HOT OFF THE PRESS! We love to share our information with writers, and we’re happy to pass some of our INSIDER’S SECRETS along to you. Feel free to print these posts to use as a reference. Pass the links along to your writer friends. It’s packed with great information this month. DEADLINE-DATED lists of anthologies, theme issues, and contests are included at no charge!

In This Issue:

* * SUBMITTING TO ANTHOLOGIES may be a great way for you to break into writers’ markets.

* * Is it USE OR UTILIZE?

* * How to choose your SUBMISSION SERVICE.

* * LOTS OF HELP for CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHORS—100 CONTACTS and Everything You Need To Know To Submit Your Children’s Book. 

* * We’re giving away a FREE REPORT that outlines industry-standard Manuscript FORMAT Guidelines when you order our E-book entitled REJOICE IN REJECTION. 

* * We’ll share important tips in THE ART OF THE PERSONAL ESSAY.

* * You won’t find a better list anywhere (AND IT’S FREE!) of upcoming ANTHOLOGIES, CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS, SPECIAL-THEMED JOURNALS, and WRITING CONTESTS. 

↓ Scroll Down to Read These Exciting and Useful Articles!! ↓

Anthologies are rich with opportunity for new writers hoping to break into the market. And they're a popular market now—simply count the number of Chicken Soup for the Soul collections in circulation. Editors of anthologies frequently put out calls for submissions from new and established writers. This article will teach you how to submit your stories, poems, and essays to anthologies, as well as where to find a list of anthologies that are open to your work. 

An anthology gathers stories and/or essays that center around a common theme, which opens up a great avenue for aspiring authors. Are you a lifetime hiker? There's probably an anthology of nature-based tales waiting for your contribution. Are you a cancer survivor? Caretaker of an elderly parent? If there's a common thread that makes people feel a connection with each other, there's likely a market for your story. These publications depend on the contributions of folks just like you.

Anthologies are often started as a way to fill gaps in the market when a publishing house perceives a need for a certain theme. Sometimes authors get together and submit samples as an anthology package, and other times a single author comes up with the idea and invites other writers to submit. Smaller publishing houses often put out anthologies too. The process will require research, but it may be well worth it.

Click here to find a list of Anthology Calls For Submissions.

A few things to look out for when choosing to submit:

1. Some anthologies consider reprints, and it's best not to be locked into selling all your rights to the piece. Look for "reprints welcome" and "one-time or nonexclusive rights." If the publisher insists on first rights only, you should receive a larger payment. Check the simultaneous submission policies as well, so that you can circulate your story to more than one potential anthology. However, if your piece is highly specific (targeted for Chicken Soup for the Avalanche Survivor's Soul), you may have only one market in mind.

2. You should not be forced to purchase the anthology that has published your work, and you should receive at least one free copy plus discounts on additional copies. Avoid "reading fees" and collections that are "for a good cause" (unless you're willing to write for free).

3. Get the terms of your payment up front and in writing. Some anthologies pay token fees, which can be acceptable when you consider a great writing credit, while others pay quite handsomely.

Tips for submission:

1. Pay attention to reading periods. Ignore them and risk the Round File.

2. Study the editor's submission guidelines and follow them to the letter. If the editor wants a 4,000 word count and Times New Roman font, do not be the exception to the rule to "stand out."

3. Keep your cover letter brief, professional, and to the point. Do not tell your story in the cover letter and then use a couple of paragraphs persuading the editor to buy it. Let her do her job and get on to the good stuff—your actual piece.

4. If you have writing credits, list only the top four or five recognizable literary journals or publications. A list of 20 obscure 'zines will likely be skipped over.

5. Make sure your work is proofed and polished to within an inch of its life. Clean copy is your friend.

6. As with all submissions, do not be impatient and pester the editor to make sure your piece was received or to ask if he liked it. This is a sure sign of an amateur and a surefire way to irritate the editor. If the publication deadline is looming and you still haven't heard anything, then a quick query is acceptable.

Overall, anthologies are a great way to get started in this difficult industry. Even if you don't land a lucrative sale, you'll still be able to boast a writing credit, and this is what it's all about—getting your work out there to be read. At Writer's Relief, it's our goal to help creative writers like you get published. We can target your writing to the best literary agents and editors out there. Contact us today so that we can save you the hassle of making your submissions. 

Ask any seasoned writer whether to choose "use" or "utilize," and he or she will most likely tell you to ban the word "utilize" from the English language and never speak of it again.

There are many folks who consider "utilize" to be a more sophisticated, intellectual form of the verb "to use," as in "Please be so kind as to utilize the facilities on the first floor with the rest of the riffraff." You're also likely to see it used in military-speak, as in "A Claymore mine was utilized to neutralize the threat." Or in police reports: "The individual utilized a .357 Magnum."

Since there is a slight and subtle distinction between the two verbs, "utilize" is more than just an affectation—it's also usually used incorrectly. Confusing? Yes. Even the dictionaries show the distinction yet imply that both words are interchangeable. Here are the actual definitions, if you're interested.

According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, "use" implies "availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end," as in willing to use any means to achieve her goal.

"Utilize" may suggest "the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something," as in an old tire utilized as a swing.

Generally, though, the distinction is not widely noted. If in doubt, ditch the "utilize," do the world a favor, and use "use." And if you're still not sure about the difference you can rely on Writer's Relief proofreaders to help! 

Submission services promise to get writers the help they need to submit to literary agents and editors. As with most things, some literary submission services are legitimate, efficient, and respectable, and some take advantage of unsuspecting writers.

Writer’s Relief is an established literary submission service that has been helping writers submit their work to literary agents and editors since 1994. We also track submissions, write cover and query letters, proofread and implement corrections, format manuscript submission pages, advise if tricky issues arise (via our trained submission strategists), and much more.

We take great care in our targeting and research. Most of our business is based on referrals—writers frequently recommend our assistance to other writers. Our system works.

But there are submission services out there that don’t work. Here are a few things to look for when you’re considering working with an author’s submission service.

Query Spam

Some submission services take the approach of “spamming” literary agents and editors, based on the theory that it’s more effective to submit to everyone rather than submit to the right people. 

While it sounds lovely to sit back and have your query "blasted" across the country, this method gives us cause for concern.

1. “Query spam” services mostly rely on email, which eliminates a large percentage of editors and literary agents who request paper submissions. (At Writer’s Relief, we target via a mix of mail and email.)

2. Mass emailings are often identified as spam and immediately relegated to the junk mail folder: in other words, spam doesn’t get read. Writers end up wasting their time and money.

Factory-Style Submissions

Some submission services do not pay personal attention to each client—and as you know, everyone’s writing is different and should be handled on an individual basis. Cookie-cutter queries are causing serious annoyance in the publishing world.

At Writer’s Relief, we understand that each of our clients is unique. Query and cover letters are created in close collaboration with each individual client. Be certain that the submission service you choose respects and appreciates your work.

One indication that a submission service takes a one-size-fits-all approach is a willingness to take on any and all writers. If a submission service truly cares about its professional reputation, it will need to reject certain submissions simply because not all writing is suitable or appropriate for submission (for example, what on earth would a publisher do with a 550,000-word book?).

If there’s no screening in place or no consulting offered for submissions that are subpar, then steer clear. At Writer’s Relief, authors who wish to enter our Full Service client list must first receive Review Board approval. About 80% of writers are turned away, and there is usually a waiting list of writers hoping to use our services.

Shoddy Targeting and Research

Be sure your submission service offers you the best targeting. Relying on a single market book for research isn’t enough.

At Writer’s Relief, here’s how we research and target. First, we cross-check every single market book out there to avoid the errors that arise from dated or inaccurate materials. Then, we confirm submission guidelines with the agent or editor in question by referencing the appropriate homepages and other sources.

Finally, because we’ve been tracking agent and editor responses since 1994, we have lots of information that isn’t available to the general public. If an agent notes, “I don’t like books in first person” on a rejection letter, we make that note in our database. Nobody else has been tracking feedback as closely as we have since 1994.

If in doubt, keep the following points in mind when comparing submission services:

Avoid services that keep you out of the loop. Your work should be submitted in your name, not the service's.

Find out about clientele. While Writer’s Relief doesn’t release all of our clients’ amazing accomplishments, you can find some here: Client News.

Check references and testimonials. Does the service provide a list of satisfied clients with publication credits that you can confirm? Does the staff have writing or publishing experience? Resumes and testimonials should be accessible to any prospective clients. (Wanna see our testimonials? We’re very proud! There are literally thousands!)

Get specific fee information up front and in writing. (It's a bad sign if this information is not made public or is hidden.)

Assess the quality of editing services, if offered. Find out how stringent the qualifications for proofreading or editing are for this company. Our proofreaders are top of the line!

Avoid fancy "extras" like cover mock-ups or 8 x 10 glossies of you by the pool. Editors have enough to sort through without fancy binders and clippings and photos.

And lastly, get a feel for the level of personal service. If you call, does someone answer the phone (or do you get a call back)? Are you treated well and your questions answered courteously and promptly? Or are you ignored? Given the runaround? Writing is a highly personal endeavor, and the people handling your work should be sensitive and caring enough to treat it as such.

Want to get to know Writer’s Relief? We strive for transparency: The Real Scoop on Writer’s Relief.

In general, there are no shortcuts in the publishing business. And there's no way to bypass the hard work and devotion required to be a good writer. But there are some legitimate services that help take some of the frustration out of the process and free up a little time for creativity.

Writer's Relief is here to do just that. Our database of editors and agents is constantly being updated so that your work is targeted to the people most likely to accept it. Our fees are up front on our website, and our clients have full control over the level of service they want to pay for, which can include record keeping, personal databases, and itemized expense lists for tax purposes.

And yes, all these things you certainly could do for yourself. Our clients are quite capable of writing a powerful query letter and researching the market for themselves—but they relish the opportunity to devote more time to their writing, while we take care of the details. If you want to be a client of our submission service, call today!

The word essay conjures up feelings of dread or boredom for many of us (think college applications, biology reports)—remember the plodding five-paragraph essay formula you learned to write in grade school? But the personal essay (also called a creative nonfiction essay or a narrative nonfiction essay) is a highly marketable piece of writing. Personal essays are published regularly in literary magazines and even commercial magazines.

Personal essays are a refreshing change from their stuffy cousin, the formal essay, because the personal essay is just that—personal. It's more chatty and friendly. You are speaking directly to your reader about anything from the death of a parent to a moment of beauty in your garden.

What is a good subject for a personal essay?
From life-changing events to life's mundane moments, anything can be fodder for a gem of an essay. But here's the catch. In a personal essay, you must offer a theme that a broader audience can relate to. Whether it's the current state of the nation or an epiphany gained while washing dirty socks, if your readers are nodding their heads and muttering, "Yeah, I know what you mean," you've reached them.

Who publishes personal essays?

Magazines and literary journals have always welcomed submissions of essays from established or new writers. Today we can also add "blogging" to this literary form, since blog posts often take on the form of essay-like prose. If the entries are interesting, concise, and well-written, with a somewhat universal theme, a collection of personal essays is born.

Tips for writing a personal essay:

One of the differences between writing creative short fiction and personal essays is that in fiction, you must show, not tell. In the personal essay, you must both show AND tell. As the author of a personal essay, you are speaking directly to your reader.

So, in a short story, you create a setting and characters and circumstances that show or reveal that, for instance, a woman named Mary is suffering from profound isolation and loneliness in her role as a farmer’s wife. In a personal essay, you tell the reader that your friend Mary is isolated and lonely in her role as a farmer's wife. You are allowed to comment and offer your opinion, and thus, you are present in the essay.

A few more tips:

Ideas. Brainstorm issues in your own life that are humorous, stressful, upsetting, or life-changing in a negative or positive way. These issues can be momentous (the impact of divorce or winning the lottery) or trivial (an insight into the plight of the elderly brought on by a half hour at the post office). There are no rules. If you find that any one subject generates a rush of writing, it's probably a good place to start. Keeping a journal handy to record pivotal moments or epiphanies can help capture your ideas as you go about your day.

The hook. Once you've started, just as in short stories, you should start off with a bang and get the reader's interest immediately, within the first sentence or paragraph. Some writers use humor, anecdotes, or quotes to get the reader's attention.

POV. Use the first-person active voice. You are the narrator and so you must do the "talking."  Also watch for using language that is too informal. The personal essay is more conversational than other literary forms, but you don't want it to read like a high school diary entry. "I saw this totally cool sculpture, and it was way awesome!!!"

Be concise. Word counts differ between publications, but one thing is consistent: tight and concise writing is the hallmark of a good personal essay. When editing, cut the fluff, be specific, and make each word count.

Connect. The personal essay is personal, but the message should be widely recognizable if you want to make a connection with your readers. The wider your target audience, the greater your chance of publication.

Read More: How To Publish A Collection Of Essays.

Personal essays are published in literary magazines, national magazines, trade journals, local and national newspapers, and anthologies, and they offer a great opportunity for writers. At Writer's Relief, we can develop a specific and organized submission process to help place your work once you've mastered the form. Have fun with it!

REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT OUR LIST OF WRITING CONTESTS and ANTHOLOGIES! You won’t find a better list anywhere (AND IT’S FREE!) of upcoming anthologies, special-themed journals, calls for submissions, and writing contests.