Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Slowing the submissions pace

As much as one wishes for imagination to rule the writing of fiction, reality must at times take over. I've had a good run in the weekly Write 1 Sub 1 experiment (see post below), but now it's over for the year. With the new teaching semester imminent, it's time to switch to the more humble goal of one short story submission per month. And so, my new badge: 



Curious to report: Sending out at least a story per week has significantly decreased my rate of acceptances. On the other hand, I've been much more courageous in the kinds of things I'll try to write, so that's very positive, and would explain a lot of the rejections. 


I'll have to mull over exactly what I've learned over the past few months as I decide whether to increase my sub pace again next summer. Until then, we re-balance, as all healthy creatures must.


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6 comments:

  1. I like your new badge...slow and steady, you know the rest!

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  2. I have such a hard time, with my job, to get more than one or two submissions out during a month. I applaud that you were able to do one sub a week for at least awhile! That's something to boast about.

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  3. I'm right there with ya, Cat. It's so hard to get anything written and out the door when I work a full-time job everyday. I'm lucky to get ANYTHING out in a months time sometimes. Especially when writer's block kicks in like it has been lately. But I'll always keep trying. You're goal, Anne, is wonderful and I applaud you. Keep up the good work!

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  4. I had a feeling folks would be able to relate to this! We all have to figure out what's possible in our actual lives, and set up reasonable goals. I'm not always too good at the "slow and steady" mindset, so I have to work on that.

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  5. The badge is very cool! Best of luck with your writing and submissions, Anne. (You were writing and submitting one story a week previously? I can't imagine me accomplishing that! I'm the rather slow kind of writer, I'm afraid.)

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  6. Anne, good for you for trying this. It does give you more courage to submit when you get a lot out there.

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