Fantastic! My favorite guest contributors to this substack are the ones who do exactly this - reveal the plan, the strategy, and where it worked and/or failed. Brava!
"Finding the right place", definitely. I write genre fiction and this applies too. And finding the right place comes with experience and multiple tries. And finding out where people that write "like you" get published. I also used to submit widely and my list has narrowed down somewhat, although I still try out new places when I believe a piece would fit their tastes nicely.
This inspires me to crack open the stack of journals on my nightstand and really examine what's there. I appreciate the strategy of longstanding journals. Thank you, Katherine!
Great post--emphasizes the time and persistence it takes. I liked that you knew you weren't ready when agent #2 approached. That takes courage and belief in yourself and your work.
Thank you so much for sharing! This is extremely helpful and I hope to follow suit and remain positive; maintain my stamina, both towards writing and the publishing process.
Super helpful! I have submitted to Lit journals a couple years ago after reading so many of them carefully and selecting the ones that seemed most aligned. They all got rejected - which is actually what prompted me to start a Substack! - but this encouraged me to give another go. It’s such a long game but you show that for some it’s worth it!
I enjoyed this, great advice. As an undergrad, I won the AROHO Orlando Prize in 2014— was this the one you were shortlisted for? It jumpstarted my career locally— lots of readings, etc. I won this prize the very first time I ever sent an essay (or anything!) to a contest! It was wild!!! Here's the essay: http://aroomofherownfoundation.org/letter-to-my-sister-in-a-mental-hospital-by-julia-laxer/
Interesting post and comments. I find that I spend as much time looking for the right home for my stories as I do writing them in the first place. It can be daunting, especially when one of those “right homes” sends you a rejection.
Loved reading this incredibly helpful narrative and discovering links to your amazing journal publications as a way to explore more of your work and story!
How Literary Journal Publishing Built My Career
Fantastic! My favorite guest contributors to this substack are the ones who do exactly this - reveal the plan, the strategy, and where it worked and/or failed. Brava!
"Finding the right place", definitely. I write genre fiction and this applies too. And finding the right place comes with experience and multiple tries. And finding out where people that write "like you" get published. I also used to submit widely and my list has narrowed down somewhat, although I still try out new places when I believe a piece would fit their tastes nicely.
This inspires me to crack open the stack of journals on my nightstand and really examine what's there. I appreciate the strategy of longstanding journals. Thank you, Katherine!
Great post--emphasizes the time and persistence it takes. I liked that you knew you weren't ready when agent #2 approached. That takes courage and belief in yourself and your work.
Thank you so much for sharing! This is extremely helpful and I hope to follow suit and remain positive; maintain my stamina, both towards writing and the publishing process.
Super helpful! I have submitted to Lit journals a couple years ago after reading so many of them carefully and selecting the ones that seemed most aligned. They all got rejected - which is actually what prompted me to start a Substack! - but this encouraged me to give another go. It’s such a long game but you show that for some it’s worth it!
Fascinating background. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much for this great overview of your progress. It's inspiring and perspective-changing.
Great advice. Thank you!
I enjoyed this, great advice. As an undergrad, I won the AROHO Orlando Prize in 2014— was this the one you were shortlisted for? It jumpstarted my career locally— lots of readings, etc. I won this prize the very first time I ever sent an essay (or anything!) to a contest! It was wild!!! Here's the essay: http://aroomofherownfoundation.org/letter-to-my-sister-in-a-mental-hospital-by-julia-laxer/
Incredibly helpful! Thank you for sharing.
"Lightning Flowers"? I have that book out from the library right now.
Interesting post and comments. I find that I spend as much time looking for the right home for my stories as I do writing them in the first place. It can be daunting, especially when one of those “right homes” sends you a rejection.
Loved reading this incredibly helpful narrative and discovering links to your amazing journal publications as a way to explore more of your work and story!
Outstanding! I found this helpful and inspiring. Thanks!
This is wonderful.