My Goal Each Month

Each month, my goal is to have 25 short-story submissions out.

Understand, that doesn't mean I have 25 unsold short stories. Some are previously-published ones that I'm trying to re-sell. Others I've sent to five different magazines or anthologies; whoever responds first, gets the story. Only a few of the stories went to markets that specify "no simultaneous submissions." I don't like to send stories to those markets, but sometimes you have to -- they're the most prestigious, or they pay the most.

It's a lot of work to research 25 different potential markets. Even using Duotrope, it takes me an average of one hour to go through potential venues, find one that's appropriate, and adjust my submission to the venue's rules. Most months I don't get 25 out. But it's always my goal, and I'm glad to have accomplished it this month.

So What Have You Published Lately?

As I mentioned in my last post, last month I had an unprecedented number of stories and articles published.

I had three works of fiction published.

And I had three articles published on local history.

But that was then, this is now.  Today is September 3rd, and there's nothing on the horizon for this month.  I have a story in an anthology that might be out next month.  And that's it.

So today, I sat down at my computer and sent out ten new submissions.  (Not ten new stories, mind.  I sent out four stories to a total of ten markets.  That's called simultaneous submissions in the writing business.)

But getting those ten submissions out took me all day!  I worked on this from 1 pm to 9:30 pm, and got nothing else accomplished.  I did no new writing today!

Oh, I revised some of those stories.  One had been rejected several times, and I'd already decided it needed a different opening line.  One flash fiction market only accepted stories of up to 900 words, so I had to cut 25 words out of the story I wanted to send them.

But that's rewriting, not writing original material.

Why did it take so long, even using a good tool like Duotrope.com ?

Well, in addition to the rewriting, I try not to send stories out that are inappropriate for the market.  So I had to actually read some of these publications online.  It also takes time to read the submission guidelines.  And any interviews with the editors, in which they express their preferences and peeves.

So it takes me about 45 minutes per submission.  Ten submissions = 450 minutes.

Add 60 minutes for coffee, dinner, interrupting phone calls and bathroom breaks, and that comes to 510 minutes.  Or 8-and-1/2 hours.

Yes, I had a productive day.  I did necessary work.  But it doesn't feel satisfying.

Daytime TV Hell

I'm back at the car dealership, having my vehicle worked on.  Consequently, I'm once again trapped in their waiting room with a TV on.

Years ago, a sports fan said that he assumed that if he turned on the TV off-season, it would just show an empty ballpark.  That's how I feel about daytime TV: there should be nothing except a test signal until 5 pm.  (Maybe 7 pm.  You want news, listen to the radio or read a newspaper!)

But here I am in the waiting room.  Of course, I don't need the reading matter the dealership provides - I have my laptop, and a book, with me.  But I'm always on the lookout for new markets for my writing, so I always check out the magazines.

This dealership waiting room has: Landscape Management, Mushroom News, Western Horseman, and LP Gas ("The Propane Industry's Premier Information Source").  No lie!

I don't think I'll be writing for any of these magazines, since I don't know anything about these subjects.

Now excuse me, I have to learn how to teach my horse how to ground-tie.  (Whatever that means.)