Being a lit mag reader as a path to publication and better writing
Everything I've learned from reading for Ecotone, The Masters Review, & CLMP + 13 opportunities to apply for a readership (including one at ONLY POEMS!)
Before I dive into all the hot insider details on the lit mag reader life, a special announcement:
ONLY POEMS is now open for our very first round of reader applications. Please submit a short cover letter and some poems so we can find our O.G. star readers. We can’t wait to hear from you!
“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”
Yes, yes, I opened with a famous line shouted by “the Wizard” in the Wizard of Oz, but hear me out—it applies to more than just an insecure and kind of creepy old man in the Emerald City. It applies to lit mags too.
Behind the curtain of publications, contest winners, and even industry awards like CLMP’s Firecracker Awards are (drum roll please)....READERS.
Readers are the “[wo]men behind the curtain” so to speak, making the literary community run (mostly as unpaid volunteers) by filtering through the hundreds and sometimes thousands of submissions that different literary publications receive. I myself am one of these cogs in the wheel as a reader for The Masters Review, Ecotone and the Firecracker Awards.
So why be a reader? Why spend your limited and valuable time reading other people’s stories instead of writing your own?
First off, let me be clear on one thing: if you are looking for a paid writing/reading/editing job, being a reader is likely not the best choice.
BUT if you’re looking to build your resume to qualify for those prized and elusive paid gigs, volunteering as a reader can help get you there.
For me, the top three benefits of being a reader is that it allows you to:
Develop connections in the literary world
Build your instinct and eye for a good story
Show your investment in and enthusiasm for the literary community
And while my reading position initially involved reading 15 submissions each week for many months, it has since led to me writing book reviews for their website and now serving as a guest editor (a paid position!)
Let’s dive a bit deeper into these. I’m hoping this will not only inspire you to consider a readership but also help you land this — believe it or not — coveted position!
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