A Dream Magazine Accepts Your Article. Now What?

6 Tips for Your Publishing Journey

By Beth Ann Burkey Lombardi

I always thought having an article accepted in a premier magazine was the hard part.

Not necessarily.

There were more surprises in the post-acceptance process than in the plot of the story I recently had published. The upside? You can benefit from what I learned the hard way! The adventure doesn’t end when the acceptance email arrives.

I spend most days writing and editing in the healthcare, marketing, education, and Department of Defense spaces, but writing is my passion, not just my profession.

When a little time opened up in my schedule, I decided to check something off my lifelong wish list: Seeing my byline in my grandmother’s favorite magazine, Guideposts.

I wrote and submitted a sweet little article about my first dog, Shasta, who had a knack for finding pennies.

Writers have to follow the submission guidelines and style guides of each publication, but publications can break their own rules and set their own timelines. No problem; that’s fair. Just be aware.

According to Guideposts’ website:

“Due to the high volume of submissions we receive, we are only able to respond to your story if you have been accepted for publication. If you have not heard from us in two months, please feel free to submit your story elsewhere.”

Here’s my timeline:

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