem is when litmags have changing staff and the original people who loved your work no longer go through submissions there. A main reason of why litmags continue to not promote is simply because we literally don't demand them to. If people keep submitting quietly, then why change?
What annoys me is when an online magazine won't even let you know when the issue comes out. I have to leave myself sticky notes to check up up certain publications to see if the issue with my work is out.
Also, I recently had a great experience with West Trestle Review. They promoted my poem (and others from the issue) individually on social media and had a fun off site event at awp. Another great journal is ONE ART. They are awesome at promoting via social media
For me, promotion is more important than being paid. I make way more money at my day job than I do writing poems and stories. The payment makes me feel like my work is valued by editors—a good thing for sure—but promotion is so much more important. I write because I want people to read what I write. Not as a way to make money. And, as a reader I’ve discovered new writers from following journals that aggressively promote their contributions.
Great question. It's certainly important to me that a lit journal will promote my work, particularly if I'm submitting for free. I want my works read and, hopefully, enjoyed by others.
I wish lit mags did more promotion too. Some have links at the bottom of stories that send you to related or similarly themed stories. I don't see why they can't do that on social media: give each author their own horn-tooting the week of publication, and the following week, connect older stories in a thread. Promote back issues, especially when those back issues are free or heavily discounted; that brings in people like me who can't afford to buy much reading material. It's especially depressing when the only payment you get is exposure, as this author mentions. We put long hours into these stories; it's not much to ask to get promoted once in a while. Equally depressing is when the magazine folds and they don't even notify you. You just realize one day your links are broken and your story isn't archived, so you can't even point your readership in its direction.
And the folks at the flash journal Five Minutes are doing something interesting. Contributors to the journal can let them know about their new published work and Five Minutes includes a High 5's! section in their newsletter where they list with links.
I have had work published in lit mags and anthologies in the past and received neither monetary compensation nor so-called exposure of any worth. Like any other artisan, I expect to get paid for my work, the time and effort as well as my skillful execution. I will no longer submit work to any venue that does not recognize the value of my work and pay me accordingly. It need not be much, a token payment will do, but it must be something more than copies or the promise of promotion. Last I checked, neither my mortgage company nor the supermarket accepted either in lieu of cold hard cash.
Which magazines send you emails. You see them in Facebook and Instagram? You hear about their editors, or the causes that they pursue. A magazine like the New Yorker does not have to do a thing, yet they are omnipotent, they simply say, Here I am, and they are. The Paris Review, used to be only in print and received stories only with a SASE. Remember those? Then they woke up. Developed an online presence and began to accept through Submittable. Then you have places like The Masters, or Common, that tend to be mainly online, but they are constantly promoting. So, I guess the answer is, it all depends. For my money, more important than how much they promote would be how aggressive do these publications enter the O'Henry's, Pushcart and BASS.
I admit I don't generally sign up for emails nor do I follow on social media. I get far too many emails as it is and right now, I'm REALLY burnt out on social media. I have started paying attention to the ones who say they nominate for Pushcart and Best of the Web, or whatever it's called.
Wow. My respects go to you, Sir. Perhaps the only thing I can say to you is what is the alternative. I live on hope. Other wise you have some financial security, and then look at the grass grow. I prefer to go with my sword in my hand, still trying, still having hope, still believing. It makes for a better day, even when it's a shitty one. The problem I see often is that we want the big goal, and when it doesn't happen we give up. But if we think the goal is the now, the freedom to write awesome stories and don't give a (nastiest expletive you can imagine) you set yourself free. If you achieved such, there are still in you stories of that caliber. Do not deprive us of that. Keep going. Keep trying, Even when it feels like not your best.
My work was recently in Split Lip Magazine and their social media game was remarkable! (Twitter/X) Lots of shares from the journal AND the editors. And they regularly share additional pub news from past contributors. To me, this is the gold standard. Consequently, I find myself responding more to their posts about others, wanting to support a journal that truly supported me.
I love Split Lip; the gifs that they use to illustrate each story are particularly well suited to catch the eye of people scrolling on Twitter (can't quite bring myself to call it X).
Congrats, Leslie. They are really active on Xitter. Have to say, I had an excellent experience just corresponding with their head editor for nonfiction reviews / micros. He was so responsive. My (first-ever) review wasn't accepted, but he took the trouble to tell me it made it to the editorial team & several round of discussions, encouraging me to submit again. They do really seem on their game.
Fingers crossed for your next submission!
I think the simple answer to the question is burnout. Even small journals are flooded with submissions, and the pile keeps growing while each issue is being produced.
I've had a good run with lit mags (more than 50 pubs over 20 years, including places like Kenyon Review and Missouri Review). When I was a professor, the publication was value enough for things like tenure review and promotion. But now that I'm out of academe, I can't justify paying $3 a pop for submissions when publication is pro bono and when the pure volume of submissions has ballooned the acceptance:rejection ratio, even for seasoned writers like me. What was once something like 1:15 is now closer to 1:100. Which often means paying hundreds to be published for free.
It's a completely broken system. Institutions are slashing even the most storied arts and humanities programs. And the smaller journals just don't have the reach to offer anything better than Substack does. At least that's what I've concluded. The main reason to keep submitting to lit mags is to hope an agent will find you there or you'll get a prize nomination or selection in Best American.
I came to feel that publications in lit mags were like one-night stands. The writer and editor served a purpose for each other, and that was the end of it. I've never had an enduring relationship with an editor after publication. But now I think that a more charitable view is that these folks are completely snowed with work and just can't beat back the slush pile enough to catch a breath. They are burning the candle at both ends.
Interesting comment about being a one-night stand. I've send stories to reviews were I was published before and several times they sent me a nice note saying that rarely do they publish from the same writer. So you have a point.
Which may reveal that editors wish for a different dynamic, too? I haven't read the whole comment thread, but I'd be curious to hear one of their responses. I've had nice exchanges with some of my editors when I've asked for them, but they haven't led to any standing invitations to send more work or what I would think of as an ongoing collaboration, like those that writers sometimes forge with their book publishers (although that, too, is increasingly rare).
I think this is a very reasonable and fair take, Joshua. The journals and their staff are often overwhelmed, and they are competing to be heard within a glut of information available online, via streaming, etc. etc. I will say Hayden's Ferry Review is lovely to publish with and hosts contributor readings. But literary magazines are generally reaching and speaking to such tiny audiences, I'm not sure how much they can do, publicity-wise, given their small volunteer staffs, and the very noisy online world we live in, where there are so many competing demands on potential readers' attention.
"But literary magazines are generally reaching and speaking to such tiny audiences, I'm not sure how much they can do, publicity-wise, given their small volunteer staffs, and the very noisy online world we live in, where there are so many competing demands on potential readers' attention." Exactly!
Incidentally, I always liked HFR, but never made it with them :). I think this question inevitably leads back to the value proposition that Substack offers. I now have 2,000+ free subscribers, which is more than twice HFR's circulation. I still prefer the idea of someone else judging my work fit to print, but why would I keep paying HFR $3 a pop for 15-20 years (or forever) for smaller circulation? If readers are voting with their feet, and if some of them are paying me, it's hard to go back. And yet some deep part of me is still thinking that this is not how it should be. I miss that feeling of being a cool kid in someone else's pages!
I hear you! Of course we want someone else to "approve" of us enough to print our work, but a subscription base of 2,000 is nothing to sneeze at!
It seems that there are only two reasons to submit to lit mags: hope of an ego boost or being discovered by a literary agent.
In my experience, all agents that I have come across, you say the word short story and they acted like I was talking about soggy saltine crackers. They had absolutely no interest. They wanted novels. They wanted genre fiction. They wanted the stuff the market wanted to buy. Don't say the lit word too loud because they would think something was stinking in the room. I paid top dollar in conferences to hear their god-has-spoken advice and again, I would walk out of those one-on-ones angry and with a desire to do absolutely the opposite. Is there a way around the agent dilemma?
I have no experience with agents so I can't answer your question.
I will say that I avoid people who set themselves up as authorities.
Or prizes or Best American…
Hope springs eternal.
I see that you're an author @UIowaPress.
Do you live in Iowa? That's where I'm from.
I used to. I’m in central PA now.
And? What next?
No one holds a gun to an editor's head and yells, "Continue producing this literary journal ... or else!"
If fifty percent of literary zines shuttered today, no one would care.
Overwhelmed by the demands of running a zine?
Do us all a favor --- and stop.
The point about burn-out is understandable to a certain extent, Joshua. But I think, if journals run out of energy to promote, perhaps they should step back and ask themselves what they are doing it all for. Speaking from my theatre background, any artistic event needs a certain amount of promotion. Or it dies, no matter how worthy the work. The online space (at least) is already so crowded out with journals. And if they've stopped doing promotion, remove those "we can't pay, but we promote and celebrate our writers actively" messages in the guidelines.
Why don't _more_ editors choose to close to submissions once they've reached the limit of what they can reasonably handle? It would be much less exhausting for them--and kinder to the writers.
(I do wish I'd started submitting before the dawn of electronic submissions; I'm beginning to wonder if I will ever beat those odds.)
Three lit mags immediately came to mind when I read this article. The first, Cleaver Magazine, promotes both the new issue and individual contributors across social media platforms. They also organize online readings for each issue for any contributor who'd like to read. I had a blast reading my piece & enjoyed meeting the magazine editors as part of that zoom presentation. Putting faces to names was amazing. This journal offers excellent workshops (I've taken several) and sends out a monthly newsletter which offers past contributors a chance to share their publishing successes.
The second lit mag is Five Minutes which publishes CNF of exactly 100 words. They too promote their issue and contributors on social media. The editor Susanna Baird offers contributors an opportunity to be a reader for a month for a future issue. I volunteered & enjoyed that experience immensely. They also send out a monthly newsletter, like Cleaver, where past contributors have an opportunity to post information about recent publications.
The third lit mag is Flash Fiction Magazine and I mention them specifically because of the care they take with their writers. I had a flash accepted which required light edits. I worked with the same editor throughout who saw the heart of my story and the edits she suggested improved the piece without changing its spirit. They also promote their issue and contributors on social media but, really, it was that experience with an editor that won me over.
I've had other good experiences but these were the first I remembered.
Thanks for posing these questions!!
One last point: When I self-published a collection of short stories a few years back, I reached out to editors who'd published a couple of the stories included in the book. Every one...every one of them agreed to write a blurb for my back cover or for the inside Advance Praise page. Taking the time to do that meant more than any payment they could offer. (Sadly, only the first two are still publishing.)
Val McEwen, editor, The Dead Mule School for Southern Literature
Dr. Abigail Favale, George Fox University, Contest Judge, Brilliant Flash Fiction
Kerri Farrell Foley, editor, Crack the Spine
Scott Waldyn, editor, The Literary Orphans Journal
Wow!
Anne, I write flash fiction some too. Please send me a few of your stories or links to them. Would love to read them. pat.partridge124@gmail.com
I don't think I've ever expected publicity from a literary journal, but I'm pleased when it happens with announcements, links, readings, and so forth. Also, the assumption that one is paid somehow--money or publicity and exposure--isn't something I've thought about too much either. We are talking about small literary journals!
However, I've been so gratified with various journals that have linked up and made a to-do and nominated poems and stories. It seems a great and wonderful bonus. Great weather for media published a prose piece of mine last year, and they just really go for the publicity, holding in-person and Zoom readings, linking and liking and sharing.
On the other hand, I've been surprised a couple of times to find myself published in a journal without being alerted 1) with an acceptance and 2) without an email to tell me the work is up and 3) that I've been a finalist or semifinalist in something. The piece appears and then, more radio silence.
I think there is a need to take a lot of this in stride as folks aren't paid for their work, either, at least most of the time.
My experience has been: don't trust what they say they will do, trust what they already do. Some publications have a whole machinery for promotion. One of my favorites is Carve. They interview you. Promote you. Their print version has this awesome stylistic illustration, the design is impeccable and then the online version is just as good. Another one, The Seventh Wave, out of New York. They do not have a lot of money, but they are all committed to promote the work, the cause, so you feel that vibe and energy. Then you get to some other publications and you hear crickets. Some of the old-fashioned print publications do not have an online presence, and that hurts them. Others that have an online presence do not understand or want the cost of print. They are going to promote only through their existing email list and their social media. If they are part of a university, they will use their website to promote it as well, but that is about it. Personally, I think it's up to you as a writer to promote your own work. List it in your social media. If you're part of a writer's club, mention it to them. Atlanta, where I live has one of the largest clubs in the country with over 450 active members. There are also over 20 active workshop groups in the club. They welcome when you show up and talk about your story, memoir or novel. I come from marketing, so I am a snob. When I go to the publication's website and it looks like they just threw it together with HTML I cringe and don't send them anything. But when you go visit, you see how they procure images and illustrations. It tells me that to them it's a labor of love and they are pouring all they got into making it that good.
Becky, is correct in stating that a number of literary magazines fail to follow through on publicizing the work of the authors they selected for publication while others do their best to "spread the word" through social media, and readings. So I will share a few examples of what I've personally experienced. In 2022 I was delighted to have my CNF essay "The Horseback Riding Accident" accepted for publication in Spry Literary Journal. The online issue did not come out until 2023 and when it was released,, it was with no messaging via their newsletter, no social media posts and no updating of their blog. The content of what is in issue 15( https://sprylit.com ) is excellent, I felt in good company, but they really dropped the ball. (I'm not sure what is going on there.). Meanwhile, that same year another CNF essay of mine, "Back to School Night" was accepted for publication by Stonecoast Review, a print publication (https://www.stonecoastreview.org/stonecoast-review-issue-19-now-available/).. I should reveal at this point that the Stonecoast Writing Program at USM is my alma mater, however they've rejected plenty of my work, so I was pleased that the Nonfiction editor was excited to publish this particular essay. At the time of release, they had a hybrid reading ie live and on Zoom and I was invited to do a short reading from the essay. and yes, there ware plenty of posts on social media about the new issue of Stonecoast Review. (Currently they are open for submissions on the theme of ethical storytelling.) Another online publication, that published my flash fiction piece "Maggie's Gift"https://www.thesunlightpress.com/2024/01/22/maggies-gift/
The Sunlight Press, also does a great job promoting each issue and sharing individual pieces on social media. Maybe the enterprising Chill Subs can include the promotion info when provided by users in their next update!--Nadja Maril. Nadjamaril.com
Nadja, thank you for sharing these experiences.
Honestly, I don’t expect this of most journals, for several reasons: 1. Staff are often volunteers. 2. Staffs are small. 3. Volume of submissions is such that putting a ton of emphasis on past contributors impacts the review of present candidates. 4. For bigger lit mags, they’ve done their writers a service by exhibiting work to a large readership.
I worked for an MFA Graduate Run lit mag and interviewed w. LMN in December. What I can't remember if we touched on or not in that conversation is the kinds of administrative pressures that limit or enable the lit mag to have the resources it needs to follow through on its promises!
On one hand, a past masthead for our mag lobbied the English Department to make a line of funding available for a Social Media Manager so that we had someone devoted full time to our Instagram and Twitter presences.
On the other hand, the second or third person elected to that role shirked their responsibilities, and majorly dropped the ball on promotion of a) new issues and b) our contest and submission periods. As a result, our subs were down the following year, we brought in way less money to cover overhead, contributor pay, and printing costs, AND the University took away the line for SMM since that editor had essentially wasted that line.
I think our example opens up the dynamics of social media professionalism on multiple fronts: the individual responsibilities, the institutional responsibilities, the actual Abilities of editors (does an editor have the skills to make up for the lack? even the skill of social media content management?). But the example from the reader in this post draws a fine bottom-line for me: if a magazine makes a promise, it needs to follow through. I daresay, (especially if a contract has been signed between the mag and the contributor), that the contributor has a right to complain, or have their work retracted and submitted elsewhere.
A tip of the hat to Silver Birch Press who not only promotes your published poem online but provides artwork for each piece. Their current theme is Mothers.
Yes, I've been really happy with how they've handled my work in several "themes" and they also will take previously published poems, which, in itself, is an act of publicity.
I suppose we should define "promote", not that I want to do it. But is it promotion when a review posts "our new issue is up with a table of contents" on their own website? I suppose. Or are we talking about the promotion of individual authors, and what about poems in a review versus a poetry book. It seems odd to me, but many publishers of even webzines seem unfamiliar about how easily real publicity is done virtually (social media posts, zoom readings, youtube/Tiktok/IG videos). I am sympathetic to a lack of promotion of individual poets in a new journal issue, most of which contain 20-40 poets, but surely tables of contents are easily posted on social media. I also don't understand why more journals don't host virtual readings, although it requires a small expenditure for expanded Zoom use. Other journals/readings sites are really good at this, such as Sheila-Na-Gig, a review that really promotes their authors with online readings and social media posts. What really frosts me is book publishers that provide little publicity for author's work. There is a major poetry publisher that asks you to pay for a Zoom reading to promote your book (no I'm not going to name names), although that publisher does pay royalties. Well, just a few thoughts
Just chiming in to second this recognition of Sheila-Na-Gig, I had a very good experience publishing with them.
Sheila-Na-Gig only prints free verse. Yeeeps. We formalists cross the street & avoid them.
Hi, LindaAnn
We're always happy to consider forms. I'm especially partial to pantoums and sestinas. We don't receive many forms in our submissions.
Hayley,I’m curious as to why you’re so dedicated to publishing the same poets over and over. In your rejection letter you stated that half of your space is dedicated to repeat contributors. I find that rather intimidating. That’s not unusual—even the New Yorker has repeat contributors—but coming from a smaller-circulation journal it kinda makes you seem like an exclusive club—especially with the seemingly strong bias to free verse ( I,too, am a formalist).
Hi. T. R. -- At Sheila-Na-Gig online, I'm especially proud of the sense of community we have created among our authors and readers. It's an honor when writers want to continue to be a part of your journal, and unlike many journals, I don't ask writers to wait to submit again. Since we began charging for submissions in Fall 2023, I feel we have made a better conscious effort to include writers new to the journal. Your post encouraged me to check out the stats on Winter Volume: 8.2 . Our guidelines note that we publish 30-45 poets per issue (sometimes the issues end up much bigger). In that issue, we received 151 submissions and published 41. Our Editor's Prize Winner and 11 other writers were new to us. 13 were past regular contributors, and 5 others appeared for the second time. Another 11 (more than usual) were Sheila-Na-Gig Editions authors. These are folks who have published books with us. They pay the same fee to submit, but I don't count them among the first 30 acceptances, to keep that space open to others in the broader writing community. Your post encouraged me to add that information to our submissions page. I never award the Editors Prize to authors whose books we've published, although some have won my prize before I published their books. Our upcoming Spring issue includes 56 poets (bigger than the norm) -- 22 of these are new to Sheila-Na-Gig. Back to the formalist question, we'll never reject a poem just because it is a form, and we're as happy to read well-crafted forms as we are to read well-crafted free verse, but our bias is toward free verse. It's just what we do.
Thanks for your thoughtful answer. I really value honest conversations with editors, and I like and admire different editorial styles. I do admire your journal, and so many of your poets. I really really enjoyed Dick Westheimer’s book, which I believe you published.
This is such an interesting observation you've made, Thank you!
These are the kind of poet-to-editor conversations I'm always looking forward to.
RE guidelines: it seems odd to hope for sestinas or pantoums or any formal verse when this directive is posted:
"Sheila-Na-Gig online publishes well-crafted FREE VERSE poetry and short fiction."
Hayley, that's good to know.
However, this goes contrary to what your instructions indicate:
"Sheila-Na-Gig online publishes well-crafted FREE VERSE poetry and short fiction."
https://sheila-na-gigonline.submittable.com/submit
Ha! I guess I should update that if we want to see some traditional forms!
Yes, good idea. :-)
I've published formal verse in Sheila-Na-Gig. The editor, Hayley Mitchell Haugen, is outstanding at choosing and publicizing work. And, she herself writes excellent formal verse. ( Ms. LoSchiavo, I urge you not to make the turn at the crosswalk. 😁 ) In addition, Sheila has created--by virtue of it's online readings and other activities--an interesting community of poets who submit regularly. While they write differently from each other--no house style--they maintain a connection and enjoy reading and hearing each other's work. (I should add that this happened organically. There were no camp counselors telling everybody to get in the water.) I'm not claiming Sheila is unique, but it is a great example of what a lit mag should be and can be.
Wow. The old ban on formal verse has been lifted at Sheila-Na-Gig! Good to know.
It's still in place at Gyroscope and elsewhere.
This is a little off-topic, and I apologize, but I think it's odd and unwise for any lit mag to turn down poems based on their form rather than based on whether the poems work. Though, I can imagine that some magazines may be terrified of seeming "academic." Sigh.
Like most formalists, we have learned where to find our tribe. :-)
Thanks, George! You're the best.
And yet this is what it states:
"Sheila-Na-Gig online publishes well-crafted FREE VERSE poetry and short fiction."
https://sheila-na-gigonline.submittable.com/submit
Hi, Gary! A "major poetry publisher asks you to pay for a Zoom reading"? Wow. The cost of a single Zoom reading is so low I wouldn't know how to calculate it. (For my law practice, I have one of the yearly paid accounts, and it's not much at all.) For a publisher, it would be one of those cost-of-doing-business expenses--not to be passed on to the writer. You have to wonder....
There's one lit mag I've been published in multiple times but hasn't published at all in 3 years yet still does monthly readings-- but Why??? I wonder....
Thanks, Gary!
Chiming in here a bit late as someone from a younger generation who's also an editor and submitter: as others have said, I'm not sure what we can expect of journals seeing as they're often run by overworked volunteer staff and rarely well-funded. It's a testament to people running journals that they're doing that in the first place. If they're charging submission fees, maybe then we can expect promotion/publicity and/or payment; if it's free to submit, I don't think we can expect anything. Many editors do this because we want to build literary community. I definitely try to promote contributors' work on social media, and ideally contributors read each other's work and share it, too. Yes, I want my work to be read widely. Yes, I submit to bigger journals in the hopes of payment, prestige, and publicity. I'm active on social media promoting my own work and others. But ideally it's about community and care, not about the reach a particular piece gets.
Amen, Bro!
A special shout-out to the editors at Vestal Review and Milk Candy Review who promote their authors energetically online, and to Milk Candy Review and Nunum who post mini-interviews with authors. They and all the magazines who’ve published my stories nominate their authors for “Best of” lists and publications. I really don’t expect more from volunteer-staffed publications.
Most of my published short stories predate the internet. I've only recently started submitting work again so I have nothing to contribute here about what literary magazines are doing now to promote their writers. But I definitely would like to know before submitting to journals that don't pay anything.
As a lifelong freelance writer - journalism, travel, consumer protection, copywriting etc - I am familiar with the commissioning purchaser's plea to either write for free or for a pittance in exchange for "exposure". Every freelancer has heard this many times and every freelancer knows that usually nothing ever comes of it.
But I know that is not the case for fiction. Even in those ancient, pre-internet and social networking days, I occasionally heard from a reader who then became a fan. I actually framed my first reader letter - on stationery, with the pressure imprint of a typewriter and posted in an envelope with a stamp! Somehow, a Glaswegian reader living in Boulogne-sur-Mer read my story "Big City Blues" in Iron Magazine, supported by Newcastle University and Northern Arts, and felt moved to write to the magazine about it. The letter, forwarded to me, was thrilling.
I believe the magazine paid me with two copies. But knowing that I was reaching readers was the best payment of all at that stage of my career.
Another magazine - also print, also pre-social networks, produced an offer from an agent and a review in the Scotsman.
I think an occasional call out to writers here about what various literary magazines are doing to promote contributors' work would be very useful and helpful. Without some kind of promotion, writing without payment is just pissing in the wind.
From my experience, Allium, Streetlight Magazine, The Smart Set, and Cleaver make a strong effort to promote their authors' work. It is much appreciated!
On a tangentially-related note, I just had a piece rejected by Big Wing Review. However, even though BWR processes submissions through Submittable, there wasn't even a form rejection acknowledgement. It was just rejected, and I had to hunt around to determine my status. I've never had this happen before- and I've been rejected a lot. Has anyone else experienced this?
I sent some poems to BWR and they never responded to them. Then they sent an email saying they were reading for their next issue, and seemed to expect me to be interested in sending more. No thanks.
Thanks for the heads-up on this place.
Thanks for that. I guess it's not just me.
Interesting. Usually poetry and fiction will have different editors and staff. BWR has sent me many times the usual form rejection, but recently sent me an awesome letter that left me speechless.
Glad you got the awesome letter. I didn’t have a huge amount of interest in them in the first place, just thought I’d give them a try, which can be a good idea.
It has been my experience with many publications that poetry, non-fiction and fiction have different editors and staff. So I am sorry that happened to you.
Thanks. But it’s only an only a minor annoyance/disappointment. My heart was not set on appearing in BWR.
I had a poem in Streetlight last year and another coming out this year and I've been very happy with both the process and the result!
Yup, declined without any notice on Feb 27. First time I can remember not getting a rejection email via Submittable, but maybe it's just they "didn't push the right button" or something.
Thanks for the heads-up on Big Wing Review... I sent a story there for their last call so I'll remember to root around the Submittable trash bin if I don't otherwise hear from them.
Hi, Scott. Yes, this has happened to me a few times before on Submittable: a wordless rejection.
When it happened, I entered the journal's name in my daily writer's journal with a note to avoid them in future.
Rather unpardonable laziness. I winced reading your note.
I'm so sorry to hear of what we used to call on campus "infra dig." Ouch!
"Unpardonable laziness" made me smile. Literary magazines, in general, are megafactors better at rejections than literary agents for novel queries. The norm too often in that world is the silence of deep space. A writer may spend three years on a novel and query 10 prospective agents. Hearing back at all from 5 of them, even if all are rejects, is practically a victory.
Patrick, I am still waiting to hear from NINETEEN indie presses - - - from way back in August 2022 - January 2023 - - - to whom I sent my intriguing and illustrated Hallowe'en poetry collection.
Recently, it has been acquired by a good press.
No, no, I won't be going back to Autumn 2022's list to bother to withdraw my ms.
"Unpardonable laziness" should swing both ways.
Who agrees with me, intrepid lit-magpies?
Thanks. This was a first for me but I guess it wasn't a glitch or, as I thought: "Maybe they are just waiting to write a nice personal rejection." Hah!
You can always write Big Wing a nice personal rejection, Scott. (smile)
What a shameful way to treat writers!
Cobras nidificant in cervicalibus suis.
[Old Roman curse: May cobras nest in their pillows.]
Latin!!! Sexy!!!
I have to say that although this is worthy discussion topic, Becky, I would hesitate to name names, simply because I know editors of journals also subscribe to you. That makes it not feel like a safe space to be completely open with experiences. Just my 2 cents.
That said, 2 of my earlier publications last year both disappointed me with promotion. Both were active on Twitter - which was still Twitter at that time. One editor did ONE tweet - for what was a quarterly issue. And retweeted a couple of writer's tweets. It was a journal where we all had separate links to our pages & only 11 contributors. How hard would it have been to tweet an author's work each day? Then the other didn't tweet AT ALL when the issue landed. They put it into their email newsletter. That's it. As a writer brand new to the world of submitting, this was very disappointing (and confusing). I did receive a payment for both these journals & they were no-fee to submit. BUT. After all that work to put their journals together, why wouldn't an editor want to do some basic social media promo-ing. As someone else said, it's publicity for their journal too.
I do think, out of all the examples discussed - that the one who deserve the most "boos" and to go on some kind of blacklist (hello Chill Subs) are journals that charge fees, don't pay writers AND promise to razzle-dazzle promote you, but actually do zilch.
Melissa I totally agree with you about the you about the blacklists. Someone needs publish a list of journals who don’t promote their writers ( and more importantly those who do).
QUESTION: Why do some lit mags do so little to promote their contributors?
REPLY: Maybe it is because lit mags are taking a cue from the indie presses ---- who do very little to promote a poetry book (or novel) they just published.
And when it comes to "promoting," is a "shout out" on Twitter the best you can expect? :-O
I'd like to hear what else lit mags are doing to boost writers ---- and who is doing a SUPER job of it.
Good topic, Becky. Thanks.
I'll check in later.
To be honest guys, reading some of these comments makes feel lucky I guess-- or maybe I'm just ignorant. I've been surprised to have had my poems given homes in 191 lit mags the past 7 years, a total of 353 times as of last week-- which means some editors have published me from 2 to 11 times---and yeah, I've developed 'friendship' with a few of them. Sometimes they don't accept the work and that's fine-- having done a bit of voluntary reading/assistant editing, I know it's tough as well on the other end of the creative process.
Now the thing is, I don't know if anyone of them has ever 'promoted' my work. I'm an old guy who doesn't have much time for social media [keeping up with reading gets my attention instead] and frankly I thought with the exposure I've had in all those lit mags, my 3 poetry trade paperbacks would have sold better. Maybe it's me--I don't how to 'promote' my writing other than sending it all out as much as I can--ALWAYS without paying any fees, and then seeing what sticks. Never looked for an agent, and as someone said, they probably only want novels cause that's where the money might be, I guess.
The thing is, though, all I care about is the chance that someone might read something born in my mind [soul?] and a few of them might be even be moved by it. But if you're looking to make fame and fortune off of writing? Man, don't be crazy--forget the MFA and get an MBA!!!
I think, if it was ever possible to build up a reputation by publishing widely (instead of “big”), it’s harder on the internet, where there is a glut and a lack of association between where you read something and anything else. The best you can do is get an email list together, and maybe be active on social media. Otherwise, it’s up to your publisher (which may also be you).
At two journals, Sweet and About Place, I felt enriched. Both journals did a wonderful job of publicizing and promoting to their mailing list.
Sweet printed my poem on a bookmark and distributed it at AWP. They also printed an anthology of everyone they’d published in the first 5 years of the journal. And they regularly highlight work in each issue via their very regular e-mailings. And, important bonus, Sweet keeps all their issues available online.
About Place set up online readings and encouraged everyone in the issue to read the entire issue first. Then they actually curated the reading, grouping readers in a meaningful way, and the editors introduced it and highlighted things throughout. The zoom reading remains available online. About Place has a different theme and set of editors with each issue, but the editors are always highly engaged.
To me, it’s always frustrating when they don’t share their circulation data. When I publish things I want to know how many people have read my writing, how they’re engaging with it, and what they think, where they live (geographically, not their address), etc. I want to know who their readers are and how the journals market their product.
It frustrates me too, Richard. There's often an unspoken imbalance of power between journal editors and writers. They have writers running in circles trying to adhere to their sub guidelines, deadlines, further requests for edits, bios, author pics. Yet, for so many, we can't view any stats about their readership. It could be one aunty and their three cats for all we know. And how awkward is it to ask them? I've tried. Awkward! I spent 3 days worrying I'd offended them & feared they'd withdraw their offer of publication. Journals should be required to show it. CLMP should action it as a requirement of membership.
YES! YES! YES! Let's get the Freedom Of Info act on 'em! One must wonder what they are hiding....
Great topic of conversation here! I've had nice experiences with Orion Magazine and Los Angeles Review of Books, both of which shared my work in multiple social media posts and both of whom seem to have very engaged readers. It's probably best for my mental health that I don't remember which literary magazines made me sad about not promoting work they published, but I think Chill Subs has a way of searching for magazines that are good at promotion.
I had a great experience with Fatal Flaw. They did author interviews, in-person and online readings, and social media posts for each piece. They are not a paying outlet (or at least they weren't two years ago) but I can't recommend them highly enough in terms of professionalism and author promotion.
How much a journal will promote my work is important to me because I do want my poetry to actually get READ...by more than just the editors...and I've specifically submitted to journals that I know reach an audience that I want to reach, whether the journal is prestigious or not.
I don't personally have time or inclination to do a lot on social media (I do a little bit--@thisquiethour on X ...or Twitter??...whatever!) but I'm not in a place in my life where I can devote the time necessary to make an impact on social media--so I want a journal (or indie press) that can help me with that. A lot of journals (and indie presses....) do drop the ball with promotion, and it's something I am being more careful about with where I submit moving forward.
I see your point, Renee, but I feel it's important to get your words spread as far as possible, and every publication is a win, is it not?
Definitely! And sometimes I'm surprised by how far a little unassuming journal is able to promote my work! But with limited time to send out my work, I do aim first for the journals I Know are really getting their contributors work seen.
Yes! I agree!
YES. I find that lit mag publication often feels so transactional. Editors will accept my work without really saying anything they like about it (just "We would like to publish this, is it still available"), then hit publish a couple months later, tweet out one link to the issue, and be done. I never hear from any staff or readers that they read it or anything they liked about it. It feels like it just gets tossed out into a void.
I wonder if this norm is just as weird for them. Like they don’t know how to go about it. I imagine the work itself interrupts what seems like what should happen here. And they’re also putting something out and maybe looking for feedback instead of thinking of themselves as sources of that engagement.
Eleanor, this is one reason why Verse-Virtual is so wonderful. It's not just an online journal; folks read each other's writing - mostly poetry - and, if so moved, write to each other about their work. It's such a delight to hear from someone that they really liked my poem(s)! And to let others know when I appreciate their work. I've made some friendships there, over time, very sweet.
Dear Author Friends,
I agree with my colleagues that most literary journals could do more to promote the work of their writers and artists. This is good publicity for the literary magazines, too. Some journals organize online or in-person readings and other creative ways to give contributors public exposure. I appreciate those colleagues who have listed magazines that really make an effort to publicize authors and artists.
Best wishes for the spring!
Janet Ruth Heller
Author of the poetry books Nature’s Olympics (Wipf and Stock, 2021), Exodus (WordTech Editions, 2014), Folk Concert: Changing Times (Anaphora Literary Press, 2012) and Traffic Stop (Finishing Line Press, 2011); the scholarly book Coleridge, Lamb, Hazlitt, and the Reader of Drama (University of Missouri Press, 1990); the middle-grade chapter book for kids The Passover Surprise (Fictive Press, 2015, 2016); and the award-winning picture book for kids about bullying, How the Moon Regained Her Shape (Arbordale, 2006; seventh edition 2022).
My website is https://www.janetruthheller.com/
Two thoughts, LindaAnn: One, since it's reasonable to conclude they're not interested, don't bother to withdraw your ms. Should one actually show interest--and a comet hasn't hit you first--just politely inform them you assumed it got lost or flushed down the slush toilet and you've moved on. Two, if you want to be Machiavellian and stay in good graces with a few whom you prize the most, you might deign to make a formal withdrawal. You don't need to give a reason. BTW, an illustrated Halloween collection seems like it would be a scream!
The full page customized b/w drawings certainly add to the enjoyment.
My "author portrait" has me facing front at my desk - - - as a skeleton sneaks up and my blue point Siamese cat arches his back (all out of my sight line).
I will also use the "author portrait" as this year's Hallowe'en card.
Another problem is when litmags have changing staff and the original people who loved your work no longer go through submissions there. A main reason of why litmags continue to not promote is simply because we literally don't demand them to. If people keep submitting quietly, then why change?
Magazines promote their authors? What a shock. I've not encountered any.
Joyce, I have the smelling salts right here!!!! :-)
Me too!
What annoys me is when an online magazine won't even let you know when the issue comes out. I have to leave myself sticky notes to check up up certain publications to see if the issue with my work is out.
Also, I recently had a great experience with West Trestle Review. They promoted my poem (and others from the issue) individually on social media and had a fun off site event at awp. Another great journal is ONE ART. They are awesome at promoting via social media
For me, promotion is more important than being paid. I make way more money at my day job than I do writing poems and stories. The payment makes me feel like my work is valued by editors—a good thing for sure—but promotion is so much more important. I write because I want people to read what I write. Not as a way to make money. And, as a reader I’ve discovered new writers from following journals that aggressively promote their contributions.
Great question. It's certainly important to me that a lit journal will promote my work, particularly if I'm submitting for free. I want my works read and, hopefully, enjoyed by others.
Thanks to all of you who are giving a shout-out to pubs that give good exposure...I'm taking notes. lol
I wish lit mags did more promotion too. Some have links at the bottom of stories that send you to related or similarly themed stories. I don't see why they can't do that on social media: give each author their own horn-tooting the week of publication, and the following week, connect older stories in a thread. Promote back issues, especially when those back issues are free or heavily discounted; that brings in people like me who can't afford to buy much reading material. It's especially depressing when the only payment you get is exposure, as this author mentions. We put long hours into these stories; it's not much to ask to get promoted once in a while. Equally depressing is when the magazine folds and they don't even notify you. You just realize one day your links are broken and your story isn't archived, so you can't even point your readership in its direction.
The folks at Chill Subs made of list of journals that do a nice job of promoting writers: https://subclub.substack.com/p/want-attention-on-social-media-submit
And the folks at the flash journal Five Minutes are doing something interesting. Contributors to the journal can let them know about their new published work and Five Minutes includes a High 5's! section in their newsletter where they list with links.
I have had work published in lit mags and anthologies in the past and received neither monetary compensation nor so-called exposure of any worth. Like any other artisan, I expect to get paid for my work, the time and effort as well as my skillful execution. I will no longer submit work to any venue that does not recognize the value of my work and pay me accordingly. It need not be much, a token payment will do, but it must be something more than copies or the promise of promotion. Last I checked, neither my mortgage company nor the supermarket accepted either in lieu of cold hard cash.
So here's a question. What mags are the best at promoting and what ones are not?
Which magazines send you emails. You see them in Facebook and Instagram? You hear about their editors, or the causes that they pursue. A magazine like the New Yorker does not have to do a thing, yet they are omnipotent, they simply say, Here I am, and they are. The Paris Review, used to be only in print and received stories only with a SASE. Remember those? Then they woke up. Developed an online presence and began to accept through Submittable. Then you have places like The Masters, or Common, that tend to be mainly online, but they are constantly promoting. So, I guess the answer is, it all depends. For my money, more important than how much they promote would be how aggressive do these publications enter the O'Henry's, Pushcart and BASS.
I admit I don't generally sign up for emails nor do I follow on social media. I get far too many emails as it is and right now, I'm REALLY burnt out on social media. I have started paying attention to the ones who say they nominate for Pushcart and Best of the Web, or whatever it's called.
Hmmm, been nominated for Pushcart and thrice of Best of the Net-- doesn't seem to make much difference....
Wow. My respects go to you, Sir. Perhaps the only thing I can say to you is what is the alternative. I live on hope. Other wise you have some financial security, and then look at the grass grow. I prefer to go with my sword in my hand, still trying, still having hope, still believing. It makes for a better day, even when it's a shitty one. The problem I see often is that we want the big goal, and when it doesn't happen we give up. But if we think the goal is the now, the freedom to write awesome stories and don't give a (nastiest expletive you can imagine) you set yourself free. If you achieved such, there are still in you stories of that caliber. Do not deprive us of that. Keep going. Keep trying, Even when it feels like not your best.