The Business of Writing: How to Get Your Work Into the World
with Margo Steines
March 4, 2026
Length: 3 weeks
Open to AllText and Live Video
Original price was: $295.00.$255.00Current price is: $255.00.
Original price was: $295.00.$255.00Current price is: $255.00.Enroll Now
Join me and a group of publication-minded writers for a deep dive into the business of writing: exactly when, where, and how to submit your work for publication. This course is designed for prose writers—fiction and creative nonfiction—who want to share their work beyond the draft stage, whether that means literary journals, magazines, newspapers, or even a book.
Think of this course as a guided tour through the publishing landscape. You’ll leave with a clear map of how the system works, and a practical plan for how to move your project toward its readers.
I built this course for writers who want to put their work out into the world. Writers who want readers. Writers who feel baffled by the opaque processes of publishing, overwhelmed by how labor-intensive submission can be, or unsure which paths make sense for their goals. If you write and you want your work to be read, this course is for you.
We’ll cover the full spectrum of publication options—from literary magazines and agent querying to self-publishing and alternative models—practicing the component parts as we go. Along the way, you’ll receive live feedback on your cover and query letters, take part in discussion-driven classes, and work through short exercises that benefit from group energy and shared experience.
You’ll leave with a new or refreshed author bio, a draft cover letter and/or query letter, and a personalized publication pathway plan you can put into action right away. Literary publishing can be a perplexing space; let me be your guide.
Who This Course is For
This course is geared toward prose writers (fiction and creative nonfiction) at any stage who are thinking about publication—whether you have a piece ready to submit, a draft in progress, or a future project in mind. You do not need a specific manuscript to benefit from the class, and there is minimal reading or homework; most of the work happens together, live, in our sessions.
Learning and Writing Goals
Learning Goals
In this course, you will learn:
- About the current landscape of publication opportunities.
- The process and strategy for submission to literary magazines and contests.
- The process and strategy for book manuscript submission for traditional and alternative forms of publication.
- To build confidence in articulating the steps in your pathway to publication, in packaging materials for submission, and in building appropriate timelines and expectations for publication.
Writing Goals
- Craft a succinct cover letter to accompany literary magazine submissions.
- Draft a query letter to accompany book manuscript submissions
Zoom Sessions
This live workshop will take place on Zoom on Mondays, March 9, 16 & 23rd from 7 – 9 PM Eastern.
Weekly Syllabus
Week 1: So You Wrote an Essay/Short Story…Now What? (Navigating Lit Mag Submissions)
This week, we’ll delve into navigating submissions to literary magazines. We’ll cover:
- How to identify outlets to submit to
- How to prepare your work for submission
- Submittable: What is it, how to use it
- Cover letters
- Author bios
- How to not lose your mind in the Submittable queue
Week 2: So You Wrote a Memoir/Essay Collection/Novel…Now What? (Navigating Book Manuscript Submissions)
This week, we’ll get into navigating submissions for traditional publication. We’ll cover:
- The basic steps (writer to manuscript to agent to publisher)
- What exactly does a literary agent do?
- Query letters and how to write them
- How to prepare your manuscript for query
- How to not lose your mind while querying
- What happens after you get rep?
Week 3: DIY (Navigating Alternative Publishing Options)
This week, we’ll dive into navigating submissions for alternative publication. We’ll cover:
- Indie + academic publishers
- Print + e-book self-publishing
- Hybrid publishing
- Substack
- The Pat Rosal, the old school zine, and other DIY approaches
- How to prepare your manuscript for alternative publication
- How to handle promotion for alternatively published work
Original price was: $295.00.$255.00Current price is: $255.00.Enroll Now
Student Feedback for Margo Steines:
Margo embodies a certain intense passion for the work of writing. It feels like she’s right there for each student, a straight forward but kind and knowledgeable partner. This course came at the perfect moment. Carol A Thomas
The course was a joy. I’m quiet by nature, but by the end of it, I found myself not only with the confidence to participate but eager to so do. It was well structured, and everyone was given a chance to contribute. Margo’s knowledge, experience, and empathy created a safe space for discussing sensitive subjects that left me not only more confident in my writing about such a challenging subject but with broader insights into life as a whole. You can’t ask for more than that. James Boud
Margo’s course was expertly structured. Her weekly readings and discussions accumulated into a satisfying intro to the literature. And her essay creation process gave me a draft and a system for making more. Ashley Walker
I found myself inspired by the weekly readings and found Margo’s teaching style to be really effective. I came away from the class feeling like a whole new creative channel has been opened for me. Workshop discussions were lively and the class was engaged. Plus, I left her class with an essay that I’m really proud to have written. Jessica Fiorillo
Margo writes with insight and incisiveness you feel in your gut. Reading her work reminds me that I am human and alive and not alone in feeling what I feel. It’s a privilege to read Margo and also to be edited by her. She’s a thoughtful editor who possesses both empathy and sharp instincts, which do not always appear in the same package. She knows how to ask you thought-provoking questions about your work that lead you to your own solutions. Rachel Reeves, journalist
Margo is an extraordinary teacher, with extremely helpful lectures, writing prompts, and course structure. This was one of the most helpful workshops I have ever participated in. I found her extremely generous and accessible with her time, and she created a class atmosphere that felt respectful and engaging. Highly recommend! Mary Simpson
Margo is a great teacher. Very professional, supportive and knowledgeable. Very sensitive dealing with a difficult topic. She created a warm and supportive Zoom environment for those who attended. Ariela Zucker
March 4, 2026
Length: 3 weeks
Open to AllText and Live Video
Original price was: $295.00.$255.00Current price is: $255.00.
Original price was: $295.00.$255.00Current price is: $255.00.Enroll Now
