Very helpful, Becky, as I transition from years of rejections and near-misses at "top tier" mags to online mags. In fact, thx to you, a story of mine came out on BULL just this morning (my experience with them similar to yours). My feeling: better to be a member of a club that'll have you than to pine for one that won't. I'll continue to aim high with some stuff (though response time def matters!), but I've recently enjoyed hearing from several editors who like my work. BTW, this appears to be another advantage of smaller scale zines--a better chance of having a senior editor, opposed to a slush pile newbie--read your work.
GREAT post! I use Duotrope to try to hone in on lit mags that would be a good match. I write both fiction and creative nonfiction. I really want to do two things: get paid for my writing work, and build a portfolio of published pieces hoping that that will help me publish a book in the future. I have, in order to jumpstart my portfolio, submitted—and gotten published very quickly—in no-pay online lit mags. In particular I had a flash fiction piece about a female super hero just trying to have breakfast at a diner and take a break when a man bursts in and tries to rob the place. I had a hard time placing that one or even finding a place that might possibly accept it. So I switched to including non-paying lit mags in my search on Duotrope, found one that sounded good, did some research on them, and sent it in. I received an enthusiastic response within 24 hours! Two days later, my work was up! That kind of response can really charge your battery too! Thanks for the tips, they are good ones!
Thanks for this clear and detailed description of your submission process, Becky. It gives me new energy for my own submissions. You provide such valuable service to the literary community -- writers, editors, readers. Thanks for your imaginative and encouraging work!
Some great points, Becky. I'm definitely part of the "need a reply in three months or less" club. Also, I only submit to journals that nominate--I think it's a good sign that the editors go the extra mile. Any journal that doesn't have a masthead (preferably with more info than just the names) is a hard pass. I try to submit to places that have been around for at least five years, but that's not a hard and fast rule (especially if the journal is new but I have a piece that may fit their themed issue). I agree that presentation is key; there are many journals with websites that seem amateur or frenetic. Lastly, if I see typos on the submission guidelines page, I'm out. :)
I have definitely been rethinking my lit mag strategies over the last few months. I find that there are lit mags I just routinely want to be in, because I treasure their literary community. I have been working with SubmitIt and Erik Harper Klass on fiction and CNF subs since the spring (two acceptances so far and I always appreciate Erik's editing), because I wonder if I'm shortchanging myself in terms of audience and reach. I also participate in ChillSubs Sub Club and get recommendations once a month. But sometimes I just have a gut feel about fit (I'm a former literary agent) and I want to go with it. I sub a lot of poetry and that's always tricky because I need to package the poems.
These days I still care about prestigious lit mags because I'm in the academy. But I also care about how my work is presented and to whom, nominations for prizes, openness to experimental content and format. I've sent my work to lit mags with higher acceptance rates just because they seem to like the work, I like being a contributor and part of their community.
I admit that I often decide not to submit to certain lit mags because their name rubs me the wrong way. I need to feel proud and not embarrassed or defensive to add their name to my list of where I have published.
First, of course, I look at the magazine, check out the format and the art, read the material it features to check out the quality and subject matter of the material. I don't submit to only-print publications. (Why do they even exist?) If the submitting guidelines are too complicated -- seemingly designed to trap writers and eliminate them before even reading their work -- I don't submit. I don't mind a $3 or $5 fee. Increasingly, though, I don't submit to journals that take longer than 30 days to respond. Life is too short, and I'm too old.
Dear Becky, I read your essay. It was beautifully written and, as a woman with a 91-year-old mother who still drives every day and worries the crap out of me, I felt accompanied. For me, pay becomes of increasing interest now that I am no longer a novice. There are times when an essay simply needs to be out in the world because of the historical moment, but there are other times when it can wait. Anyway, I very much loved the essay. Congratulations. (You did the right thing.)
Great article, I pretty much use the same strategy -- shoot for the stars and after say five rejections I lower my goal. I also typically only submit to places that allow simultaneous submissions so that can speed up the process. Chill Subs allows one to filter for a ton of things including response time and I rarely am willing to wait more than 100 days, although I now have a few submissions that have been out since July or earlier. I couldn't help but wonder if my posting the rejection of my essay from Bull prompted your interest? That essay has since been accepted by Empyrean Literary Magazine . I don't know if this was mentioned, but another reason for writers to get their work published in reviews, is that book publishers (poetry and CNF) almost always want to see a certain percentage of the work previously published in lit. reviews. Some poetry book publishers want at least 50% of the work published in reviews for street cred.
My submissions to lit mags are calculated decisions in service of a larger goal: how these will work into my next poetry book.
In the past two years, poems I wrote were targeted towards "Apprenticed to the Night" (written under contract & released May 2024); or "Felones de Se: Poems about Suicide" (released June 2024); or "Always Haunted: Hallowe'en Poems" (released October 2024).
I have a list of "preferred editors" I always enjoy working with; they don't take too long to get back to me and they promote their contributors.
Since I value my peace-of-mind and the enjoyment of the process, I keep tabs on how well I am treated by a lit mag's staff. I'm not after lit mags who only accept 1% - - nor lit mags who don't respect poets.
The happier I am, the better I write and the more I accomplish.
Last month, for example, I had more than 20 poems published by several lit mags.
Each lit mag submission experience has to result in more LIFT than drag - - or they are off my windscreen.
Interesting article. Some good points here. What I've found over many years of trial-and-error, is that submissions strategy can be really improved by focusing on genres first. Now more than ever, there are specialized online groups (both on and more often, off of Substack) that will provide very helpful and deep lists of markets, that might not be picked up by the more general lists. And this includes special class for anthologies, as well as markets that don't 'usually' take a certain genre, but will for whatever exception or case. It is good to belong to the groups that your genre of interest covers, as you will get a steady stream of information that really helps in the market selection progress.
Thanks again for this great article, it gave me further reason to recommend Lit Mag News on my own Traveller's Literary Supplicant newsletter (which you are all of course welcmoe to check out).
I'm an older writer whose first publication, in a children's newsletter, was in 1966. I've spent my adult life trying to hone my submissions criteria so that work I feel has literary merit appears in lit mags that have a long history of respect, consistent readership, and uninterrupted publication--in younger days, these were the top-tier print literary magazines I prioritized in my submission process. I was willing in the past to wait 8-12 months to hear back and to accept zero payment. After three decades of being rejected by the magazines I most admired in my youth (with the exception of The Sewanee Review, which I continue to hold in the utmost highest esteem and always will), I have thankfully discovered a massive trove of literary magazines (most of them primarily online) far more worthy of my admiration because of their understanding that writers deserve respect on many levels. I now have very streamlined criteria regarding choice of publication venue as a writer who does not have the luxury of time: 1) max response time of 60-90 days; 2) prompt communication with me regarding publication date; 3) clear, up-front communication of rights acquired or bought by the lit mag; and 4) a current, active website that displays work in a way that is readable, correct, and respectful of my effort. It matters much, much less to me that a lit mag is in the so-called "top tier," because ALL of the online lit mags in which I've been published over the past 5 years (who may not be viewed by most as "top tier") have presented my work beautifully, corresponded with me with immense respect, and were quick to correct any formatting problems or discuss edits professionally. And they most certainly understood my concern as an older writer (which I mention upfront) that I very much feel the pressing in of time, and of the long history of marginalization of older women. I have no problem sharing the names of these lit mags here, with hopes that other poets and writers will also have the kind of highly positive experiences I've had with them: $--Poetry is Currency, Poetica Magazine, Ink & Marrow, The Blue Mountain Review, Roi Fainéant, ORLANDO, Sky Island Journal, Lumina Journal, Heavy Feather Review, Emerge Literary Journal, A Plate of Pandemic, Five South, Bulb Culture Collective, engine(idling, ucity review, and The Missing Slate. I will always praise The Sewanee Review (the absolute #1 literary magazine in the US in my humble opinion), and highly recommend the print literary magazines Broad River Review and Spillway Magazine for their high production values and respect for writers.
Hi Becky, I write both memoir pieces and fiction and have been submitting for years. Reading your piece made me feel like I'm not alone, even though I think I am. I published a "Modern Love" piece in 2015 and felt like I won the academy award. I used it to query agents about a novella I was working on but nothing happened. As far as my current writing, I need to know I'm going to get a response within two months or less. I don't mind paying the occasional submit fee. Getting paid for a piece is not important though I was completely surprised when I found out trampset, who accepted a piece a couple of weeks ago, is going to pay me $25! And publish the piece early Dec.
Very helpful, Becky, as I transition from years of rejections and near-misses at "top tier" mags to online mags. In fact, thx to you, a story of mine came out on BULL just this morning (my experience with them similar to yours). My feeling: better to be a member of a club that'll have you than to pine for one that won't. I'll continue to aim high with some stuff (though response time def matters!), but I've recently enjoyed hearing from several editors who like my work. BTW, this appears to be another advantage of smaller scale zines--a better chance of having a senior editor, opposed to a slush pile newbie--read your work.
I saw your piece there today, Shelby. Congrats!!
GREAT post! I use Duotrope to try to hone in on lit mags that would be a good match. I write both fiction and creative nonfiction. I really want to do two things: get paid for my writing work, and build a portfolio of published pieces hoping that that will help me publish a book in the future. I have, in order to jumpstart my portfolio, submitted—and gotten published very quickly—in no-pay online lit mags. In particular I had a flash fiction piece about a female super hero just trying to have breakfast at a diner and take a break when a man bursts in and tries to rob the place. I had a hard time placing that one or even finding a place that might possibly accept it. So I switched to including non-paying lit mags in my search on Duotrope, found one that sounded good, did some research on them, and sent it in. I received an enthusiastic response within 24 hours! Two days later, my work was up! That kind of response can really charge your battery too! Thanks for the tips, they are good ones!
Thanks for this clear and detailed description of your submission process, Becky. It gives me new energy for my own submissions. You provide such valuable service to the literary community -- writers, editors, readers. Thanks for your imaginative and encouraging work!
Some great points, Becky. I'm definitely part of the "need a reply in three months or less" club. Also, I only submit to journals that nominate--I think it's a good sign that the editors go the extra mile. Any journal that doesn't have a masthead (preferably with more info than just the names) is a hard pass. I try to submit to places that have been around for at least five years, but that's not a hard and fast rule (especially if the journal is new but I have a piece that may fit their themed issue). I agree that presentation is key; there are many journals with websites that seem amateur or frenetic. Lastly, if I see typos on the submission guidelines page, I'm out. :)
I have definitely been rethinking my lit mag strategies over the last few months. I find that there are lit mags I just routinely want to be in, because I treasure their literary community. I have been working with SubmitIt and Erik Harper Klass on fiction and CNF subs since the spring (two acceptances so far and I always appreciate Erik's editing), because I wonder if I'm shortchanging myself in terms of audience and reach. I also participate in ChillSubs Sub Club and get recommendations once a month. But sometimes I just have a gut feel about fit (I'm a former literary agent) and I want to go with it. I sub a lot of poetry and that's always tricky because I need to package the poems.
These days I still care about prestigious lit mags because I'm in the academy. But I also care about how my work is presented and to whom, nominations for prizes, openness to experimental content and format. I've sent my work to lit mags with higher acceptance rates just because they seem to like the work, I like being a contributor and part of their community.
I admit that I often decide not to submit to certain lit mags because their name rubs me the wrong way. I need to feel proud and not embarrassed or defensive to add their name to my list of where I have published.
Yes, I always analyze whether or not I’d be proud to show my work on a particular website. Although, I’m pretty open-minded as well.
First, of course, I look at the magazine, check out the format and the art, read the material it features to check out the quality and subject matter of the material. I don't submit to only-print publications. (Why do they even exist?) If the submitting guidelines are too complicated -- seemingly designed to trap writers and eliminate them before even reading their work -- I don't submit. I don't mind a $3 or $5 fee. Increasingly, though, I don't submit to journals that take longer than 30 days to respond. Life is too short, and I'm too old.
Dear Becky, I read your essay. It was beautifully written and, as a woman with a 91-year-old mother who still drives every day and worries the crap out of me, I felt accompanied. For me, pay becomes of increasing interest now that I am no longer a novice. There are times when an essay simply needs to be out in the world because of the historical moment, but there are other times when it can wait. Anyway, I very much loved the essay. Congratulations. (You did the right thing.)
Thank you so much, D.P.
Great article, I pretty much use the same strategy -- shoot for the stars and after say five rejections I lower my goal. I also typically only submit to places that allow simultaneous submissions so that can speed up the process. Chill Subs allows one to filter for a ton of things including response time and I rarely am willing to wait more than 100 days, although I now have a few submissions that have been out since July or earlier. I couldn't help but wonder if my posting the rejection of my essay from Bull prompted your interest? That essay has since been accepted by Empyrean Literary Magazine . I don't know if this was mentioned, but another reason for writers to get their work published in reviews, is that book publishers (poetry and CNF) almost always want to see a certain percentage of the work previously published in lit. reviews. Some poetry book publishers want at least 50% of the work published in reviews for street cred.
My submissions to lit mags are calculated decisions in service of a larger goal: how these will work into my next poetry book.
In the past two years, poems I wrote were targeted towards "Apprenticed to the Night" (written under contract & released May 2024); or "Felones de Se: Poems about Suicide" (released June 2024); or "Always Haunted: Hallowe'en Poems" (released October 2024).
I have a list of "preferred editors" I always enjoy working with; they don't take too long to get back to me and they promote their contributors.
Since I value my peace-of-mind and the enjoyment of the process, I keep tabs on how well I am treated by a lit mag's staff. I'm not after lit mags who only accept 1% - - nor lit mags who don't respect poets.
The happier I am, the better I write and the more I accomplish.
Last month, for example, I had more than 20 poems published by several lit mags.
Each lit mag submission experience has to result in more LIFT than drag - - or they are off my windscreen.
I love your attitude and process and the self-care it incorporates! Thank you!
Thanks Becky, this article is a real gift, particularly for me as I am relatively new to the world of Lit Mag submissions. Brava!
I tend to avoid submitting to places that have a submission fee but don’t pay contributors.
Thank you for sharing the process of submitting. I appreciate your articles. 👍
Interesting article. Some good points here. What I've found over many years of trial-and-error, is that submissions strategy can be really improved by focusing on genres first. Now more than ever, there are specialized online groups (both on and more often, off of Substack) that will provide very helpful and deep lists of markets, that might not be picked up by the more general lists. And this includes special class for anthologies, as well as markets that don't 'usually' take a certain genre, but will for whatever exception or case. It is good to belong to the groups that your genre of interest covers, as you will get a steady stream of information that really helps in the market selection progress.
Thanks again for this great article, it gave me further reason to recommend Lit Mag News on my own Traveller's Literary Supplicant newsletter (which you are all of course welcmoe to check out).
Have a nie weekend, and happy writing all.
I'm an older writer whose first publication, in a children's newsletter, was in 1966. I've spent my adult life trying to hone my submissions criteria so that work I feel has literary merit appears in lit mags that have a long history of respect, consistent readership, and uninterrupted publication--in younger days, these were the top-tier print literary magazines I prioritized in my submission process. I was willing in the past to wait 8-12 months to hear back and to accept zero payment. After three decades of being rejected by the magazines I most admired in my youth (with the exception of The Sewanee Review, which I continue to hold in the utmost highest esteem and always will), I have thankfully discovered a massive trove of literary magazines (most of them primarily online) far more worthy of my admiration because of their understanding that writers deserve respect on many levels. I now have very streamlined criteria regarding choice of publication venue as a writer who does not have the luxury of time: 1) max response time of 60-90 days; 2) prompt communication with me regarding publication date; 3) clear, up-front communication of rights acquired or bought by the lit mag; and 4) a current, active website that displays work in a way that is readable, correct, and respectful of my effort. It matters much, much less to me that a lit mag is in the so-called "top tier," because ALL of the online lit mags in which I've been published over the past 5 years (who may not be viewed by most as "top tier") have presented my work beautifully, corresponded with me with immense respect, and were quick to correct any formatting problems or discuss edits professionally. And they most certainly understood my concern as an older writer (which I mention upfront) that I very much feel the pressing in of time, and of the long history of marginalization of older women. I have no problem sharing the names of these lit mags here, with hopes that other poets and writers will also have the kind of highly positive experiences I've had with them: $--Poetry is Currency, Poetica Magazine, Ink & Marrow, The Blue Mountain Review, Roi Fainéant, ORLANDO, Sky Island Journal, Lumina Journal, Heavy Feather Review, Emerge Literary Journal, A Plate of Pandemic, Five South, Bulb Culture Collective, engine(idling, ucity review, and The Missing Slate. I will always praise The Sewanee Review (the absolute #1 literary magazine in the US in my humble opinion), and highly recommend the print literary magazines Broad River Review and Spillway Magazine for their high production values and respect for writers.
Thank you - this is very helpful, and resonates well with my experience as an older writer
Hi Becky, I write both memoir pieces and fiction and have been submitting for years. Reading your piece made me feel like I'm not alone, even though I think I am. I published a "Modern Love" piece in 2015 and felt like I won the academy award. I used it to query agents about a novella I was working on but nothing happened. As far as my current writing, I need to know I'm going to get a response within two months or less. I don't mind paying the occasional submit fee. Getting paid for a piece is not important though I was completely surprised when I found out trampset, who accepted a piece a couple of weeks ago, is going to pay me $25! And publish the piece early Dec.