Authors Who Lead - Learn to write a book from bestselling authors and leaders

Mastering the Submission Process | Dennis James Sweeney

·29 min·2 clips

Dennis James Sweeney reveals how his book helps writers navigate the daunting submission process to literary magazines.

The episode begins with Azul Terronez introducing Dennis James Sweeney, an author and former editor with an MFA and PhD, who wrote a guide on submitting writing to literary magazines and small presses. Dennis recounts his early desire to write, which was delayed as he explored other paths like psychology and the Peace Corps before fully committing to writing in his early twenties. He describes his first publication acceptance from the literary magazine Ellie May, which gave him early validation, followed by years of rejection before winning a chapbook contest that felt magical because he no longer desperately needed validation. Dennis discusses his academic experiences in MFA and PhD programs, noting how they provided a safe space for risk-taking and reading unfamiliar works, though he observed that not all peers pursued writing careers aggressively. Azul shares his own background as a dyslexic writing teacher who published his students' work on Amazon to reduce fear and increase excitement, leading to high productivity among young writers. They explore the fear of rejection and perfectionism common in academics, with Azul emphasizing that writers often hide behind technical skill instead of telling the truth. Dennis advises writers to engage with literary communities by reading publications like Plowshares or contributing labor to small presses to feel part of the conversation before submitting. He stresses that the submission process should be approached from a place of love for the venues, not just strategic prestige-seeking. The conversation touches on teaching methods, with Dennis describing his approach at Amherst College where he encourages students to write for themselves rather than follow rules, similar to Azul's classroom experiments with one-sentence stories. They agree that letting go of inhibitions and focusing on core energy is key to authentic writing. Dennis explains that his book came from an existing conversation about community and publication, making the writing process feel like transcribing rather than crafting. The episode concludes with Dennis sharing his social media presence on Instagram and Substack for further resources, and Azul encouraging listeners to start submitting and not delay their writing dreams.

As heard by us

Practical writing talk about fear, submission, and the habits that keep drafts from staying drafts.

Dennis James Sweeney's conversation turns a familiar writing problem into something useful: how to submit work, live with rejection, and keep moving anyway.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get a grounded guide to submitting work without waiting to feel ready.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Authors Who Lead - Learn to write a book from bestselling authors and leaders