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Why do we still see more men publishing poems, stories and books than women? That simple question has a complex answer, but one part of the problem is that women make fewer and less frequent efforts to get published. Ask many a literary journal editor, and she will tell you that men, in general, send in submissions in far greater numbers than do women.

Why this is — is also a question with a complex answer. But one grassroots organization, Women Who Submit, has started answering it with a simple solution — by getting more women to submit more and more frequently to literary journals and other writing-related opportunities.

How does Women Who Submit do this? By throwing submission parties! At each of these events, women writers are encouraged to arrive, laptops in tow, to hang out and eat and drink and chat and have fun in real life — while also sending their work out to literary journals via the internet. Every time someone sends in a submission, the crowd cheers!

Each party is a little different. Some are held in people’s homes, and have the feeling of a cozy ladies potluck brunch. Others are held in bars, to the delight of writers who enjoy daydrinking. Yet others are organized in quiet community spaces — Those have tended to be the most productive spots for me.

Women Who Submit was founded in 2011 by three L.A. women — Alyss Dixson, Ashaki Jackson and Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo — as a response to the VIDA count, which shows in stark statistics just how many more men than women are seeing their name in print in literary journals.

Since then, WWS has formalized and organized and expanded. There are now parties organized across the US! Parties in L.A. happen on the second Saturday of the month — and I’ll be giving a talk at the next one on finding an agent! That WWS New Member Orientation and Submission Party happens Sat., Oct. 8 at Beyond Baroque in Venice. Hope to see you there!

To join WWS — or to find out about or start a party in your town, contact WWS. In the meantime, follow WWS’ blog, which has helpful posts demystifying the literary submission process, offering writerly encouragement, and celebrating the publication successes of its members.

Earlier: 5 important resources for women writers

Photos by Lauren Eggert-Crowe

Every year we see articles bemoaning the dearth of women writers — on award lists, bestseller lists, magazine bylines, and more. But feminist lit groups are working to change that! Here are five moving things forward to get involved with:

Bindercon. Described as “the conference and community for women and gender noncoforming writers,” Bindercon hosts two conferences a year — one in NYC, one in Los Angeles. The two-day events are full of keynotes and panels, tackling everything from basic writing advice (how to pitch articles) to larger political issues (writing about reproductive rights and justice).

I moderated a panel on creating a writing community at Bindercon LA earlier this year, and loved taking part in the exciting and warm conference. The next conference happens in NYC Oct. 29-30, and is currently seeking volunteers!

VIDA: Women in Literary Arts. This feminist nonprofit’s best known for its annual VIDA count, a report that studies who’s getting published in literary journals and whose books are getting reviewed — then crunches the numbers to give us some concrete stats showing current gender imbalances in publishing.

The group’s larger mission is to draw attention to literary gender disparities — and to address them by amplifying marginalized voices. VIDA has a nice list of resources for women writers — including a list of women-run presses.

Women Who Submit.. This action-oriented group was actually inspired into existence by the VIDA count! The founders of WWS saw the lackluster numbers in the count — then decided to change them — by getting more women to submit more often to literary publications!

To that end, WWS hosts “submission parties” — where women congregate with their labtops at a local bar or member home and submit their creative work for a few hours, all while cheering each other on. Events happen around the country! The next LA submission party happens Oct. 8 — and I’ll be speaking there, pre-submission blitz, about how to find a literary agent. More details soon — Hope to see you!

Hedgebrook. For women who seek a room of their own, Hedgebrook offers writing residencies on Whidbey Island, near Seattle. This feminist organization basically offers selected residents a free space to live and write!

Hedgebrook also hosts other events and workshops, its goal being “Equality for women’s voices to achieve a just and peaceful world.” The next application deadline for residencies is in July 2017. Earlier. 5 things to look for in a writing residency and My Writing Residency at the Anderson Center.

Money for Women. Known also as the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, Money for Women basically awards writing grants to women writers and artists. The grants range from $500 to $1500, and are intended to help women artists finish works in progress. Applications are due each year in January.
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Know of other great literary resources for women? Share them in the comments —

Photo courtesy of Kenji Liu / Women Who Submit

Tag: women

Women Who Submit throws parties to empower women writers

5 important resources for women writers