Written by: Hannah Dang
Dear readers, artists, and writers.
I hope your morning, afternoon, or evening, as you’re reading this, is going well.
As I’m writing this, I’m sitting comfortably in a patterned, wheat-gold chair at UConn’s Writing Center on a quiet Wednesday evening. It’s the middle of the week, and I was in the middle of frantically writing and finishing five other papers by Friday. Headphones blasting some rock song, my thought bubbles are making their grand entrance, and I’m suddenly in thinking mode.
I’m writing today in hopes of imparting my knowledge and wisdom to you on the “big” secret to getting published.
Are you ready for it?
The secret is: to send it in.
Yes, that’s it.
I know some people may click out of my blog at this point, but hear me out. Others may be asking, “What do you mean? I’ve sent in my work to dozens of literary magazines and publishing houses, and not a single one accepted.” Trust me, I’ve been there. I know the feeling.
Allow me to better explain. Of course, I know there’s a lot to consider when it comes to submitting a work for review. In regards to your work, depending on where the piece is being submitted to, there’s deadlines to think about, word count limits to stick to, genres to pick and write in, content to streamline, and the list goes on and on. Truly one of the greatest commitments someone can make is to submit their creative work, a part of themselves, to be reviewed and potentially published.
All of what I named above are important, incredibly so, but none of it matters if it is never sent in.
I get it. It’s probably the scariest part of submitting your work – clicking the send button. Yes, even scarier than receiving a rejection letter back, in my opinion.
But, if there’s anything I have learned as a writer, it’s that we can’t wait for editors to find us if we never write or create or share it to anyone anywhere. I know it seems like the “smart move” to wait a bit longer, to allow for more time to edit and revise and change, but no. In my opinion, something that’s done to the best of your ability is better than something “perfect.” It’s human to write and create beautiful things, but it’s also human to write and create terrible things.
Like really, really bad things.
In the deepest recesses of the folders in my computer drive, I have documents upon documents of saved writing dating back to my days in middle school. Since then, I have deleted old drafts (because I can’t look at it without internally cringing) and written and rewritten several more ever since I first started taking writing seriously. Most of the drafts will never live to see the light of day, not even for a million Monopoly dollars.
The world of publishing isn’t as glamorous as people believe, nor is it as easy to get into as some people make it out to be. Everyone’s experience is definitely different. Some people get published on the first try, and some people never get published. Remember that not everything that gets published is not necessarily “good” writing. Even more importantly, remember that not everything that wasn’t published is “bad” writing. Being published isn’t black and white. Sometimes, it’s about timing. Sometimes, the editor reading over your submissions wasn’t in a good mood. Sometimes, there were too many submissions on the same topic. Sometimes the magazine or literary magazine was looking for something else entirely. My point is, it’s not always your fault.
One thing’s for sure though. You’ll never know if you don’t click send.
Even if your inbox is empty now, and remains empty, and will continue to be empty tomorrow. Knowing you played your part is enough. You did the work. You, like everyone else who submit, are more than deserving of being published, but it’s not the end if you never do.
Take it from someone who has never been published. Being published by either a literary magazine or by a publishing house one day is a lofty dream I have, but I don’t allow it to mark who I am as a writer. I believe in you, and it’s time for you to start believing in yourself.
It only takes one. It only takes one person to see the potential your writing, your art, your mind, holds. I can’t wait to see where you go from here.
For people interested in submitting their original creative work (ex. fiction, nonfiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, translations, art, photography etc.), down below are some names, listed in alphabetical order, of other literary magazines and writing contests other than Long River Review (although you should submit to us as well) for you to check out!
The Hopkins Review
The Interlochen Review
The Kudzu Review
Poets&Writers
Ploughshares
Poets Reading the News
Salt Hill Journal
Uncharted Magazine
Yale Literary Magazine
And remember, keep creating, keep writing.
Featured Image Caption: A person sending multiple emails to literary magazines to get their work published.