Tag: Submitting Writing

Candid Talks, Writing

How to Choose a Literary Journal …for Submitting Your Work

Pauline Shen

If you’re writing for publication, you need to know where your work will fit. After you’ve written a short story (or poem, or nonfiction piece…), you’ll need to send it somewhere. But where? Do you simply send your work to any and all journals that have an open submission call?

Or should you devote some time to reading current literary journals? It is a good idea to look for the best fit for your writing, so you ought to consider reading a selection of journals first. Now wait… there are so many literary journals out there! So, to avoid being overwhelmed I’ve developed a system to help narrow the field when you’re just starting out. It goes like this:

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Candid Talks, Writing

Should You Pay Submission Fees?

Pauline Shen

If you agree to pay a fee for your work to be considered for publication, how much is too much? Is a couple bucks okay? What about if that “couple bucks” is listed in a foreign currency and so is actually more like five dollars? What if there are added feedback charges, or if the journal presents you with a tip jar option? Does the prospect of paying submission fees motivate you to produce higher quality work? Or do you submit the same work that you’d send a place that doesn’t charge?

So many questions! In this article, I’ll talk about areas where a writer may be asked to fork out cash just for work to be taken into consideration. I’ll also include some tips to help you navigate the submission process without having to pay fees and while being alert for signs of potential scams.

Literary Journals

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Candid Talks, Writing

What’s the point …of Submitting to Literary Journals?

Pauline Shen

I saw this question on a discussion forum some time ago, and thought it was a good one. The person who posed it was just starting out as a writer and unsure about navigating all the different publication outlets. Should a writer invest time and resources in short stories and micro fiction for the purpose of submitting to journals? Is this a wise choice for a writer whose ultimate goal is to finish a novel? Can you make a living from submitting smaller works of fiction? What, really, is the point of having your work appear in those little journals anyways? Why not just go for the full manuscript from the beginning and skip all the rest?

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Candid Talks, Writing

Why Participate in Writing Contests?

Pauline Shen

You many have noticed that there are a lot of writing contests. You can find lists of upcoming ones in places like Dreamers Magazine or the Funds for Writers website. Some magazines, like Blank Spaces, run a regular quarterly write prompt contest. Many literary journals will simply run a contest for the purpose of fundraising and/or as a method to boost publicity for the volunteer judge(s). There are even third-parties, such as Writing Battle, that specialize in supporting emerging and established writers with very specific prompt-driven, time-limited tournaments.

Each one of these contests is unique in how it handles theme, prompts, judging, awarding “prizes,” and so forth. Entering your work in a writing contest can be beneficial. Depending on the individual contest, you can make great strides by getting involved. Here’s what I mean:

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Interviews

Interview with Jordan Blum

Pauline Shen

Jordan Blum, founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Bookends Review, holds an MFA in fiction and teaches composition at several colleges/universities. He’s published creative and/or scholarly pieces in several magazines, journals, and collections. Beyond that, he’s a former Features Editor at PopMatters and a past or present contributor to Grammy.com, Metal Injection, PROG, Consequence, WhatCulture, Loudwire, The Prog Report, and Kerrang! Finally, his three books (On Track: Jethro Tull, On Track: Opeth, and On Track: Dream Theater), were published by Sonicbond Publishing.

Jordan, you’re the Editor-in-Chief of The Bookends Review. What has been the most surprising thing about managing this online magazine?

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Interviews

Interview with Alyssa Bushell

Pauline Shen

In this post, we’ll be hearing from Alyssa Bushell, mystery novel author, blogger, and baker. Alyssa is a Canadian writer located at Lake Huron in Southern Ontario. In this interview, Alyssa shares an overview of her story writing process, publication history, and some advice for fellow aspiring writers.

Your fiction has been published in journals such as Reckon Review and LEON Literary Review. How long did it take before you started receiving acceptance letters for your work? And has publication changed how you view your own writing?

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