How to submit your stories:
1.
Be sure your story is completely done—that it is
polished enough to be published right now. Be sure…
a.
you can read it out loud without pausing
b.
you have let it breathe (for some that's a few days, for others it's a month or longer - however long it takes you to get perspective on your work)
c.
you are truly ready to share – this is a biggie
d.
you can summarize your story in a sentence or two;
for example, my short story The Suit (in After the Gazebo) can be
summarized as… A woman’s only reprieve from the unfortunate behaviors of her
meth-addicted daughter is public companionship—she’s everyone’s mom and
friend, the sweet lady on the bus. But on a normal route, she meets addiction
up-close and has to face the anger she’s been suppressing for years.
2.
Find a few journal/magazines that publish work in your genre. Here are some free resources that will help
you:
c. Duotrope (subscription of
$50/year): www.duotrope.com
3. Write a simple and
straightforward cover letter. Don't tell them how you started from bottom, and now you're here, and don't over-explain the story. Offer a summary only if they don't overtly ask you not to.
4. Familiarize yourself with
the journal or magazine’s content (read a few issues - BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THIS WHOLE LECTURE) and also review the
guidelines.
a. Determine whether your
story is the right length, genre, and style
b. Find the appropriate
editor’s name to address your query letter to
c. Be sure to format your
submission appropriately (double-spaced, Times New Roman, etc…)
d.
Look for wait times. Most journals will let you know
the average wait time for a response. This can range from a few days to a year.
5.
Work on other things as you wait. A
lot of factors go into a journal's decisions ("Another woman who isn't related to anyone I know? Ugh." (Just kidding (kind of))), and even very good work is often
rejected. Keep the faith--the good work with shine through. Keep track of where you have sent your stories. Don’t be afraid to
simultaneously submit work, so long as it’s not against any given journal’s
guidelines. Follow protocol. I learned this the hard way. Save yourself some time. xo Jen