The Only Submission Workshop You Will Ever Need
with Meghan Sterling
Ever.
Submitting your work and getting published can be daunting. How do you begin? Where should you send your work? What pieces should you send? How often should you send them? How might you build on your successful submissions? And of course, how do you deal with all of the rejections that come with the territory?
Fear no more. This is the ultimate workshop in creating your unique submission plan to establish yourself as a serious writer. In this two-part course, we will break down the components of a literary submission, demystifying it and making it a part of your literary life.
Participants will create a roadmap for developing a robust submissions strategy that is appropriate for their publishing goals in the coming years. In addition, participants will receive personal journal and publisher recommendations. Leave encouraged and ready to take on the submission process!
Zoom Schedule
This course will meet on Wednesdays January 3rd and 10th, from 7-8:30 P.M. U.S. Eastern Time.
Course Syllabus
Class 1: The Basics
- Understanding how submissions works.
- How publishing leads to more publishing.
- Choosing your submission manager (QueryTracker or another option).
- How to “follow the bio.”
- Determining criteria for submission.
- How to research and choose journals to submit to.
Homework: Select 3-5 pieces to create a packet in class (for poetry). Select 1 piece for submission (for fiction and nonfiction).
Class 2: Organizing your submission process
- Selecting what to submit.
- How to hone pieces for submission and create packets.
- Writing your Bio/Cover Letter. Looking at your pieces like an editor. How to deal with rejection–why it isn’t about you or your work.
In this class, you will write multiple tiers of your bio and a cover letter to accompany all submissions. You’ll come away ready to begin your submission process.
Student Feedback for Meghan Sterling:
“Meghan is a vibrant, knowledgeable, forward-thinking poet who is as excited about helping other poets reach their potential as she is serious about her own work. I’ve had the pleasure of two workshops with Meghan which have advanced my ability and confidence in writing, as a craft and a source of inspiration.” Mary Stewart
“I was very pleased with what I gained from Meghan’s workshop (via Zoom) this winter. As a former English teacher I really appreciated the clear course structure and her flexibility in responding to participants’ requests. She also handed out a lengthy course syllabus quite a while before the course started.There were excellent opportunities for writing, reading work by recognized poets and sharing our own work for feedback. I know I gained a lot more fluency writing using prompts and giving feedback to others’ work. She is both a fine poet herself and an excellent teacher of the art/discipline of poetry.” Lucia Owen
