Did you know that some of the most successful SFF authors got their start submitting to magazines? Stephen King, Kelly Link, Gregory Maguire, and tons more have graced the pages of some prestigious literary journals (and probably some not-so-prestigious, too). Now, it’s your turn.
If you’ve never submitted your writing before, don’t worry. We’ll guide you through everything you need to know.
Why submit to literary magazines?
Submitting to literary magazines and journals can give you (up to) three very important things: practice, exposure, and money.
They’re great practice because they get you writing, producing work, sending it out, fine-tuning, and sending it out again. These are all essential life skills if you want to be a writer.
They can give you exposure by getting your name out into the world. Many literary agents read popular journals to scope upcoming talent. If you land a place in an online magazine, you then get a professional link to your work which you can cast to the winds of social media. Prior publications also show industry professionals that you’re serious about your craft.
Finally, many (though not all) literary magazines pay for stories and poems. This can range from a small honorarium to a few hundred dollars, depending on length. While it may not be enough to pay your rent, it can certainly make life a little brighter for a while.
How to get your work out in 6 easy steps
Ready to land that byline? Here are the steps that will get your work published.
Step 1: Write something awesome
Easy, right? Not so fast – take your time drafting and revising your story or poem to a pristine shine. If you send out a rough piece of writing and it gets rejected (more on rejection below), then you won’t be able to resubmit to the same place with the same work. In other words, that particular bridge has gone up in smoke. Write something you’re proud of that’s ready to face the cold, hard world.
New to writing short speculative fiction? We have some tips to get you started.
Step 2: Research literary journals who get you
Not all literary magazines are going to be right for your writing style. For example, Corvid Queen specialises in feminist folklore and fairy tales, while 365 Tomorrows publishes solid sci-fi. Some magazines love high-action, plot-driven narratives, while others prefer softer, character-driven work. Look around and find the markets who publish what you like to write.
Step 3: Read the submission guidelines carefully
The number one reason writers get rejected from literary magazines? Not following the guidelines set down by that particular editor.
Submission guidelines are not a one-size-fits-all operation. Many have rigorous word counts, and won’t take stories that are too short or too long. Some require stories to follow a particular theme or guiding message. Some have seen too many vampire/mermaid/closing-time-at-the-elftown-bar stories and are no longer accepting that kind of writing. Follow the submission guidelines like your life depends on it.
Step 4: Submit your work using the magazine’s preferred method
In addition to their content guidelines, more literary journals have specific avenues through which they accept submissions. Some editors prefer to receive work by email, while others use an online submissions manager like Submittable or Duotrope. Also be sure to submit only during an open reading period – some journals stay open all the time, but some only accept work in short bursts throughout the year.
Step 5: Keep meticulous records
Once you start submitting, be sure to keep track of what you’re doing. Using your preferred method, write down which story you sent, where you’ve sent it to, and the date. Once you receive a response from the magazine, write that down too.
You can use a spreadsheet for this, an app, or just a Word document. The submissions platform Submittable now has a function in which you can record all of your submissions so they’re easily viewable in one place. This is really important because if you send a story out to a bunch of magazines and one comes back saying they want it, you’ll have to let all the others know that it’s no longer available.
Step 6: Wash, rinse, repeat
The number-one most important trait a writer can have isn’t talent – it’s persistence. When you first start out (and even when you’ve been doing it for a while), you’re going to come up against some rejection. This might be because your writing style wasn’t quite the right fit for the editor reading it, or they may have received another story that was very similar (you followed the submissions guidelines, right??).
Try not to take it personally. Look over your work to see if there’s anything you can improve, then send it somewhere else. Eventually, your story or poem will land where it belongs.
Some important terms you should know
That wasn’t so tough, was it? Before you begin, there are a few terms which you’ll come across again and again. Here’s a quick guide.
Simultaneous submissions
This means that you send the same story to a bunch of different magazines at the same time. Most magazine editors understand that you can’t put all your writing dreams in one basket, and so they’ll state that they allow simultaneous submissions. Some, however, prefer that you send your story to just them and them alone, and wait for a response before sending it elsewhere.
Multiple submissions
This means that you can send more than one piece to the same magazine at a time. If a magazine allows multiple submissions, and you have two stories you really love, you don’t have to choose your favourite – you can send them both. If the magazine says they don’t allow multiple submissions, you should send one and wait for a response before sending another one.
Submissions fee
Some literary journals charge writers a small fee to submit. This is because running a publication can be an expensive endeavour with little in the way of financial reward. If you’re concerned about whether or not a submission fee is legitimate, take a look at this article here.
Contributor’s copy
This means that the writer (the ‘contributor’) gets a copy of the magazine in which their work appears. Some magazines offer this as an alternative to monetary payment, while others offer it in addition.
Identifying information
Some literary journals like to review submissions ‘blind’, which means they don’t know anything about who sent it. This helps stave off unconscious biases and stigmas. If the submissions guidelines say ‘no identifying information’, that means make sure you don’t put your name, email, mailing address, or anything about you on the piece you’re sending. If you do, it will be automatically disqualified.
Previously published
The majority of literary journals ask that the work sent to them isn’t ‘previously published’, which means it’s fresh off the press and hasn’t appeared in public anywhere else. This includes printed books and magazines, online literary journals, and your own personal website and/or social media. If it’s been previously available for public consumption in any way, that counts as being published (an exception to the rule is if you posted a story in a private workshop group for peer feedback).
Ready? Go land those submission calls!
Fija Callaghan is an author, poet, and unapologetic daydreamer. Her work has been shortlisted and longlisted for a number of short story prizes, and you can find her writing in publications like Gingerbread House, Crow & Cross Keys, Corvid Queen, and Mythic Magazine. When not writing or helping other writers get the best out of their work, she can be found haunting her local bookshops or watching the tide come in.
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