I can still remember the first time I submitted my writing to a contest for publication. I was afraid of rejection but hopeful that someone would like my poem enough to publish it. I can still remember my hopes being dashed when it was rejected, filling me with doubts about myself as a writer. But growing as a writer includes realizing that everyone faces rejection at some point or other, and there is a lot you can control in increasing your chances of publication. It’s difficult to know how to make your piece stand out and get through to publication, which is where this blog post comes in! Here are five simple things anyone can do to increase their chances of being published. Many things in this list are specific to being published at Inscape, but anyone can benefit from these inside tips and tricks to make your writing stand out from the crowd.
1. Read Your Work Out Loud
It is amazing how easy it is to catch errors by reading your work aloud. Strangely worded sentences and flat dialogue pop out when you can hear how it sounds out loud. Doing a quick read-through, either by yourself or listening to someone else read it, can make a huge difference in the quality of your writing.
2. Submit to the Right Market
Read the mission statement of the publisher or journal you are submitting your work to and see if it fits with the kinds of things they publish. At Inscape, we look for works that explore bizarre aspects of life with curiosity, have a believing attitude, and of course, feature beautiful, careful writing. In my time as an editor, I’ve read many good pieces of literature that were turned down because they didn’t fit the focus of Inscape. Making sure the publisher fits the bill of your writing style boosts your chances of being published.
3. Edit, Edit, Edit
It’s normal to have a few minor errors, but glaring typos, misspelled words, and confusing sentences take away from your credibility as an author. Publishers aren’t looking for perfection, but they do expect professional work. At Inscape, we look for clean pieces that allow readers to focus on the content and style of your work rather than missing punctuation marks. Getting multiple pairs of eyes to check your work pays off when your piece gets to the editorial table.
4. Polish Till It Shines
It takes hours and hours of tumbling for the average rock to turn into a polished stone. Writing is the same way. To be published, you have to resist the urge to jump the gun on submitting your work before it’s ready. Clunky sentences, lack of transitions, and unnecessary details are hard to pass on for publication, regardless of how bizarre, believing, or beautiful a piece may be. Take the time to carefully workshop your piece to uncover the polished piece of art hidden in a rough rock.
5. Don’t Give Up
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! Your writing will likely be rejected a few times before it’s accepted, but if you don’t keep trying you will never get published. The best of writers get rejected from time to time. J. K. Rowling was rejected from twelve different publishers before her first book was published! Submit your work to multiple publishers and keep editing and growing in your craft.
To recap:
1. Read your work out loud.
2. Submit it to the right market.
3. Edit multiple times.
4. Polish your writing.
5. Don’t give up.
1. Read your work out loud.
2. Submit it to the right market.
3. Edit multiple times.
4. Polish your writing.
5. Don’t give up.
Here at Inscape we love to read works from diverse backgrounds, countries, and cultures. We know the time and effort that goes into creating these pieces for us to review and we are here to encourage you to keep on writing. We hope this list helps you know what we are looking for when it comes to publishing and that it helps you feel more confident in submitting to Inscape.
By Tavia Crabb, Inscape Staff
Header image from hello aesthe, pexels.com
