The 7 things I check when sending out submissions
Here's how I decide where to submit and (just as important) where not to
Last month, I wrote about my submissions strategy in the context of why it’s important to have a system for chipping away at your goals. But I didn’t actually go into a ton of detail in outlining how I decide where to submit and (just as important) where not to. Here are 7 things I think about when determining which outlets are right for me.
#1 Does it pay writers?
The answer isn’t always yes. For me, I care more about getting paid for a long story (1,500 words or greater) than for a 500-word flash piece. Generally speaking, if it’s a piece I can sell to a magazine or online outlet, I’ll do that first because $$$. If it’s a passion piece that’s more literary, I’ll shoot for a quality lit mag (more on how I choose that below). And if it’s a flash piece (under 1K words), I’ll look for a place that feels like an aesthetic match and stress less about money.
#2 Does it look pretty?
Sure, there are prestigious journals that have outdated and ugly websites. But by and large, I don’t want my work published somewhere unless it looks top-notch.
What that means to me: It’s a deal breaker if the journal has a terrible website, which looks like it hasn't been updated in 10 years or is basically a blogger or WordPress blog.
#3 Is it well ranked?
Like, I said, I start at the top and work down. For me that means sending to places that make one oftheselists (tier 4 or above for the last one).
Ranking is usually only important for me with a longer CNF piece.
#4 Do they charge for submissions?
I’ve been tracking my submissions data for years. Every year, I check how many things I paid to submit and gauge my ROI. For me, it’s personally not worth it to pay to submit my work, since most of my acceptances come from times I didn’t pay to play, and it’s a FIRM NOPE when the journal expects me to fork over a $3 reading fee but doesn’t pay their writers.
A lot of well-ranked journals do charge for submissions, though. At present I selectively pay to submit when a journal’s payment is above token rates (which I define at $25). I look for places that don’t charge or publicize fee-free submission periods. And I only pay to submit work that I feel is particularly strong.
#5 Are they looking for writers like me?
I take note when a journal specifically looks for writers like me on a “we value underrepresented voices” level, rather than a “submit to our single special issue” tokenized level. Thus, a place that specifically calls for LGBTQ+ representation or female/GNC authors, gets my attention.
#6 Will people see my work?
Most of us aren’t getting rich from doing this, so it helps if a journal has a big (or active) following on social media and will make my content available online and promote it actively on social media. If they’re not paying me for my work, this is literally the least they could do.
If a journal is paper only and a few hundred people tops will shelf the journal and never actually get around to reading it, I’ll probably pass. Some writers are all about the print publications, though, so you do you.
#7 Do I like what they’re doing and want to be a part of it?
Conventional wisdom is to only submit to journals that you like, respect, and want to read. Yes, and here’s what that means to me:
Scroll through the archives before you submit to see whether your material really fits in with the in-house style, ESPECIALLY if you’re paying to submit. Journals have preferences; if they’re nice, they’ll tell you upfront what they want to see...and what they see too much of as is.
Take note and send them something you think they’ll like, preferably something that doesn’t skew too close to a recently published piece. I say this having rejected probably 20 submissions that were on the same theme as our most recent issue during our last submission period for A+A.
Sometimes, this means admitting that while I like a journal’s vibe, my current work isn’t the right fit for them. If there’s a piece I’m working on that’s a better fit, I’ll wait. If our styles are just too different, I’ll usually admire from afar and take my chances on a place that feels like moero of a match.
One last note, with my editor hat on: When you do submit, make sure to follow the guidelines regarding submission length or number of submissions.
Editors can and will reject your work without reading it if you ignore the guidelines. I say this having rejected 3 authors outright last submissions period: two whose subs exceeded work count and one author who submitted three stories, when our max is two per author.
Things I read and loved this month:
In the wake of the Atlanta shootings and circuitous debate about whether the incident was racist or misogynist (or both!), in lieu of pausing to acknowledge that failing to address white male entitlement and lack of emotional management is literally killing everyone else around white men, I’m only pointing to R.O. Kwon’s moving piece in Vanity Fair: A Letter to My Fellow Asian Women Whose Hearts Are Still Breaking.
I stand with Asian + Asian American women in their grief and fear. I am so sorry for how hard it’s been. I’ve been checking in personally with friends, but it’s time to do more, so consider this a start.
My latest piece:
Undomesticated: On a Closeted Honeymoon, the Chance to be Seen - Queer travel is so much more than resorts and Pride parties, and I always love an opportunity to pull back the veil on what it’s like to travel queerly. In this case, seeking bespoke clothing in Vietnam provided a chance to be seen and affirmed as gender nonconforming. I loved visiting Vietnam, so it was fun to revisit my travels while writing this piece.
On the Substack controversy:
I wrote and scheduled this newsletter before the Substack Pro fuss, and learned of the situation via Malinda Lo’s excellent newsletter. While I don’t charge readers (and thus, aren’t directly subsidizing the voices of bigoted Pro writers), the fuss felt like a red flag. I’ll be doing some due diligence into newsletter alternatives that are simple, with a good UI, with the flexibility to move toward subscriptions if that ever feels right, and I’ll keep you updated along the way.
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I'm having a similar struggle with the Substack stuff... I'll be interested to see if you choose to leave, and if so, where you go! I spent two or three hours down the rabbit hole yesterday and so far I like none of the options as much as Substack, but I also want to take this mess they've made for themselves seriously.