The shimmering allure of publication often eclipses the rigorous, systematic work that precedes it. For writers, the act of creation is deeply personal, but the act of submission is a strategic endeavor. It’s not simply about hitting ‘send’ or dropping a manuscript in a mailbox; it’s about intelligent targeting, meticulous preparation, and a resilient mindset. A well-planned submission strategy transforms a hopeful whisper into a powerful, directed launch. This comprehensive guide will dissect the art and science of getting your words into the world, moving beyond wishful thinking to tangible, repeatable success.
Deconstructing Your Manuscript: The Foundational Audit
Before you even glance at submission guidelines, you must understand the essence and marketable potential of your own work. This involves a brutal, honest assessment, divorcing yourself from the emotional investment of creation and adopting the critical eye of an editor.
Genre Identification Beyond the Obvious:
It’s not enough to say “it’s a fantasy.” Is it high fantasy, urban fantasy, grimdark, portal fantasy, or something else entirely? A detective novel: is it cozy mystery, hard-boiled noir, police procedural, or psychological thriller? Micro-genres inform target publications. For a short story, consider if it’s literary, speculative, flash fiction, or narrative non-fiction. This granular understanding is paramount.
- Actionable Example: You’ve written a novel featuring a wizard detective solving crimes in a steampunk London. Don’t just tick “fantasy.” Recognize it’s “steampunk fantasy,” specifically “gaslamp fantasy” with “mystery/detective” elements. This detailed identification directly informs your search for agents and publishers who specialize in these specific niches. A literary journal, for instance, is unlikely to be interested, but a speculative fiction imprint focused on historical fantasy might be.
Word Count and Form Adherence:
Every market has strict length requirements for short stories, novellas, and novels. Deviating significantly is an instant rejection. Even within novel lengths, there are sub-categories (e.g., YA often has a tighter word count than epic fantasy). For poetry, free verse, sonnets, haikus, or prose poems command different submissions.
- Actionable Example: Your sci-fi short story clocks in at 12,000 words. Most literary magazines cap short stories at 5,000-8,000 words. Your piece is a novella, not a short story. This means you must explicitly seek out journals or anthologies open to novellas, or consider breaking it into smaller pieces if structurally feasible for short story markets. Submitting a 12k word piece to a “short story” call will result in an immediate discard.
Theme, Tone, and Content Suitability:
What is your piece about? What is its emotional register? Does it contain sensitive subjects, explicit content, or specific cultural references? These elements dictate where your work will resonate or be utterly out of place. A children’s book with dark themes, for instance, needs careful targeting. A humorous essay belongs in a different market than a deeply introspective one.
- Actionable Example: Your short story explores the psychological impact of climate change through a minimalist, experimental narrative. This piece would be highly suitable for literary journals interested in environmental themes or experimental fiction. It would be entirely inappropriate for a genre magazine focused on adventure sci-fi, even if it contained a speculative element. Conversely, a humorous essay about dating woes would be perfect for a women’s lifestyle magazine, but a non-starter for an academic journal.
Unique Selling Proposition (USP):
Why this story? What makes it stand out from the millions of other narratives? Is it a fresh voice, a novel premise, an inventive structure, or a deep dive into an unexplored topic? Pinpointing your USP helps you articulate your work’s value to potential gatekeepers.
- Actionable Example: Every literary agent sees hundreds of coming-of-age novels. Your query letter (and your understanding of your work) should highlight what makes yours unique. Perhaps it’s set in a rarely explored historical period, features a protagonist with a unique neurological condition, or uses a non-linear narrative structure to mirror the protagonist’s emotional journey. This USP isn’t just for a query; it guides your market selection. If your USP is “unique world-building,” you’d target spec fic imprints. If it’s “character-driven psychological depth,” literary imprints are more appropriate.
Market Research: Precision Targeting, Not Shotgun Blasts
Once your manuscript is meticulously audited, the real work of market research begins. This is not a casual browse; it’s an investigative process, treating each potential market as a unique ecosystem requiring specific understanding.
Identifying Potential Avenues (Journal, Anthology, Agent, Publisher):
The path differs wildly for short works versus long-form. Short stories and poetry typically go to literary journals, genre magazines, or anthologies. Novellas might find homes in specific imprints or contests. Novels almost universally require an agent first, who then submits to publishing houses. Understand which path your work demands.
- Actionable Example: You have five poems. Your primary target should be poetry journals, literary magazines, and anthologies seeking poetry. Do not research novel publishers or agents, as they won’t consider individual poems. If you have a completed novel, your primary target is literary agents. Researching independent literary presses for direct novel submissions might be an option after exhausting agent queries, but it’s generally less effective.
Leveraging Reputable Databases and Directories:
Forget random internet searches. Professionals use curated, updated databases.
- For short-form: Duotrope, Submittable Discover, The Grinder, Poets & Writers, Litmags.com.
- For long-form: Agent Query, QueryTracker, Publishers Marketplace (subscription), MSWL (Manuscript Wish List).
- Actionable Example: You’ve identified your novel as “upmarket historical fiction.” On Agent Query, filter by genre: “Historical,” “Upmarket.” Then, within those results, refine by agents who specifically mention an interest in your sub-genre or themes (e.g., “wartime narratives,” “resilience,” “underrepresented voices”). Going through hundreds of general agents is inefficient.
Pre-Submission Due Diligence: Reading and Analyzing Past Publications:
This is non-negotiable. Submitting to a journal or agent whose aesthetic you don’t understand is a waste of everyone’s time.
- Read at least 3-5 issues/stories/poems. What’s the average length? The common themes? The voice and tone? Do they lean traditional or experimental? Are they exclusively literary, or do they dabble in genre?
- For agents: Read interviews, check their client list (are they successful authors in your genre?), and scour their agency’s website. Do they represent authors whose work you admire and whose style aligns with yours?
- Actionable Example: You’ve identified The Fictional Review as a potential market for your literary short story. Before submitting, read at least five stories from their archives. You notice they favor character-driven narratives with ambiguous endings and strong lyrical prose, typically under 4,000 words. Your story, a plot-focused piece with a definitive ending and direct prose, might not be a good fit, despite being “literary.” This analysis saves you a submission fee and a rejection. Conversely, if your story matches their style, you can tailor your cover letter to explicitly reference their aesthetic.
Understanding Submission Guidelines: The Unbreakable Laws:
Each market has specific, often pedantic, rules. Ignoring them is a red flag. Formatting, font, file type, cover letter requirements, presence of a bio, simultaneous submission policy – every detail matters.
- Actionable Example: A journal’s guidelines clearly state: “Submissions must be double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, and submitted as a .doc file. Do not include your name on the manuscript file.” Submitting a single-spaced PDF in Calibri with your name on every page guarantees rejection before anyone reads a single word. Another common mistake: Submitting a 7,000-word short story when the guideline explicitly states a 5,000-word limit. This shows a fundamental disrespect for their time and requirements.
Publication Cadence and Response Times:
Some journals publish quarterly, others annually. Some agents respond within weeks, others within months. Knowing typical response times manages your expectations and informs your follow-up strategy. Duotrope and QueryTracker track average response times for thousands of markets and agents.
- Actionable Example: You’ve submitted a poem to The Quarterly Muse, which Duotrope data shows has an average response time of 120 days. You won’t expect to hear back in two weeks, and you know not to send a follow-up email until after 120 days have passed. This prevents anxiety and unnecessary communication.
Crafting a Strategic Submission Pipeline
This isn’t about submitting haphazardly. It’s about creating tiers of targets and a systematic flow for your submissions.
Tiered Target List Construction:
Categorize your researched markets based on desirability and likelihood of acceptance.
- Tier 1 (Dream Markets): Highly prestigious, competitive, perhaps a stretch, but perfectly aligned. Limited submissions here.
- Tier 2 (Strong Fit Markets): Excellent alignment, good reputation, reasonable competition. Your primary target.
- Tier 3 (Alternative Markets): Decent fit, perhaps less prestigious, but still reputable and a viable home. Good for building momentum and credits.
- Actionable Example: For a literary short story, The New Yorker might be Tier 1, Ploughshares or Granta Tier 2, and Mid-American Review or Tin House Online Tier 3. For a YA fantasy novel, a “big five” imprint might be Tier 1, a mid-sized independent YA publisher Tier 2, and a smaller, genre-specific press Tier 3.
Developing a Submission Tracking System:
Essential for staying organized, especially with simultaneous submissions. A simple spreadsheet works wonders.
- Columns: Market Name, Date Submitted, Piece Submitted, Genre/Subgenre (if varied), Specific Editor/Agent (if applicable), Guidelines Read (Y/N), Fee (Y/N, amount), Response Expected By, Response Date, Response Type (Accept/Reject/Revise & Resubmit), Notes (e.g., “personal rejection,” “sent to X editor,” “opened in 3 days”).
- Actionable Example: You’ve submitted five short stories to various journals. Without a tracking sheet, you’ll forget which story went where, whether you paid a fee, and when the typical response time ends. This sheet tells you: “Story A submitted to Lit Mag X on 1/1/24, expected response by 4/1/24. Story B submitted to Journal Y on 1/15/24, still within response window.”
Understanding Simultaneous Submission Policies:
The most crucial policy. Many literary journals allow simultaneous submissions (submitting the same piece to multiple places at once) but demand immediate withdrawal if accepted elsewhere. Others are fiercely against it. Always check. For novels, almost all agents are fine with simultaneous queries.
- Actionable Example: Journal A allows simultaneous submissions. Journal B explicitly states, “No simultaneous submissions.” You can send your short story to Journal A and 4-5 other journals that allow it. You cannot send it to Journal B concurrently. If you receive an acceptance from Journal A, you immediately withdraw your story from all other journals where it’s still under consideration. Failure to do so can result in blacklisting.
The Strategic Query Letter/Cover Letter:
This is your first impression. It must be concise, professional, and compelling.
- For short works: A brief cover letter introducing your piece, its word count, genre, and a 2-3 sentence bio. Avoid lengthy synopses.
- For novels (Query Letter): Contains a professional salutation, a personalized opening (why this agent), a compelling 1-2 paragraph pitch (hook, stakes, protagonist), comparable titles, word count, genre, brief author bio, and standard closing.
- Actionable Example: Instead of “Dear Agent, I wrote a book about a girl,” write: “Dear [Agent Name], I’m querying you because of your interest in character-driven YA fantasies, specifically mentioning [Author X’s] novel on MSWL, which resonates with my own. [My Novel, 85,000 words] is a YA fantasy about…” followed by your pitch. This demonstrates research and professionalism.
The Submitter’s Mindset: Patience, Persistence, and Professionalism
Submission strategy isn’t just about mechanics; it’s about cultivating the right mental approach to navigate a system rife with rejection.
Embracing Rejection as Part of the Process:
Rejection is not a judgment on your worth or talent; it’s a mismatch. The vast majority of submissions result in rejection. Expect it, learn from it, and move on.
- Actionable Example: Receiving 20 form rejections for a short story is normal. Do not internalize them. Focus on the ones that offer feedback (rare, but precious) or personalized notes (even rarer). If you receive 50 rejections and no requests for partials/fulls for a novel, it’s time to re-evaluate your query, first pages, or manuscript itself.
The Art of Follow-Up (and When Not To):
Most markets explicitly state their follow-up policy (e.g., “no follow-ups before 6 months,” or “assume rejection after 90 days”). Adhere to these. For agents, a query that states “If you haven’t heard from me in 6-8 weeks, assume I’m not interested unless you specify exclusive submission.”
- Actionable Example: You submitted a story and the guidelines state, “Please do not query us about submission status unless it has been more than 6 months.” Do not email them after three months. If they state, “We aim to respond within 3 months, if you haven’t heard within 4 months, feel free to follow up,” then a polite, brief email after 4 months is appropriate.
Revising and Resubmitting: A Strategic Opportunity:
Sometimes, a rejection isn’t a flat “no,” but a “not yet” or “with revisions.” Some journals offer “revise and resubmit” (R&R) opportunities. For agents, a request for a “partial” (first few chapters) or a “full” (entire manuscript) is a significant step.
- Actionable Example: An editor sends a personalized rejection saying, “We loved your prose, but felt the pacing dragged in the middle act. Consider tightening up pages 100-150 and resubmitting.” This is golden feedback. If you believe their critique is valid, make the revisions and resubmit, referencing their feedback in your new cover letter: “Thank you for the opportunity to revise ‘The Last Whisper.’ I’ve addressed the pacing issues in the middle act as you suggested.” This shows conscientiousness and a willingness to improve.
Networking and Community Engagement (Submitting Wisely):
Participating in writing communities, workshops, and literary events not only improves your craft but also builds connections and awareness of new opportunities. Many calls for submissions are shared within these circles.
- Actionable Example: Active participation in a local writing group might lead you to discover a specific anthology call from a small press that perfectly aligns with your current short story. Similarly, attending a literary conference might expose you to an agent who is actively seeking your specific genre.
Maintaining a Professional Digital Footprint:
Agents and editors will Google you. Ensure your social media is professional, or at least neutral. A simple author website or online portfolio can be beneficial, showcasing your bio, publication credits (even small ones), and possibly a few sample pieces.
- Actionable Example: An agent is considering your query. They Google your name and find a Twitter feed filled with unprofessional rants. This can negatively impact their perception. Conversely, finding a clean author website with a professional bio and links to your published short stories (even in smaller zines) reinforces your credibility as a serious writer.
Post-Submission Management: The Long Game
The submission process doesn’t end with hitting send. It continues until a contract is signed, or you decide to table the project.
Celebrating Milestones (Even Small Ones):
A personalized rejection, a request for a partial, a “heart” emoji on a Submittable entry – these are tiny victories in a challenging landscape. Acknowledge them to maintain morale.
Archiving and Learning:
Keep copies of everything: sent manuscripts, query letters, and every rejection email. Over time, you’ll see patterns. Perhaps your query letter isn’t hooking agents, or your opening pages need work. This data is invaluable for iterative improvement.
- Actionable Example: After 30 agent rejections on your novel, you review your query letter tracking sheet. You notice that 90% of rejections came within a week, indicating your query letter itself (or the first page attached) might be the problem, not the full manuscript. This prompts you to revise your query and opening hook.
Staying Current with Market Trends:
The publishing landscape is fluid. Genres evolve, new imprints emerge, and agents shift their focus. Regular review of your target list and market research is essential.
- Actionable Example: A few years ago, paranormal romance was huge. Now, romantasy and dark academia are trending. If your current novel is an older paranormal romance, you might need to adjust your agent search to those still representing that niche, or consider if current trends can be woven in if a revision is plausible. For short stories, certain themes become more prevalent in journals due to societal shifts.
Knowing When to Pivot or Shelf a Project:
Sometimes, a piece simply isn’t finding its home. After exhaustive submissions across all tiers, with consistent rejections and no encouraging signs, it’s a strategic decision to either revise the piece significantly, or set it aside and begin a new project. Resilience also means knowing when to move on.
- Actionable Example: You’ve submitted your short story to 50 journals over two years, received only form rejections, and no R&R requests. It’s time to either undertake a substantial rewrite (perhaps changing POV, theme, or structure) or archive it and focus on a fresh story. Continuing to submit the same piece without revision after so many attempts is unproductive. For a novel, if 100 agents have passed, it’s time to revise the manuscript, the query, or start a new book.
Conclusion
A submission strategy is not a mystical art; it is a discipline. It demands meticulous research, unyielding organization, and a professional, resilient mindset. By deconstructing your manuscript, researching markets with precision, building a systematic pipeline, and cultivating the patience to endure the inevitable rejections, you transform the daunting task of getting published into a navigable, even empowering, journey. Success isn’t guaranteed with any single submission, but consistent, strategic action significantly increases your odds, propelling your words from the confines of your desktop into the hands of readers.