At Poets and Writers Live in Portland, several literary journal editors offered their perspectives on how to submit to literary journals. Travis Meyer of the journal Poor Claudia got right down to business: “Put your name in the top right corner. Use Georgia, double-line height, healthy margins.” Cheston Knapp of Tin House said “I’m a Garamond man.”

The conversation quickly moved away from formatting and turned toward doing a little prep-work.

Do the Prep-Work to Find the Best Fit

“Read the places you want to submit to,” Knapp said.

Pam Wells of The Timberline Review argued that writers who really want to be published by a literary journal need to find the right journal for their work, so they can confidently say: “I believe my work is a good fit for your journal.”

That means you need to start subscribing. Meyer noted: “You’re becoming part of the conversation that writers are having.” Once you are familiar with the conversation, Kim Winterheimer of Masters Review suggested you “send your work to a journal you’d be very proud to see your work in.”

Remember, if you are submitting to a literary journal, you are participating in a conversation. So, make sure you know what the journal you are submitting to wants, and then send them your best work.

Do You Have Something that will Strike a Nerve? Submit it!

Knapp reminded readers to “keep a perspective on why you’re doing it in the first place.”

Peter Field of The Timberline Review later explained: “A writer needs more than attitude. They need courage and conviction that they’ve expressed something in the world that makes them a little uncomfortable, that strikes a nerve, that leaves you thinking about what it all means to be human.”

Winterheimer wants to see that spark too: “the one that moves you – that lives on in our mind.” So, once you’ve written that piece that strikes right to the heart of the reader, begin submitting your work.

But don’t skip the basics! Meyer recommended you also pay attention to the way those paragraphs are spaced.

We Wish You Great Success in Your Publishing Path

If you do choose to submit to a literary journal, we encourage you to take a look at our own journal, The Timberline Review, to see if it fits your writing. Wherever you decide to submit, we wish you success. If you’re a Willamette Writers member please share your success with us; we look forward to reading your work.