I’ve always believed that people could achieve incredible things, if only they had some guidance. A mentor. Someone to show them the ropes. Ideally, someone who’s actually been through it themselves and has real-world experience, first-hand knowledge. Unfortunately, this is a rare thing to find. There’s that old saying: “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” But in my experience, the best teachers are those who did, in fact, “do” — former writers, nurses, scientists, artists — professionals who have lived the work that they eventually teach. After graduating from Rhode Island College, I wrote a short story. I spent a long time on it and wanted to get it published in a magazine or journal. Seeking advice on these next steps, and on my future as a writer, I reached out to an old creative writing professor of mine — someone whose novels I’d read and admired. I emailed her my 4,000-word story (about a 12-minute read), asking if she might take a look. Her response? Unfortunately, she didn’t have the time. She suggested I join a writing group if I wanted someone to read my work. It had been a very vulnerable thing, asking for help, sharing a personal piece, and I’d been rejected, something I’d learn you have to get used to if you want to make it in the world of writing. I suppose she did teach me a valuable lesson, after all.
Meanwhile, Rhode Island College has since posted congratulations on social media for their Alumni who are now bestselling authors and I can’t help but feel that many institutions tend to celebrate success only after the hard work has been done.. However, I’m happy to report that since returning to RIC for grad school, I’ve found a few supportive, helpful faculty. Because of my own frustrations with teachers, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher myself. (I suppose my frustration with storytelling is why I wanted to get into writing in the first place.) But to fit my own snobbish criteria for education, I feel as though I must “do” before I teach. So before guiding others, I’ve committed to walking the path myself. And now that I’ve had some firsthand success with publishing, I’d like to share a bit of what I’ve learned. Here are my tips:
Write and Rewrite
The first step to getting published is, of course, writing something. Sometimes you write first and then look for a journal or magazine to send it. Other times, a journal’s call for submissions will inspire a new piece tailored to their theme or format. I’ve done both. Once your piece is written, revise, revise, revise. Read it out loud. Listen for flow, clarity, and tone. And finally, for one of the best ways to get better at your craft, have others read your work. I suppose my old professor was right, because you should join a writers’ group. One great place to find a writing group is at LitArts RI, a local collective with writing groups for every genre — romance, poetry, horror, essays, screenwriting, short stories, novels, and more. To join, visit litartsri.org and click on a group that interests you. You will then be given a chance to fill out a questionnaire, send an email, and you’re in. There are also Discord groups where writers regularly share work and critique each other. My friend hosts a group called “PageOne” which is always looking for new aspiring authors. Facebook also has thriving writing communities; one I belong to allows writers and comic artists to collaborate. If all else fails, start your own group. A few friends and I swap stories now every other Sunday over a few glasses of whiskey.
Find the Right Journals
Once your piece is polished, it’s time to find the literary journals you will submit to. Look for publications that align with your style and genre and read their previous issues. (It helps if you were already a previous fan of the magazine/journal.) Next, read the journal’s submission guidelines and figure out the genre, word count, formatting, etc. that they are looking for. Lastly, submit away. A few places I suggest you send your work : The Rhode Island Bards Poetry Anthology. They publish a collection of RI writers’ poetry each year. I’ve had poems accepted in their 2023, 2024, and 2025 editions. You can submit up to 3 poems (each 100 lines or less) to rhodeislandbards@gmail.com. Poems of all styles, themes and genres will be considered. Next is The Meat Puppet, a Texas-based magazine open to comics, paintings, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. To submit, visit their website, themeatpuppet. com. And of course, you can send work to us at Motif, as we’re always looking for new fiction and poetry submissions. You can submit work by emailing 3-5 poems or a piece of fiction between 800-1,200 words to poetry@motifri.com.
If You Get Fed Up
If the traditional publishing route starts to feel overwhelming, there are plenty of other paths to getting your work out into the world. You can post on Substack or many other social media platforms. You can self-publish through Amazon or “vanity” presses, both of which you would pay to be published, so be wary. Or you could even create a “zine,” something I have become increasingly interested in. Whatever direction you choose, just make sure to keep writing — and keep sharing! For me, my publishing journey is still in progress. I’m currently working on a 172-page graphic novel, a 30-page comic, and I’ve recently finished a novel. I’ve just begun the querying process and I already received my first rejection. And honestly, I’m proud. This is not a failure but a first step. Each rejection I receive, each step I take, is information I can impart one day, is my knowledge base growing as a future teacher. By the time I finally land that book deal, I’m sure I’ll have a lot of new advice to share, and a new article to write. •
