"Tap Into the Thing That Feels Familiar to You." Q & A with Dennis Sweeney, Author of How to Submit
"Can submission be an offering?"
Howdy, it’s me again! I come with another interview, freshly in the books!
Today I chatted with author and poet Dennis James Sweeney.
[Sweeney’s] fiction, nonfiction, and poetry have appeared in Ecotone, Ninth Letter, The New York Times, The Southern Review, and Witness, among others. Formerly a Small Press Editor at Entropy and Assistant Editor at Denver Quarterly, he has an MFA from Oregon State University and a PhD from the University of Denver.
Dennis is also the author of How to Submit, “[a] comprehensive guide to getting published with literary magazines and small presses — and taking ownership of your own publishing life.”
Dennis has a thoughtful and grounded approach to the entire submissions process. What should writers do when they feel discouraged? I asked. What should writers do when they feel overwhelmed or frustrated with the process, worried they’ve plateaued or don’t know how to navigate the lit mag maze? “First,” Dennis said. “Take a breath.”
Dennis talked about a submissions process that allows for acknowledging one’s own vulnerability. Yes, all writers need to have a thick skin and not take rejections personally. But acknowledging one’s own desire to see acceptance of one’s writing, acknowledging the momentary hurt or disappointment, is an important part of remaining resilient and soldiering on.
Throughout today’s chat, Dennis had a wealth of insights and advice to impart. Dennis shared his own writing and publishing journey, which began with him finding the kind of hybrid and experimental writing that he wanted to be doing (as opposed to the kind he felt he should be doing), and finding the journals that matched his aesthetic.
He was an Editor with Entropy and wrote reviews for HTMLGiant, when both those venues were around. This work helped him forge meaningful connections in the literary world, which benefitted him not only professionally but psychologically. This work allowed him part of the community on his own terms, rather than feeling he had to wait for his writing to be accepted before “breaking in.”
Another topic we explored is how to regard the act of “submission.” Must it always feel like supplication? Could a submission be an offering? A gift? Is there a way writers can feel more empowered and less like they’re begging for entrance into some magical pearly-gated kingdom? Speaking of which, what might Dennis say to writers who worry their work is not even being read at all?
It was a lovely conversation, in which Dennis had great answers to our questions, and also shared additional thoughts on identity, disability, feeling “locked in” to only writing about certain things, what it means to have “a voice,” and much more.
To catch it all, you can tune in below!
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To everyone who came out today, thank you for participating! Your faces make the June sunshine so much brighter!
And thank you to Dennis for taking the time to shed light on another corner of little magazines.
Happy viewing!