Slushpile

Magazine submissions

Submitting short fiction, poetry, and essays to literary magazines has its own etiquette and conventions — different from querying novels. These guides cover the four things writers trip over most.

Writing a magazine cover letter

Two sentences, a title, a word count, and a bio — and nothing more.

Simultaneous submissions

When they're expected, when they're not, and how to keep the etiquette clean.

Response times

How long is normal, when to nudge, and when to take silence as an answer.

How to withdraw politely

Acceptance elsewhere, moving on, or changing your mind — a one-paragraph template.