For this week’s “Closing the Gap” article, I’m bringing back an oldie but goodie from 2016 written by our web designer and co-organizer, Rachael Warecki. Since writing this article, Rachael has continued to receive publications and acceptances to residencies such as Ragdale Foundation and Wellstone Center. Most recently, she won the 2017 Tiferet Prize in fiction. I hope her advice on finding your audience through submission inspires you to join us this Saturday at our WWS New Member Orientation and Workshop in the Los Angeles Arts District. We will be submitting to journals, contests, residencies and fellowships in real time. If you are not in the L.A. area, please consider submitting with us remotely from the comfort your home and be sure to notify us Twitter, Facebook or Instagram when you hit send, so we can cheer you on!
– Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo, Closing the Gap Editor
Learning Your Audience: The Benefits of Submitting to Literary Journals, Grants, and Residencies (Even If You Don’t Get In!)
by Rachael Warecki
Two years ago, I decided I needed to focus my submission process. I’d received acceptances from some wonderful journals, but I’m ambitious as hell and I wanted to take my writing and submission goals to the next level. Around the same time, I also decided to apply for grants and residencies, so I started to target my submissions and applications more strategically.
As I’ve written previously, this approach has had some success, mostly in the form of personal rejections. But the editorial notes and feedback have given me more than just warm, fuzzy feelings of validation—they’ve given me a better sense of my most receptive audience. In the two years since I decided to submit more strategically, I’ve discovered that my writing seems to appeal mostly to editors and directors who are women. The judges and editors who’ve written me the warmest rejections have identified as women or represented women-centric organizations, or both.
