Ten years ago, I would have told you to review Cliff Garstang’s ranking of literary magazines for nonfiction and begin by submitting to the best. I did that for many years, dutifully submitting my short memoirs and personal essays to a prioritized list of literary magazines, with limited success. Thankfully, I eventually realized there was a better way to get published:

Determine the subject you are writing about and look for openings at publications covering that subject. 

For example I wrote several personal essays about the challenges of being a mother, none of which I had been able to publish. Then I stumbled upon a call for submissions from Kveller, the leading Jewish parenting site. They sought content for the local editions they were launching in various cities, among them my hometown of Chicago. I figured I should be able to package my own experience in a way that would meet their needs. My first article for them was “How My Kids and I Celebrate Tu BiShvat in Chicago.” I have since written several first-person essays for them, all with the angle of life as a Jewish parent.

Target mainstream publications, such as local newspapers, national or local magazines. 

They publish daily or weekly and need lots of content (unlike literary magazines, which only publish a few issues a year). When my memoir Jumping Over Shadows came out, I was able to place an article in Woman’s World for Valentine’s Day, focused on a particular aspect of my own love story: “Proposals are Overrated.” Most mainstream publications welcome submissions, even if they don’t post guidelines. If you can’t find submission info under “Contact Us,” try to figure out which editor covers your subject area and email them. If that fails, contact one of their freelance writers and ask for help on how to get into that publication.

Seasonal topics offer a good entry point. 

Publications always need such content, see my Valentine’s Day example above. Scrutinize your writing to see which season or holiday it might fit. An essay about your relationship with your father might be appropriate for a women’s (or men’s) magazine looking for Father’s Day content. See if your piece offers a slant that would make it competitive.

A student of mine wrote about reviving the relationship with her estranged father shortly before he passed away, presenting a unique angle for Father’s Day. I’ve been able to publish two essays on Christmas in the premier Jewish publication Tablet. In fact, Giving Up Christmas was my first publication with them. Keep in mind that print magazines require about six months of lead-time for seasonal topics. Online publications are more flexible but still plan content a few weeks in advance.

Lastly, submit to publications you like to read. 

The chance of your voice and your topic jiving with that publication is much higher than engaging in blanket submissions to simply “the best literary magazines for nonfiction.” My story “Thrown Out of the Family Home” appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Why? I enjoy reading their Mansion section on Fridays, and I had noticed a call for submissions asking readers to send in stories of beloved homes. It so happened that I thought my story about my odd love for my grandparents’ former home in the Czech Republic might fit. It did!

BIO – Annette Gendler is the author of Jumping Over Shadows, the true story of a German-Jewish love that overcame the legacy of the Holocaust, as well as the guide How to Write Compelling Stories from Family History. She has been teaching memoir writing at StoryStudio Chicago since 2006. Visit her at annettegendler.com.