Where to Submit
by Julia Wilson
It’s time! You have a piece you have been working on for months, you’ve had it read by peers and mentors, and you are ready to have the world read it. So where should you submit it? There are hundreds (sometimes thousands, depending on your search filters) of possible publications out there, both online and in print form. Some pay contributors, most do not.
How do you choose where to send your piece?
First of all, submitting is not difficult. Publications very clearly set out their requirements and expectations. Follow them carefully. Many use Submittable for submissions, which is free to use, and easy to check up on your progress.
Some publications, like Poets and Writers, are dedicated to finding suitable publications for writers. Resources like the Chill Subs and NewPages sites have huge lists of publication possibilities. But you are the best judge of where you would like to be published.
Read as many publications as you can. Most have an online presence and can be read for free. Carefully judge if the publication is a fit for you. Do you enjoy the writing? Do you see your writing as a good fit there? Are pieces the same general length as yours? Do they print poetry in most issues? Would you be proud to be published there?
As you are reading copiously, take special notice of writers you enjoy reading. Check out their bios, and look up other publications where they have been published. They might very likely also be a good fit for you.
And it might be a good idea to check out contests. Many publications conduct contests at least once a year. The pro? If you win, it’s a great thing. Even if you don’t win, you can read the submissions of those who did and learn some tips. The con? Your chances of winning may be slim, given the number of submissions.
I often get pieces rejected, sometimes get accepted. I have started to get an idea of what sort of publication will publish the sort of prose I write. I have never earned a penny from any accepted piece. That doesn’t matter to me—I’m just happy to see my work in print. But as a BR editor, I’m glad that we do pay the writers we publish.