Rejection from an agent I had already crossed off the list due to delay. Just shows how far behind agents are. Submitted in May, rejected today. Said the query was ‘interesting’ but he’s not taking on new clients now. As it happens a colleague of his has now opened for submissions and she was my preferred option. So I’ll keep trying
Oh it’s one of those weeks. A rejection after 10 days basically saying sorry we are too busy to take new clients right now.
It’s impossible to know because many agents just don’t respond! But about 5 full MS and say another 15-20 queries on top
I have between 30 and 40 pending submissions. I aim to have 50 pending and never go below 25. I try to make at least one or two submission out a week, which, for the most part, I'm pretty good about. If you get into a routine about making submissions, it helps to get that number up. And when you have several places considering a story the chances are better that someone will take it. Plus, making yourself send out submissions on a regular basis can make you try your stuff with the bigger places when you look at the markets you haven't tried with a certain story. You can never have too many submissions out, only too few. That's the way I see it.
Selling one story can easily take care of the submission fees and then some. Not everywhere charges the $3 fee. And even so it can work in the writer's favor since the payout from a story is likely a few hundred. I know a lot of people use the cost-of-a-coffee analogy when breaking down and justifying all sorts of costs, but I do spend more on coffee than I do submissions. Honestly, submitting A LOT is the only thing I've found that really works for me. It also makes me write more since I always have to have new work ready to try places as they reject older works. I'm telling you, it's all about the routine. It took me awhile to find my groove, and I do plan on most of my submissions to get rejected, but now I don't pause to send a story more places or to send the place that rejected me a new story. It's just what I need to do to get my work published. I wish I had always been as aggressive about submitting.
Was thinking more about the whole cost-of-submission fees. I think if you're spending $20 a month on submissions, it's probably a good thing. It means you're really putting your writing out there and taking it seriously. Of course, submission fees are stupid, but I don't ever see investing in myself as stupid. However, I don't usually enter contests because those can really add up. And a regular submission is just like a contest. The best stories get published.
So, I was thinking that since we've got a pretty good group of short story writers here, it might be fun to discuss the works in the new Pushcart Prize anthology. I'm not sure it's out yet, but it's on my Christmas list. We can start a new thread for it. I just wanted to see if anyone here plans on picking up a copy and what you guys would think about discussing these prize winning stories and essays. I was nominated last year, but didn't make the cut. The issue coming out is the one I would have been in. Got to check out the competition. Anyone game?
I don't have any money until next month, but I'm so excited to read it, especially with you guys. It's supposed to be the best of the best from all the places we're submitting to. I was wondering where to put the thread. I think it would still go under publishing because we're talking about the stories that are being published now. And we're all trying to do what they're doing. What do you guys think?
