Trying to get creative writing published can seem like a daunting task. When I first started back in 2016, I submitted a few poems to my school’s literary magazine. A few months later, they declined my work. At the time, rejection felt like the end of the world. I felt like my writing wasn’t good enough, and I didn’t submit poems for another two years.
A lot has changed since then. Now, I am about a month away from earning my MFA in creative writing. I also run my own poetry magazine (Brave Voices Magazine) where I have published the work of other writers since the summer of 2018. Thus far, I’ve managed to publish about a dozen or so of my own poems in various journals that I would read even if they didn’t accept my work.
If you’re thinking about sharing your creative writing with the world, it’s helpful to learn some tips and tricks that you can use on your publishing journey. I highly recommend you make sure you feel good about your work before sending it out to magazines, so you won’t dwell in self-pity if your pieces don’t get chosen. Knowing that I sent in my best work made rejection slightly easier to handle.
Find the Right Journals
Finding the right journals to publish your work is a game changer. You can use sites like Chill Subs, Duotrope and even Twitter to find out who is accepting submissions — or who is about to in the next few months. Also, be sure to read other published pieces from a journal before submitting your own creative writing samples to see if they would be a good fit. If a writer wouldn’t read the magazine, why would they want to be published in it?
Submitting creative writing is kind of like applying to college. In an ideal situation, there are no “safety schools” because publishing is a relatively low-stakes thing to do. It’s okay to get your hopes up. In fact, that’s what many famous authors encourage lesser-known writers to do. Who knows where these poems, essays and stories will end up? Creative writing can find a home anywhere.
Track Your Submissions
When I am actively submitting my creative work, I usually have a spreadsheet going. I organize my submissions by journal, genre, submission date and the response — that is, whether the pieces have been accepted, rejected, or if I am still waiting to hear back. I even color-coordinate each row: green for accepted, red for rejected and yellow for pending. It’s very satisfying to see the colors change.
Over time, you should notice a pattern in your submissions. If certain pieces are being rejected over and over again, they may need to be revised. If you believe the work is at its very best, then maybe it just needs to be submitted to different journals. The process of submitting creative writing for publication can take months, so be patient.
Read the Submission Instructions
As a journal editor, I can’t tell you how many people do not read the instructions posted on our website. Sometimes, we’ll get novel submissions despite being a poetry-only publication. Taking the time to read and follow a journal’s instructions will set writers apart from their fellow submitters. It shows that a writer really cares, and it makes it that much easier for editors to take their submissions seriously.
Submit a Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter might sound pretty terrifying, but it’s really not that bad. All you need to do is address the letter, “Dear Editors,” then write a short paragraph explaining that you are sending a certain number of pieces. End with something nice, such as “I look forward to hearing back from you” or “Have a nice day,” and you’re done! A cover letter doesn’t need to be overly formal, and in most cases, you do not need to try to impress the editors. The decision of what work to publish usually comes from an evaluation of a writer’s work rather than their credentials.
Don’t Use Crazy Fonts
While writers want their work to stand out, they also need to be careful to not stand out in the wrong way. Try to use Times New Roman for prose or Garamond for poetry. Other editors will have their own font preferences, but as long as you stick to something pretty basic, you should be good to go.
Follow Up If It’s Been More Than Six Months
No one wants to annoy a journal’s editors, but sometimes, it is a must. Unless the publication stated in their instructions that decisions will take more than six months to go out, which shouldn’t necessarily be the case, feel free to check in on your submission. Just do so in a polite way.
Don’t Take Rejection Personally
This statement is easier said than done. But as an editor, there is only so much work that I am able to publish, and many of the poets who submit to my magazine will be rejected. It’s not because they are bad writers; it just means that their work wasn’t the very best fit. The process of deciding what goes into a magazine and what doesn’t is very subjective. For instance, the editor may be tired or in a bad mood, or they may have very specific preferences for the type of work they accept. Maybe the magazine already took a piece similar to yours that week. Anything can happen, so it’s best to stay optimistic and keep submitting your work.
One last tidbit before I go: When it comes to publishing your work, the writing is often the greatest reward. No one can take that part of the process away from you. So, I urge you to revel in your time when the writing belongs to you and to you only. It makes sharing your work later on so much better.
