Finding Joy in Submission: How to Get Your Short Fiction and Essays Published with Dennis James Sweeney {ep. 208}
February 11, 2026
Author and creative writing professor Dennis James Sweeney joins Alexa Bigwarfe to discuss how short fiction, essays, and poetry can jumpstart your publishing journey. Learn to find the right literary magazines, submit with confidence, and rediscover joy in the creative process through community, curiosity, and connection.
Summary
In this episode, Alexa Bigwarfe sits down with Dennis James Sweeney, author of How to Submit: Getting Your Writing Published with Literary Magazines and Small Presses (New World Library, 2025). Dennis shares how short fiction, essays, and poetry can open creative and professional doors for writers—offering connection, recognition, and joy without the pressure of traditional publishing.
He discusses practical strategies for finding the right outlets for your work, de-stressing the submission process, and integrating publication efforts into your writing life. Whether you’re a novelist, essayist, or poet, this conversation will inspire you to embrace the art—and humanity—of sharing your work.
In this podcast, Alexa and Dennis discuss:
- Dennis’s journey from MFA to PhD and why he kept chasing writing opportunities
- The difference between small presses, literary magazines, and big publishers
- How short pieces can strengthen your craft and help you get paid along the way
- Practical tips for submitting work and finding the right publication fit
- How to balance writing time with submission time (and why compartmentalization helps)
- Ways to build genuine relationships with editors and presses
- How to make publishing less stressful and more fulfilling
- Why understanding your “why” is the key to enjoying the submission process
- The importance of remembering there are real people on both sides of publishing
Speaker Bio
Dennis James Sweeney is the author of How to Submit: Getting Your Writing Published with Literary Magazines and Small Presses (New World Library, 2025). His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Southern Review, and Ecotone. He holds an MFA from Oregon State University and a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Denver. Dennis teaches in Amherst, Massachusetts, and publishes the Substack newsletter Write What You Want.
Resources & Links
Publishing and book marketing advice.