Takeaways from AWP: The Power of Saying Yes (Part II)

Embracing the Possibilities 

When you walk into the AWP book fair, you’re greeted with several aisles and miles of books. There are journals selling a variety of work, everything from poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. I perused through work that explored hybrid and experimental forms, as well as more traditional narratives.

Several university and indie presses displayed their collections of books and swag, and countless journals dotted the aisles at the book fair. I likely wandered the book fair many times but know I failed to visit each table. 

Missing out on some of these journals left me with FOMO, but also gave me great joy. The literary world and publishing is flourishing and there are several opportunities to find a place for work. As a senior editor at Literary Mama and co-editor at The Sunlight Press, it thrilled me to see so many literary journals thriving and finding ways to continue to grow through newsletters, contests, and submission opportunities. 

For any writer, the literary journal landscape is full and ripe with opportunities. Although I can’t control whether or not one of my pieces is published, I know that there are several places to submit work. And the work doesn’t necessarily need to conform to traditional boundaries because each journal represents a different aesthetic. This thought felt liberating.