Ready, Set, Submit: Demystifying the Submission Process

You’ve drafted, written, revised, and edited, and now you’re ready to submit! Getting started submitting your work to literary magazines and journals can be daunting. Over the four weeks of this course, we’ll work to demystify the submission process. We’ll discuss how to find publications you’re excited to send your work to, set up personalized submission goals and to-do lists, and organize our own systems for keeping track of our submissions. We’ll dig into the nature of the slush pile, and brainstorm ways to deal with rejection, as well as how to keep the momentum going for future submissions.

Designed for writers of all genres who have one or more pieces of short writing they are ready to submit. This course is focused on submitting short writing to literary magazines and journals (both online and in print), rather than long-form book manuscripts.

Course Outline

Week 1
Overview of the submission process
From slush pile to acceptance (or not)
Lit Mag Scavenger Hunt

Week 2
Compiling submission materials & setting goals
Cover letters, word counts, packets
Filling out goals & to-do list worksheet

Week 3
Submitting, and staying organized
Hitting send… together
Spreadsheets, lists, Duotrope, etc.

Week 4
Rejection and perseverance, other avenues for submission (contents, fellowships, grants, residencies)
Emotional strategies, revision strategies, perspective & persistence

Access Program
We want our writing classes to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class and seminar tuitions at a reduced rate. Most writing classes have at least one access spot available.

Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan Moore at susan@literary-arts.org if you have questions.

Liaison position
Every in-person class and seminar at Literary Arts has one liaison position. Liaisons perform specific duties for each class meeting. If you are a liaison for a class or seminar, the full amount of your tuition is covered by Literary Arts.

Apply here for the liaison position.