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How Do I Get Published? MAG

April 17, 2013
By steelsoprano DIAMOND, Cincinnati, Ohio
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steelsoprano DIAMOND, Cincinnati, Ohio
75 articles 0 photos 47 comments
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In the course of using the Teen Ink website, I have submitted what I think are some really great pieces. Yet whenever I feel like I have written “the one,” all I get is an e-mail saying my work has been published on the website. Nothing more, nothing less.

So what do you guys want? Length, depth? Whatever you want, I'm willing to do it, if it means having the honor of seeing my work in the magazine. What do you guys look for in a piece? I believe I have given detail, originality, etc. Getting published has been the hardest thing that I have tried to do ever since I made an account on your site, thinking that my work was good.

Piece after piece, I try to work harder and harder, but all I get is rejection. Getting number-one voted doesn't matter to me anymore because the opinion that I want the most is yours. And after all these pieces I'm getting nothing, no feedback, no acknowledgments. What should I do?

Editor's response: There is no one “right” way to craft a good submission. We receive over 150,000 submissions each year, so we have a lot of great writing to choose from.

Everything submitted through our website is considered for publication in the magazine, but unfortunately we can't publish every piece that we think has merit. The best submissions are written from the heart, original, and about something other teens will relate to. But within those criteria, there is a lot of room for subjectivity. Your best bet to be published is to pick an unusual topic, then use concrete, vivid language to get your point across. We love specificity, strong verbs, and thoughtful, unusual imagery.

Also, keep in mind that even though it looks like we publish a lot of poetry in each issue, we receive almost 60,000 poems each year, making it by far the most difficult section to see your work in print.

Don't lose hope, Ellie. You never know when your time will come!

© Jessica P., Bethel Park, PA

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This article has 10 comments.

Catniss SILVER said...
on Nov. 11 2017 at 11:05 am
Catniss SILVER, Jakarta, Other
7 articles 0 photos 18 comments
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This had me thinking.ow should we portray ourselves as writers? Thank you for writing this.
Shade3043 DIAMOND said...
on Nov. 30 2014 at 6:41 pm
Shade3043 DIAMOND, Shade3043 Did This, In Case Of Anonymous, Other
87 articles 0 photos 168 comments

Favorite Quote:
When I was a boy, I would always hear scary things in the news and my mother would say to me, "Always look for the helpers. Everywhere you look you will always find people helping." - Fred Rogers

View profile
What they want you to do is just pander to teens. That's all. 
GG_LeBode PLATINUM said...
on Oct. 14 2014 at 8:24 pm
GG_LeBode PLATINUM, Brooklyn, New York
26 articles 0 photos 18 comments
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I love this. It's got great voice. The feeling of frustration over this type of "small fish big ocean" judgement is very relatable, I'm sure especially in the Teen Ink audience. I appreciate the irony that it was this piece that was published. Luck to you! 
steelsoprano DIAMOND said...
on Oct. 10 2014 at 6:19 pm
steelsoprano DIAMOND, Cincinnati, Ohio
75 articles 0 photos 47 comments
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Just on my page :) thanks so much btw :)
feathertail said...
on Oct. 10 2014 at 11:04 am
feathertail, London, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
"All around me there are people telling me who I should be. I hate to disappoint you but these are the colours that I see. If there's just as many colours, as there are human beings, maybe I'm just colour-blind and missing out on everything!" -Nano

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Awesome! You finally got published! Good for you! P.S. Can you tell where to find some of your other articles? After this I'd like to read the :)
Bethany_Saint GOLD said...
on Oct. 4 2014 at 11:00 am
Bethany_Saint GOLD, Dexter, Maine
14 articles 0 photos 90 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never regret something that once made you smile." - Amber Deckers

"Stories are more than just images. As you continue in the tale, you get to know the characters, motivations and conflicts that make up the core of the story...." - Livia Blackburne

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Congratulations on finally getting published! I know what it's like to write something you think is something special enough to get published and it's not. I'm glad to see one of us had the courage to write what most of us feel... congrats again and keep up the good work :)
theblondechick GOLD said...
on Oct. 3 2014 at 12:09 am
theblondechick GOLD, Kingsport, Tennessee
14 articles 0 photos 104 comments

Favorite Quote:
I want to live and feel all the shades, tones, and variations of mental and physical experience possible in life.
And I am horribly limited.
-Sylvia Path

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The irony. Love it!
Lisas.Smile GOLD said...
on Oct. 2 2014 at 11:54 am
Lisas.Smile GOLD, London, Other
15 articles 57 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey

I also like this quote by Gnarls Barkley:
"You are the best. You are the worst. You are average. Your love is a part of you. You try to give it away because you cannot bear its radiance, but you cannot separate it from yourself. To understand your fellow humans, you must understand why you give them your love. You must realize that hate is but a crime-ridden subdivision of love. You must reclaim what you never lost. You must take leave of your sanity, and yet be fully responsible for your actions." -Gnarls Barkley, in a letter to the legendary rock critic Lester Bangs

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TYPOS!!! I hate you, stop ruining everything I write
Lisas.Smile GOLD said...
on Oct. 2 2014 at 11:53 am
Lisas.Smile GOLD, London, Other
15 articles 57 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey

I also like this quote by Gnarls Barkley:
"You are the best. You are the worst. You are average. Your love is a part of you. You try to give it away because you cannot bear its radiance, but you cannot separate it from yourself. To understand your fellow humans, you must understand why you give them your love. You must realize that hate is but a crime-ridden subdivision of love. You must reclaim what you never lost. You must take leave of your sanity, and yet be fully responsible for your actions." -Gnarls Barkley, in a letter to the legendary rock critic Lester Bangs

View profile
Please don;t tell me I'm the only one who founf the fact this was the article you wrote which got published.... :)   Felt the same thing so many times....I got a tick once thought.
Extraterrestrial SILVER said...
on Oct. 2 2014 at 10:13 am
Extraterrestrial SILVER, Singapore, Other
9 articles 4 photos 66 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Do what I do. Hold tight and pretend it's a plan!"

View profile
And there's your acknowledgement! Well done!