Who are you Submitting to?
Publishing Nomenclature
Understanding Publishing Avenues
Submitting your work is more effective when you understand something about the outlet you’re asking to champion your writing. Below is a breakdown of the most common types of literary venues, their acceptance rates, examples, and generalized behaviors of each.
Presses vs. Journals, Reviews, & Mags.
Presses
A press is a publisher of books or chapbooks, typically offering full-length works and collections—often with a catalog of titles with ISBNs. (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, essay, etc.) Most (major, indie, and small) distribute through major bookstores, events, libraries, or POD platforms; however they can also be micro, university-affiliated, contest focused and/or digital-only. But all should have editorial curation, selective submissions, and a legal publishing identity.
Journals
A journal is a periodical publication, usually focused on short-form literary or academic work: short stories, poems, essays, and hybrid forms. Their issues are typically quarterly, annually, or rolling. Many offer themed or curated editions, that may be digital, print, or both. Submissions often organized around reading periods or themes.
May be called:
A Review (often more prestigious or academic)
A Magazine: Literary OR commercial and niched. Mags are often more market-facing than journals and some include non-literary content (reviews, interviews, art, journalism, lifestyle features). Can be print, digital, or both.
Or Lit Journal / Lit Mag (umbrella term for modern usage). Journals tend to carry more academic prowess in the literary world, while magazines often have wider readership and diverse content types.
Important to Note: Some organizations run both a press and a journal. Ie. Pithead Chapel, Barrelhouse.
Publishing Behaviors & Examples
1. Commercial Trade Publishers (Big 5)
Penguin Random House, Harper Collins, Hachette, MacMillan, Simon and Schuster
Acceptance Rate: <1% (via agent)
Wide bookstore distribution
High production value
Large advances and media exposure
Agent required
Market-driven decisions
Less creative control
2. Independent Presses
Indie publisher is a term than can encompass any publishing house that is not associated with the imprints under the Big Five conglomerates. A small press is defined in the U.S. as a publisher with annual sales of less than $50 million, or a publisher putting out fewer than ten books every year, so these can shift a bit.
Standard Indie Press
Examples: Graywolf, Red Hen Press, BOA Editions, Persea Books, Catapult, Noemi Press.
Acceptance Rate: 2–10%
Mission-driven, inclusive, experimental
Closer editorial relationships
Many publish debut authors
Limited marketing budgets
Smaller advances
Shorter open submission windows
Small Press
Examples: Alice James Books, Green Linden Press, Marsh Hawk Press, Inc., YesYes Books, Driftwood Press.
Acceptance Rate: 5–15%
More accessible to emerging writers
Flexible themes or formats
Passionate, hands-on editors
Minimal distribution
Smaller readership
Varied production quality
University Press
Examples: University of Iowa Press, LSU Press, Howling Bird Press, Copper Nickel, Parlor Press and Clemson University, TRP: The University Press of SHSU, Yale University Press, Paris Press.
Acceptance Rate: 1–3%
Excellent for poetry collections, academic nonfiction, hybrid work
Strong curatorial standards
Longstanding credibility
Often prioritize impressive literary CVs or academic backgrounds
Smaller print runs
Zines & Micropresses
Acceptance Rate: 10–30%
Experimental and grassroots
Inclusive of niche voices
Artistically unfiltered
Great for experience and stair-stepping.
Usually No pay
Very limited distribution
3. Literary Journals, Magazines, & Reviews
Prime Examples: Ploughshares, The Offing, AGNI, The Kenyon Review, The Paris Review, Gulf Coast, Ninth Letter, Rattle, The Adroit Journal.
Acceptance Rate: 1–5%
High prestige and visibility in literary circles
Ideal for short stories, poems, hybrid work
Good stepping-stone for book deals or fellowships
Highly competitive
Long response times
Small (or no) payment, unless running a contest.
Places I’ve Submitted
Literary Journals
Beloit Poetry Journal
Conduit
Harpur Palate
Lunch Ticket
Midway Journal
Nimrod International Journal
Poetry International
Poet Lore
Radar Poetry (digital only)
Sixth Finch (digital only)
Magazines
LitMag
Oxford American
POETRY Magazine
Pamplemousse
The London Magazine
The Rumpus
The Sun Magazine
Oxford Poetry
Reviews
American Literary Review
Atlanta Review
Common Ground Review
Crab Creek Review
Jet Fuel Review
Laurel Review
New Ohio Review
North American Review
Southern Humanities Review
Tahoma Literary Review
The Florida Review
The Georgia Review
The Iowa Review
The Maine Review
The Malahat Review
F I N A L T H O U G H T
The right publisher for you is the one that aligns with your voice, your values, and your goals; but also your career-stage. It’s wise to grow slowly and not only aim for a spot with the biggest name. There is value in not being discovered until you have truly found your voice. Research before you submit. Respect their mission. And always read their past issues or subscribe to the current ones.
If this resonated with you, please tap a heart onto it, it’s a cute metric, but it really helps me grow as an artist.
Thanks Nancy. This is a helpful summary.
Lots of good info! Thanks for sharing!