Today I’m excited to share an interview with author Dennis James Sweeney! Dennis is the author of How to Submit: Getting Your Writing Published with Literary Magazines and Small Presses from the New World Library. He has an MFA from Oregon State University and a PhD from the University of Denver. Originally from Cincinnati, he lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he teaches Creative Writing at Amherst College.

Congratulations on your new book, Dennis! Thank you so much for answering my questions. :)

Michelle: What inspired you to write How to Submit, and how does it stand out from other publishing guides?

Dennis: For several years I was teaching a “How to Submit” class, and over the course of that class I realized how important it is to writers to receive support for their submitting practice. It’s not just about logistical resources; it’s about making space to talk about what the process of seeking publication means to us.

The goal of How Submit is to provide that support, especially when writers are submitting to a publishing context that I’ve found to be particularly welcoming and open: that of literary magazines and small presses.

Aside from the fact that these types of venues are where almost every writer begins their publication journey, they are also uniquely connective and community-focused. I wanted to emphasize community for writers who are seeking a satisfying publication experience, not just on the level of the contract but on the level of the human contact underlying the work we do.

Michelle: What are some signs that a writer is ready to submit their work to literary magazines or presses?

Dennis: Rather than emphasizing the external factors, I would emphasize an internal one: Is submitting going to distract from your writing process or contribute to it? We should only seek publication when we have come to a spot where we know this process will energize our writing—and where we can weather rejection without taking it personally.

It’s also important to have worked on your writing for a significant amount of time and created something that you would be proud to share with the world. A big part of that is stepping away from what you’ve written and coming back a few weeks later. I usually do this many times. When I finally come back to it after a break and don’t see much to change, I know the work is nearly ready.

Michelle: What are some common mistakes writers make when submitting their work, and how can they avoid them?

Dennis: Most writers are either way too hesitant to submit their work, or they’re too willing to send out their writing before it’s ready. The key is to find a careful balance: submit when you have revised repeatedly and truly can’t find anything else to change about a piece of writing. Don’t let overconfidence prevent you from doing another edit. At the same time, don’t let uncertainty stop you from submitting. It helps to be aware of your tendencies (are you over or under-confident?) and push yourself toward the opposite end of the spectrum.

It’s also easy for writers to forget there’s a human being on the other side of the submissions portal. Submitting can feel like a systematized process, leading our cover letters to be less personal than they could be and our choices about where to submit less inspired. You’ll have more success if you remember each reader and editor who is reading your submission is a person, just like you, with their own vulnerabilities and struggles, even if they’re in a position of power relative to your writing.

Michelle: What are some practical ways writers can stay motivated during long waiting periods for responses from literary magazines and presses?

Dennis: The usual answer to this question is: Keep writing! This is good advice. But it’s also important to acknowledge the uncomfortable feeling of having a backlog of work we want to get published. It doesn’t always feel easy to keep writing when our previous work isn’t out in the world yet.

For me, staying motivated comes from telling a story about my own writing life. Try journaling in this vein: I’m going to publish this piece in this year, this piece the next year, and the next piece is going to follow up as a culmination of all these pieces. I’m going to collect all of these in a book when I’m done, and it will be completed and submitted in this year, then published a year later. Reflecting in this way helps you remember that you’re in charge of the story of your writing life. Waiting for acceptance is part of that larger story.

Michelle: I love how your book emphasizes submitting as an energizing journey. How can writers shift their perspective to embrace the process rather than fear it?

Dennis: First it’s important to acknowledge any fear we have regarding submissions. What are we afraid of? For many, it is the vulnerability of sharing something you really care about, paired with the possibility of it being rejected.

This fear is valid! At the same time, we can think of submitting differently: as an offering, a chance to share what we have written with no expectations. We are giving a gift to the world, and it will eventually find where it belongs.

Submitting can also be energizing if we tune into the venues where we want to submit during the writing process. Reading widely is a big part of this. If we have a sense of the publishing contexts that have formed our taste, we begin to understand our writing as part of an existing conversation, even if it is not yet published. This makes our writing feel connective from the very beginning.

Michelle: You describe How to Submit as a guide for both beginners and seasoned writers. How does the advice differ for writers at different stages of their careers?

Dennis: Back in the old days, when I would join a running club or new circle of friends, I would spend a lot of time quietly observing, hanging around and being present but not saying much. Over time, people would start to recognize me. I would eventually speak more. That transition happened naturally: I became part of the conversation by being present for it.

I think the same is true in literary circles. At first, as we submit, we might be participating in the conversation mostly as readers. We might know a little about the publications we’re submitting to, and when we offer up our submissions we might mostly be thinking about what the publications contribute to us.

Later on, we might become more active members of the literary landscape. When we bring a submission to a magazine or publisher, we are bringing with it the strength of our contributions and presence. We might be more of a leader at this stage, thinking not only about what publications mean to us but what we mean to them. We might be thinking about how our contribution adds to the conversation.

Michelle: What is one piece of advice or encouragement you wish someone had given you when you first started submitting your work?

Dennis: I wish someone had told me that submitting is not a game to win. It’s not a necessary inconvenience. Instead, it’s an act of finding the people who you want to connect with in the world, whether that’s readers, writers, or other editors. It’s a vital part of what it means to be a writer: living in those connections, and letting our writing come to fruition through them.

Michelle: Thank you, Dennis, for your helpful insights, and all the best with your latest release How to Submit.

Connect with Dennis online:

Website: dennisjamessweeney.com

Instagram

Substack

Goodreads

Read my review of How to Submit here.