Figuring Out Where to Submit Your Work

You've finally finished that poem/essay/story, and now comes the really hard part: Publishing it. The good news is that approximately 10 trillion journals, magazines, anthologies, and webzines are seeking new creative work. The bad news is that finding the right one can be tough.  Who's likely to publish your kind of writing? Is there a submission fee? Does the journal allow simultaneous submissions? Should you submit by email, snail mail, or online?

Here are some helpful resources dedicated to gathering the details and narrowing the possibilities:

• Poets & Writers magazine maintains databases on its website that can help you identify suitable writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, literary agents, and grants and awards. The magazine also emails a weekly newsletter updating writing contests and manuscript calls. If you're interested in a deeper dive into the mysterious world of submitting and publishing, the magazine also sells a Guide to Writing Contests for the entirely reasonable  price of $4.99; you can download it as a PDF. And, of course, the magazine itself publishes a monthly dose of practical advice, literary news, and writing inspiration. 
• ​Duotrope does much of the heavy lifting by allowing you to search extensive and regularly updated listings for publishers and agents. For $5 a month, you can research individual journals, their submission guidelines, and their acceptance rates; track your own submissions; read interviews and advice from editors and agents; and receive a weekly newsletter announcing new contests and calls for manuscripts in your genre. The site offers a trial period before you commit to subscribing, but hey, $5 a month is basically the price of a decent beer.
• NewPages is an extensive website devoted to all things literary, but it's especially a great resource for finding the latest calls for submissions and writing contests.
• Create a free account on Submittable to search for creative opportunities of every flavor, including calls for submissions, contests, grant awards, and more. The site also includes helpful blog posts and features the latest publishing opportunities. Many literary publications use Submittable as a portal for submitting manuscripts and paying fees if required. You can track the fate of your manuscript, sign up for personalized newsletters, and follow literary organizations for the latest news.
• The Writer includes listings of literary journals and magazine broken into categories, including popular genres such as crime, fantasy, romance, and mystery (look under "Resources"). Also  available is a list of contest deadlines, as well as an  extensive offering of practical writing and publishing advice. Sign up for the newsletter for contest alerts.
• The Association of Writers and Writing Programs maintains a calendar that posts calls for submissions and deadlines for applying for grants and awards. You'll need to be a member to access the details, but membership includes a subscription to The Writer's Chronicle, a wonderful source of craft-oriented articles by writers for writers. (Here are some articles you can read for free.) The student rate is $49/year, which includes discounts for the annual writing conference, access to online resources, a job list, eligibility to participate in the free Writer to Writer Mentorship Program, and more.

Now you have no excuses. Go forth and publish.