When it’s time to accept silence as a rejection

when silence is a rejection

Sending off your writing to be considered by one of your favorite publications can be both exciting and nerve wracking. On the one hand, you are proud of your work and couldn’t imagine a better home for it. On the other, there’s the intense fear of rejection. Having that dream publication tell you your story … Continue reading When it’s time to accept silence as a rejection

Literary Magazine Submissions: What You Need to Know in 2022

Everything you need to know about submitting your writing to literary magazines in 2022

If you write short fiction or poetry, your best bet for publication is a literary magazine. While it’s difficult to earn a lot of money as a short story writer or poet, you can definitely accomplish a lot by getting published in a literary magazine. There are thousands of active literary magazines accepting submissions right … Continue reading Literary Magazine Submissions: What You Need to Know in 2022

3 Reasons Your Writing Hasn’t Been Published Yet

3 reasons you haven't been published yet

Having your writing published is a huge accomplishment. Whether we’re talking about a short story published in an online journal or a big book deal, any publication is a big deal and should make you proud. Having your writing rejected, on the other hand, can leave you frustrated and make you think you aren’t good … Continue reading 3 Reasons Your Writing Hasn’t Been Published Yet

MFAsplaining and how it hurts writers everywhere

Meet the MFAsplainer, the writer with an MFA who looks down on all other writers

Most writers are good people, regardless of what their credentials are. I have a lot of friends who are writers. A fair number of them have an MFA in writing. They’re all awesome people and great writers. I also know a lot of people in the writing community who don't have an MFA. Most of … Continue reading MFAsplaining and how it hurts writers everywhere

How to get a short story published

People often ask me how I've managed to get so many short stories published. Getting a short story published is surprisingly not that difficult—as long as you have a good story and put some effort into your submission process. Even mediocre stories have a decent chance of getting published with the right submission strategy. However, … Continue reading How to get a short story published

10 biggest pet peeves of lit mag editors

Lit mag editors are under a lot of stress. We have to read a ton of submissions, and we usually don’t get paid anything. And we’re doing that while balancing our full-time jobs, our families, and our own writing. So give us a break from time to time. Here are the 10 biggest pet peeves … Continue reading 10 biggest pet peeves of lit mag editors

Should I Resubmit a Story or Poem That’s Been Rejected?

No. Okay, maybe that was a little too curt of a response. So let's dig into the topic a bit. I often see writers asking if they should resubmit a story or poem that's been rejected. Typically, they are talking about making revisions first and then sending it back to the publication. Most writers know … Continue reading Should I Resubmit a Story or Poem That’s Been Rejected?

Bringing Back Your Un-published Work

Publication is one of the most exciting things that can happen to a writer. But what happens when those publications go out of print or disappear from online archives? It's a lousy feeling when you find out a publication of yours is no longer available. It feels like a lot of hard work down the … Continue reading Bringing Back Your Un-published Work

Submissions A to Z: A complete glossary of terms you need to know when sending out your writing

Getting your fiction or poetry published is hard work. But if you've done your homework, the process gets a lot easier. Here's a complete list of terms you need to know if you plan to submit your work for publication. Acceptance - When a publication decides to publish your work. An acceptance is often accompanied … Continue reading Submissions A to Z: A complete glossary of terms you need to know when sending out your writing

5 Types of Rejection that Drive Every Writer Nuts

5 types of rejection every writer hates

We all know that getting rejected is part of being a writer. But that doesn’t mean we're immune to getting upset by a rejection. Having a story or poem rejected can elicit a wide range of emotions including disappointment, frustration, self-doubt, self-pity, anger, and more. Of course, we can also learn from rejections, and they … Continue reading 5 Types of Rejection that Drive Every Writer Nuts