Tips for Submitting to a Lit Mag!
Written by Sophia Howard
Submitting to a Literary Magazine can be a tricky process, especially if it’s your first time. There are so many factors that can make things confusing throughout— a magazine’s style, their genre, their formatting preferences, and even the window of submission. So, here are some tips for submitting to a lit mag!
1. Triple check your work!
It can be easy to leave a few spelling errors and grammar mistakes unchecked, but that can make your writing seem less professional to a lit mag. If a couple slip through, it’s not the end of the world, but it’s always great to try and minimize them! Make sure to check through all of your writing– Grammarly is definitely all right!
2. Make sure you’ve adhered to the submission guidelines!
A lot of the time, lit mags have specific guidelines for submission, such as font, sizing, and indentation. They might also have notes on whether to put your name in a document or not, how many pieces you can submit, and more. Looking like you haven’t read their rules is an easy way to start off on the wrong foot, so make sure to check these guidelines and make sure your work is presentable!
3. Look at previous pieces published in the lit mag to make sure your work is a good fit!
Many lit mags are very stylized and have their own ‘aesthetics’ or ‘themes’, even if there isn’t a designated submission theme, and they will choose similar pieces that match the overall tone of their magazines. Reading through old work is a great way to get a sense of a magazine’s vibe so you can submit pieces of yours that best match the energy of the lit mag!
4. Most importantly, try, try again.
Many lit mags have a very small acceptance rate, meaning that chances are, your work will be rejected. That’s okay! Most of the time, it has nothing to do with the quality of your work, or you personally– there are so many factors that go into the decision-making process, and it’s not worth it to scrutinize everything you might have done wrong. Dust off your hands, take a deep breath– and keep submitting. You can do it!
