Starting to Submit-- Also Questions

DanielSTJ · Oct 20, 2018

I am currently in the process of starting to submit works for publication. This is a big step for me.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips about this? I'm completely new. My strategy so far is to read a few stories/poems/etc from the magazine and then write my own piece-- of course following the guidelines.

Is this it? What do I do?

Thanks ahead of time!

Maryn · Oct 20, 2018

That's one approach--know what they buy and write something similar.

Another is to write what you want then seek a market for it, altering it as necessary to fit guidelines.

It's an act of courage to sub, so we're really proud of you!

Elle. · Oct 20, 2018

You have to do what works best for you. I cannot write on command or to different styles to fit different publications. I write what I want to write and then search for the magazines that matches the style of the story and submit to them.

Lakey · Oct 20, 2018

Daniel, forgive me if I’ve just missed it, but have you shared much of your work for crit here on SYW? If not, are you getting critiques from someone else? Either is fine, but one of the most important things you can do for your writing is get feedback from readers, especially (but not necessarily exclusively) from readers who are also writers.

As to your other question - I would never have thought of setting out to write something to a particular publication’s style. I would go the other way around - write the stories that are in me, and then search for markets that might be interested in those stories. But I am not all that experienced, and if others take this approach with success, so much the better.

Good luck!

ISO_LunaGitana · Nov 23, 2018

Hmmm ... Not sure I agree with Lakey. Most respectfully, I offer that writing to the target pub is how one pays the rent.

I want to be clear though, that I have NO EARTHLY IDEA whether what I say is true.

It's just what I've heard and read.

I'm not paying my rent by writing ... But, the words I put together aren't a precious little part of me, either. If an editor doesn't like it, what did I lose by sending it out?

cjalbert · Nov 28, 2018

What kinds of works?

Are you submitting poetry? Short stories? Flash? And what kinds of venues do you want to target?

Starting to Submit-- Also Questions

DanielSTJ

The Wandering Bard

Maryn

At Sea

Elle.

Lakey

professional dilettante

ISO_LunaGitana

cjalbert