GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING TO MAGAZINES

  • Choose a publication that is right for your work. This involves doing some research—but if you enjoy reading poems, you will enjoy doing this research. Literary magazines are often found in college libraries and independent bookstores. Many magazines have back issues or representative poems on their websites. You
    can also order sample copies of magazines directly from the publishers.
  • Type your poems, one to a page, on 8 1/2 by 11 inch white paper. Make sure your contact information is on each page that you submit, especially if a poem is over two pages. Most magazines ask that you send 3-5 poems. Check the guidelines before sending your work. DO NOT send more poems than the magazine asks for. Also, do not submit to the magazine again before the editors have responded to your last submission. (It is not recommended to submit to the same magazine more than once during its annual reading period. There are lots of magazines out there. Shop your work around.)
  • Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (referred to as a SASE) with your submission. This will allow the editor of the publication to send a response and to return your work if he/she doesn't want to use it. If you don't include a SASE, don't expect to see your work again or receive a response. Most literary publications
    cannot afford the expense of returning your work. Also, you may want to include instructions in your cover letter (see below) about whether the editors should return your work or recycle it. (Some magazines recycle all unused manuscripts automatically.)
  • Along with the SASE and the poems, many writers also include a cover letter. This is a letter addressed to the editors which gives them a few details about you and your writing. Items in a cover letter may include any past publications, what you do for a living, and where you have studied in the past. Most editors prefer that these letters be brief and to the point, giving only the most pertinent information. Don't explain the poems in your cover letter—editors resent it if you assume that they can't understand your work from reading it. They are looking for work that can stand on its own, without explanation.
  • Prepare to wait. Most journals take two to three months in order to reach a decision on a group of poems. This is because of the volume of work received (even the smallest of literary journals can receive up to 2,000 poems a year). Pay attention to the turnaround time the guidelines mention and allow that time before contacting the
    magazine. If you are not certain about the response time, in most cases it is permissible to write after three months to inquire about the status of your submission, including a SASE for the editor's response. If the editor doesn't respond within a reasonable amount of time, feel free to write again, withdrawing the poems from consideration.
  • Magazines don't pay much, usually in copies or a small monetary honorarium. But beware of any magazine that asks you to pay either before reading your work (this does not apply to contests) or after your work has been accepted. That's a scam to make money, not an honest attempt to find and publish good poems or stories.