Developing a More Efficient Submission Process

I wrote the featured article for the 4 April 2025 issue of Funds for Writers, published weekly by Hope Clark, which shines a light behind the curtain of how I changed my process for submitting writing to magazines to open more time for writing. Below is a short excerpt.

Last year, I realized my submission process was extremely inefficient. I’d write an essay or short story and then begin searching for somewhere to submit it. It was a time-consuming process that meant I could spend up to two hours researching markets just to submit to one or two publications.

Although I subscribe to newsletters like FundsforWriters and The Practicing Writer, I often get behind in reading them, which means I miss important submission deadlines. Also, because some magazines limit the number of submissions, if I don’t send to those within the first couple of days after they open submission portals, I have to wait until their next reading cycles.