Submissions

One of the worst things about being a writer is the submission process. As a writer, you work so hard creating and editing a manuscript. You polish it, send it out, and wait forever for a response. Sometimes a market is quick. For example, I got a 1.5 day rejection from Fantasy Magazine the other day. I don't mind that. Quick form rejection and I can send it out again. It's the rejections that you get 243 days after sending something out. By then, you think that this might be a good thing. Maybe they like your work and are trying to figure out where to put it. But usually they are overloaded with submissions and it took them 242 days to open your email.

That's was the submission process is for writers. 90% of the time it's disappointment; form rejections, cruel rejections, or no answer at all that take forever to get to you. 10% of the time it's golden; the acceptance, a positive personal rejection, or even a quick 1.5 day rejection.

Today I sent out a short story submission to Sword and Sorceress 25. I've been trying to get into this annual anthology since 2007. It's one of my writing goals. Every year I get a quick rejection, usually personal. I think I write too dark for them, but I have to try. Every year I get a rejection within a day. I can live with that. I just hate the waiting game. Hoping that this year, the editor will like a story I send her.

Hopefully this will be the year, but my jaded side says no. I'd really like to prove that side wrong.