I often listen to an audiobook while I take a walk in the morning. Recently, I listened to How to Submit: Getting Your Writing Published with Literary Magazines and Small Presses by Dennis James Sweeney. Besides the submission process, Sweeney goes into building a community, creating goals, publishing contracts, editing, book blurbs, promotion, dealing with rejection, and more. Throughout the book, there are writing prompts, sample letters, templates, and other resources.

Here are some of my takeaways (yes, I wrote these down while walking):

1. Sending out your work should energize your writing, not take energy away from it
2. Put your work out there to build your community
3. Defining your goals will help you better formulate your publishing strategy
4. Knowing your audience is essential to the choices you make as a writer. Have clear answers to these questions: Who is your audience? Who are you writing for?
5. Promoting your work is like an extension of your writing.

While some of the information was generic, it’s still a great listen for anyone considering publishing or looking for some inspiration in their writing journey.

This review is motivated by my need to share. I did not receive payment for this review or for any purchases made through the link.