Publishing Tips

Quality Ezines are the best bet for beginners. Otherwise you need to front the cost for sample copies just to determine if you and the publication are a good match. If you submit your work to unfamiliar publications you will just waste your postage. You risk getting published in a poor quality publication and wasting the first publication rights to a great poem or story. Research before submitting. There is a place for quality mommy literature on-line over at Literary Mama .

I have found Rhino and Calyx to be female friendly print publications. Both are very high quality. Be sure to only submit your best work.
The most important tip is be prepared for rejection. Don't give in to writing to impress a certain editor or publication. Instead find the publication that is already compatible with your style and subject matter. The best way to do this is to find a writer you adore and see where they have published or if they may be sitting in as a guest editor. Published authors often guest judge for writing competitions. You have to think of rejection as a matter of an editor's taste and not as an insult to your work. Good Luck!

Poetry Crash Course:

Write a poem with a noun in every line. Make sure there is something that can be touched, tasted or felt in every line. Beginning poets tend to be heavy on adjectives and adverbs and skimpy on nouns and verbs. Very few literary journals publish rhyming poetry. However, there are special interest publications if rhyming is your passion. Poet's Market is a good resource for finding speciality publications.

Works for me! Check out more Works For Me Wednesday ideas at We Are That Family.