Online literary journals are often considered one of the staples of the literary world. They help connect writers to different opportunities that allow them to expose their work, as well as meet other writers that they can build a support group from. They can learn the functions of different literary journals, and build up experience as to which journals to submit to. However, in order to do this, writers first have to get accepted to a journal.

This encompasses different rules. More often than not, writers don’t really recommend sending your stuff in straightaway. And even if you did follow all the rules, that in and of itself isn’t enough to get accepted to a journal. As such, below are a few tips you can use to help prepare your submission.

Read the Journal
It doesn’t help if you’re just submitting blindly to different journals. If you love historical fiction, and submit to, say, Nightmare Magazine, more than likely you’re going to be rejected. At the same time, you shouldn’t simply write something just so you can submit it to other journals. That takes away the joy of writing. Instead, look for journals that correlate with your interests and writing ability. Read them so that you know what kind of writing they’re looking for.

Look at the Submission Guidelines
Even if you do find a journal that interests you, you still have to read the submission guidelines. A lot of times, writers will be rejected simply because they don’t follow them, or they do follow them, then disregard them completely because they think their writing is just so good. Remember to follow all the directions the journal lays out for you. If you don’t, not only is it rude, but you’re also wasting both your time and the editor’s.

Persevere
If a journal doesn’t accept your writing, just take a deep breath, and walk away. Find another home for your writing if you believe it can be accepted elsewhere. And if not, review it, correct it, then resubmit it. It’s also important to remember that in the end, every writer will have to face rejection. It’s painful, but an important lesson. After all, writing is incredibly taxing, and only the most persistent of writers are able to make it.

Online literary journals are meant to help expose writers to newer audiences. They’re praised because of how easy it is for writers to find them, as well as how accessible their journals are. They’re meant for people with a very specific niche, as well as building communities that, more often than not, result in connections. You can benefit from all of this if you submit your work to them the right way. There's no doubt that many are hard to break into, but if you keep writing, read the guidelines, and are determined to succeed, you'll have a rewarding experience in interacting with these journals.