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Attention! Warning! Peasant Magazine sometimes purchases first world-wide publication rights. You should be aware that if your story is published by Peasant Magazine you will no longer be able to sell first publication rights to another publisher, either on the internet or in print, anywhere in the world. This means you will lose your opportunity to sell your story to paying markets except as a reprint at a drastically lower rate than they would offer for a story that had not been previously published. You should seriously consider offering your work to paying markets before submitting it to Peasant Magazine. We strongly encourage you to do so. You can always submit to Peasant Magazine later for reprinting after you've already been paid by a different magazine. Click below to get the 8x11 Magazine.
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LITERARY MAGAZINES SUBMITTING TIPSDo's and Don't of Submitting to Literary Magazines Submitting to literary magazines can be a great way to get your work published and build your writing career. However, there are certain do's and don'ts that writers should keep in mind when submitting their stories. Here are some detailed tips to help you increase your chances of getting published: DO's: Research the publication: Before submitting to a literary magazine, it's important to do your research. Take some time to read the publication and familiarize yourself with the type of work they publish. Make sure your work fits their style and tone. Follow submission guidelines: Every literary magazine has its own submission guidelines. Follow these guidelines carefully and make sure to submit your work in the correct format. Some publications may require a specific font or formatting, so be sure to double-check before submitting. Proofread and polish your work: Take the time to carefully proofread your work before submitting it. Make sure there are no typos, grammatical errors, or formatting issues. A well-polished piece of writing will make a better impression on the editor. Be professional: When submitting your work, be professional and courteous. Address the editor by name, and make sure to thank them for considering your submission. Be patient: It can take time for editors to review submissions and make decisions. Be patient and wait for a response. If the publication has a stated response time, make sure to wait until that time has passed before following up. Do submit again: If they ask you to submit again, possibly something else, do so. Maybe not immediately if you don't have anything that is polished, but do so eventually with something that will perhaps be more suitable for their publication. Also if the publisher rejects your work, but suggests changes that is an open invitation for you to re-submit the same work with a number of changes to better fulfill their requirements. Withdraw your submission if accepted elsewhere: If someone else has agreed to publish your work, and the magazine in question doesn't accept reprints, then you should withdraw your submission immediately. Magazines that accept simultaneous submissions won't care, but they will be upset and possibly blacklist you if they clearly delineated that they don't allow simultaneous submissions and you went ahead and did it anyway. Keep track of all your submissions: Especially if you are doing simultaneous submissions, you should try to keep track of everything you submit, where you submitted them, and when. We recommend making a list/chart of everything you submit, where, whether they were accepted, rejected, or still waiting for a response.
DON'Ts: Don't submit work that doesn't fit the publication: Make sure that your work fits the style and tone of the publication you are submitting to. Don't waste your time (or the editor's time) by submitting work that clearly doesn't fit. Don't ignore submission guidelines: Submission guidelines are there for a reason. Ignoring them will likely result in your work being rejected without even being read. Don't be overly familiar: While it's important to be courteous, don't be overly familiar in your submission email. Keep your tone professional and respectful. Don't be cocky. Don't submit work that isn't your best: Only submit your best work. If you're not confident in a piece, don't submit it. Wait until you have something you're truly proud of. Don't ignore word count requirements: Respect the word count quota. Don't submit something that is over the word limit for the publication. The editor/publisher won't even read it if it is clearly over the limit. So if a publication has a rule that says they only accept works that are 10,000 words or less, then submitting something that is 12,000 is going to get a rejection. They might accept something that is 10,050 words... But if your work is that close to the quota you should just go through it and remove exactly 50 words by removing some unnecessary lines or maybe getting rid of a few adjectives or adverbs. Don't follow up: While it is normal to follow up when pitching story ideas to regular magazines, literary magazines are different. They are often run by people who are volunteering their time and are likely overwhelmed by submissions from writers. They will get back to you when they have made a decision. It will take longer than you want it to. Nagging them won't speed up the process and is more likely to trigger a rejection. If that upsets you, magazines that accept simultaneous submissions are your friends. Don't use the wrong name: Don't use the wrong name of the magazine, the editor or the publisher. It is fine to write "Dear Editor", because you don't necessarily know who will be reading your work, but what is not okay is getting their name wrong. Don't email the editor directly: Unless you are invited to do so, don't email or contact the editor directly via social media. Not only is that annoying (and borderline stalking), but you're just increasing the chances of getting a rejection. If you already know the editor via social media they might be okay with it, but otherwise you should avoid doing this. Don't submit twice in the same period: Unless the magazine accepts multiple submissions (and states thus) then you shouldn't be submitting more than one work during the same period. Note, that sending an updated version would be the exception to this rule if the editor requested some changes. Don't send out mass emails to multiple publications: Big no no. Automatic rejection. Don't give up: It can be discouraging to receive rejection after rejection, but don't give up. Keep writing, keep submitting, and eventually, you'll find the right publication for your work. Don't send an angry response: Being angry or upset won't endear you to them. All you are doing is burning bridges. In summary, the key to submitting to literary magazines is to do your research, follow submission guidelines, proofread your work, be professional and patient, and only submit your best work. By avoiding common mistakes and following these tips, you'll increase your chances of getting published and building your writing career.
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