2011 Writer Survey Results

This spring we polled our writers for an industry survey and the results are in, with approximately 200 writers taking the time to respond to our thorough questions. First off, a big thanks to those whose who sent in their answers!

Some of what their answers tell us is to be expected. Most everybody uses Microsoft Word to compose; 97% of all submissions sent are unsolicited; Duotrope is king for finding publications and publishers; the majority of submitted work is fiction. Print still holds a certain prestige and is the primary target for many writers, with 46% of submissions primarily going to print publications compared to about 25% each for online and digital, but writers are really not too discerning and willing to submit anywhere that seems like a good home: when asked to select all types of publications to which they submit, 87% submit to print, 60% to online, and 73% to digital.

However, there were several areas mixed signals were given. The vast majority of writers prefer submitting electronically, via e-mail or whichever submission management tool a publisher uses. It looks like publishers are slow to get the message — about 25% of responders cited postage and printing expenses as a writing-related expenditure, as a write-in option no less.

A little over a third of all writers participate in a writing group of some kind, with the vast majority workshopping their pieces during meet-ups. An overwhelming majority find that these groups help improve their writing:

On the other hand, only 33% workshop their writing online, and out of the percentage that currently do not, they’re split on whether they’d want to, with 53% answering that they would be interested in receiving online feedback on their work. We found this surprising: feedback is essential to improving works and one’s writing in general, so why not get it online as well, on your own time wherever you can work on a computer? Maybe it’s the appeal of old-fashioned red ink, or maybe the assumption that the extra distance afforded by getting feedback online would be enticing (thus making it more attractive for the shyer writer or one more averse to criticism) is really the wrong one to make, that maybe such an intimate undertaking with a cherished work needs to occur in person.

When it comes to money, what writers spend greatly varies (the majority spend either under $20 per year or $101-500 annually) but those expenditures mostly go to contests or writing magazine subscriptions.

In general, most writers are not going to pay to submit, and if they do, it’s for a contest with prestige or a nice potential earning opportunity.

It’s interesting that writers are so keen to read publications focused on helping improve their writing and career as a writer when they seem to be ignoring one of the most espoused virtues of submitting works (and one we said was most important): submit to publications you actually read. According to our survey, most writers are only occasional readers of the publications to which they submit, with under 8% considering themselves regular readers or subscribers:

Hey writers — what’s up with these discrepancies? Let’s start some discussion!