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Craft of Writing

Suzan L. Wiener

Avoid The Last Minute Rush For Sending Out Seasonal Manuscripts

Are you a writer who waits for the last minute to send out seasonal submissions such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, etc.? You won’t be upset because you missed the deadline if you follow the tips listed below on how to avoid that problem. I have learned through trial and error, and you now will have a better chance of getting your work accepted by sending them out in a timely manner. I have had the misfortune of missing out on acceptances because I didn’t get my work in on time when I first started out as a writer, but not anymore. Instead of waiting for the last-minute rush to do stories, poems and/or anecdotes, etc., for seasonal material, why not write them year ‘round in your spare time? This way, when it comes to sending material out, you will be a jump ahead of the competition because it has been typed and ready to be mailed. You can even address the envelopes beforehand to help speed the process along.

1. File each piece, marked in a separate folder, in large, red letters, and write out the month it should be sent, the holiday, and the target publication. Check the folders on a weekly basis, so you don't miss important deadlines.

2. It is a good idea to check the Writer's Market to see how far in advance each magazine needs seasonal material. Some need it as far as six months to a year ahead of time. Writing out each market’s lead time would be a big help and keep it by your computer or typewriter.

3. Keep a list of the holidays on your computer or on your computer desk so you won’t forget them. Also, keep your writer’s guidelines handy to know when each publication’s holiday deadline is up. It is good if you store them all in one loose-leaf folder. It makes it worthwhile in saving time and effort.

4. Have a calendar handy so you can check the holiday and remember publications usually want that type of material at least six months in advance and sometimes even a year. They work quite ahead of time. If you give them a good Christmas poem a year before, for example, you will have a better chance of having it accepted. If you show them a consistency of giving them seasonal items they can use, the editor could start relying on you for those items.

5. Look for the less common holidays to write about also, such as Kwanzaa. Most writers won’t think to write about that, and you will be a step further. If you don’t know about that particular special occasion, then research it. Search engines like google are a big help in that respect. You will be glad you did when you get that most-welcomed check for your submitted work.

6. Make sure not to send a religious poem, for example, to a magazine geared toward fashion, and vice versa. You have to know your target audience to make more sales. (See my May, ‘05 article, "Target Your Audience," in The Writer’s Ezine for more information about targeting your audience.)

7. If you pretend you are working at that particular publication, you will read the publication more thoroughly and know what specific seasonal items the editor is looking for.