Submitting your work to the right markets

I know it's not easy for new writers to let go of their writing and send it into the cold world of publishing, but if you don't you'll never see your name as a byline. Some people are afraid of rejection, so their desire to be published wars with their desire to be published. For many, this leads to avoidance. Others just aren't sure where to submit. Searching out the right market is a big part of the submission process, and then making sure your piece is in line with the market's submission guidelines is another important part of the process.

Check the writer's guidelines

Every market has their own set of writing guidelines. If you have a market, publication or publisher in mind, you can find their submission guidelines on their website. If you can't find them, use the search tool. Type in "guidelines" and that should bring you to what you need. These guidelines work as a writing style guide. They offer information from how to format your document, to how much the market pays. If your new to searching for markets I'm happy to tell you there are some handy resources to help you out. One of the best is, Writer's Write. Here you'll find a wide-range of submission guidelines from publications seeking short story submissions, poetry submissions, nonfiction articles, manuscripts and they even offer writing contests links at times. The site is easy to navigate, and they even offer a link for paying market listings to help narrow your focus. 

As you look for markets, know your genre. If you write flash fiction, you can search for "flash fiction submission guidelines" in your browser. Be specific. It will help cut the time you spend browsing for markets. And as you check the guidelines be sure to see if they accept simultaneous submissions. If they do, you can submit the same piece to multiple markets at the same time. If not, you have a choice. Submit and wait to hear from them or look for a different market. If it takes six months, you can't submit elsewhere.  And if you receive a rejection, it can feel like a waste of time. That is not truly the case, it is part of the process, but something you'll want to weigh as you pour over a variety of guidelines deciding who will have the privilege of  reading your work. 

Include a brief cover letter

Be sure to include a brief cover letter and author bio with your submission. If you are unsure how to put this letter together, it's a good idea to pick up a book like The Ultimate Query Letter Tool Kit or How to Write Attention-Grabbing Query & Cover Letters.

 

Today's Writing Prompt

Today's prompt is a bit different. Choose a piece you've already written. Polish it up. Take the risk and submit. It's part of life as a writer. I know several people who love to write but never submit. Writing is meant to be shared. Don't let fear of rejection stop you from submitting.

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