Welcome to another, You Asked, the Experts Answer, segment. This week ‘s question is: Is there a secret to getting published in literary magazines?

Well yeah, sort of.  Lincoln Michel, a Buzzfeed contributor, takes us behind the scenes in his two-part article, The Ultimate Guide To Getting Published in a Literary Magazine.

This is one of  the most in-depth articles on getting published I have ever read. We’ve all heard the tips :

• Submit often
• Read the magazines
• Follow the guidelines
• Proofread

But, we’ve never understood what happens behind the scenes or how literary magazines actually select those they choose to print. Well, now you will. Lincoln goes into great detail about editors, readers, the slush pile, solicited and non-solicited work, and even “carpet bombing.”

“Most editors would probably consider at least 60% of the slush pile to be unpublishable, period. Twenty percent shows promise but needs some work…