This week I did a major revision (hatchet job) on a short story I wrote back in the 1990s. It had been getting regularly rejected, and I fiddled with the ending a few times and continued to send it out. Then I got a rejection that declined the story by saying that, while well-written, it was an excerpt from a longer work, and didn't stand on its own. Well! The story was a standalone; there is no longer work. So I read back through the story and came to the conclusion that the conflicts and themes that had been so apparent to me must be getting lost on a reader. So, I threw out everything except the central conflict and made sure it was evident from beginning to end. I'm happy with how the revision turned out, although not quite ready to send it out again.
Editorial feedback can be so enlightening. It’s great that you received the feedback with such grace. Wishing you all the success on the world for this one. What a celebration it will be!
I love this idea! I’ve been working on an essay collection since 2013. Last weekend, I shared a few essay drafts with my parents after hemming & hawing all summer about whether I would. They are supportive of my writing but still it felt touchy—yet I knew I would regret not showing them more than showing them. It was a little challenging taking in their reactions to various elements, but ultimately I’m really glad we talked through it .
This is nice. Yes it has been a good month with one story accepted and another one going life on the 15th. But more important is this. Rejection. These are two rejections I cherish.
"After rigorous review and thoughtful deliberation, we regret to inform you that “On the Terrace” was not selected as a finalist in our 2024 Fiction Contest. However, I'd like to mention that this story made it to the later stages of our adjudication process. This year, we were fortunate enough to receive a wealth of compelling entries, and the selection was particularly challenging due to the sheer volume and diversity of talent."
Black Warrior Review
"Sincere thanks for sending us "The Words Junkie" for consideration. This submission received special attention. We particularly admired the character of Carlos and his love of words. Though we've decided not to publish this selection, we appreciate your commitment to good writing and hope you'll send other work in the future."
The Missouri Review
I cherish when they give you such encouraging rejections. I know those stories will find a place soon.
I was invited to a literary retreat in September, and since I am new to that sort of thing and was pretty chuffed just to be asked, I wasn't conscientious enough to vet it before going. The inviting organization had nothing but good intentions and goodwill toward me, but the residence I was offered to stay in was dirty and infested with mice and insects. Okay, it's in the country, but still! The house had no internet, although they promised there would be. I almost turned around and drove fourteen hours back home. But I stuck it out. I spent a day cleaning the place. Then I found free internet in a nearby town at two cafés, the laundromat, and the tiny local library. I got up every day and fought back feelings of anger—after all, I could've gone to sit in cafés at HOME!!!—and went to work in that town. I became friends with the librarians and baristas, learned that I write well to the pink noise of washers and dryers, and did a lot of good writing. But the real win was overcoming all these obstacles and rediscovering my profound dedication to the adventure of making literature, which often has to happen under less-than-perfect conditions. I am a warrior with a pen! (PS: Becky...Have you ever written a piece or had an event focused on residencies? Hmmm?)
I had tears in my eyes reading this. Not because I felt sorry for your experience but because I was so proud of how you handled it. This would make a beautiful essay. I’d read it. 👊🏽
Thank you, Tracie. You and Anne have inspired me to consider writing the essay. To tell you the truth, I almost didn't write this comment at all—out of unmertied shame, perhaps? — but now I am glad I did.
Yes definitely, an essay or even a short story, love the idea of writing to the pink noise of clothes dryers. And also this post blew away my blue feelings about not finding a writing retreat when I’m doing just fine on my own and should be wary of my motivation for thinking I needed one.
oh, this experience really should be turned into a creative nonfiction essay!! such a victory in overcoming bad circumstances & rallying to keep writing!!
I totally agree that you should write this story! I love it so much and I want to know more. Also, *when* you write this, do be sure to tell us about the characters you met, especially the librarians and baristas. I love when writers do that... I'm too shy to talk to strangers (I just start stuttering, it's awful!) and so I always want to be a fly on the wall when actual connections like that are made, because I'm so curious about who and what they are like.
Such an important point, Becky! After going back to grad school at age 40 for the MFA, founding a lit mag at my graduate institution, and having most of my poems trashed with little pragmatic help for revision by my teachers, I decided to ignore all the negativity and focus on writing my first full-length collection. That was 22 years ago, and the manuscript has been reshaped over a dozen times while I've worked 3 adjunct teaching jobs, a tutoring job, a freelance editing job, and taking care of my elderly mother through a severe fall, a car accident, and general aging. Half the poems have been published individually, yet the collection cannot find a publisher. My brag is that I'm still pursuing improved deployment of the craft skills of poetry, still believing it is worthy of publication, still immersing myself in poems from various eras and languages, and still believing in my voice.
Working on a novel at the time both my parents fell ill -- that caretaker role wipes you clean of energy & takes a writer off track. Persistance!! That's key!
I am a self-taught writer. When I look back at things I wrote 20 years ago I give myself a big hug and pat on the back for my progress. I have learned so much and I think what if I had not stuck with it. And still learn more every day. Good for you, Prof. A. Burack
Well, I am ‘on in years,’ so tangible wins are life n death for me. I had a poem as one of 44 picked out of 800 submitted to win ‘Honorable Mention’ in Quiet Diamonds published by The Orchard Street Press in Gates Mills, Ohio. I am so bucked. Thank you, Jack Kristofco l, Publisher. Dealing with imposter syndrome never gets easier, nor the free ‘walking jurors’ who want to cut you down on every hand. It’s unbelievable the ill-willed critiques people have felt empowered by saying to my face.
I remember how stoked I was one time to “win” a “Close But No Cigar” designation. It really does help to celebrate your success at even keeping on, keeping on.
On in years? I’m 75, started writing about 6 years ago and have been wandering around feeling the foolish dreamer and then since June have had 2 poems and 4 short prose pieces accepted, scattered among almost 10 times that number of rejections. Every rejection is just the chance to submit it somewhere else!
To get in that journal is no marginal win. But thanks. And nobody wins a prize for quitting, so not sure what you’re saying, but I think you’re trying to encourage me, so thanks.
You get it when you win first place, too—one woman told when I’d won the first place Winsor Newton Award that “irks certainly wasn’t the best watercolor.”
I’m an artist, too, so I’ve gotten it double-barreled…When you don’t do recognized trends or repeats of the same winners, it’s inevitable. Thanks much, Lynne.
Twice a month I attend a critique group. We all share each time, and you must offer your own writing if you want to comment on others. It’s ok to bring rough drafts. I had nothing this past week, so I did a free write from a prompt. I thought it was a throwaway and then was really surprised the group thought it was good, found meanings I’d hadn’t seen and helped me realize I have something that deserves more work. It helped me remember that anything can become poetry, that writing is fun.
We do. Definitely more useful comments and encouragement than negative remarks (which are generally out of clumsiness or insecurity than ill will, though they still sting).
I usually sneak these into the trad brag: I don't hate an encouraging rejection, especially the kind that use objective standards like "final round," "2-3 vote," or "Xth ranking out of X total." These make me feel less delusional!
I tag those rejection emails and store them in a folder called Encouraging! I've found these phrases especially satisfying: " I hope you'll submit again" or "We invite you to submit a new piece for future consideration" and if they mention the number of submissions received for a particular contest or themed-issue, it really softens the rejection blow. I also tag these markets with Duotrope's new tag functionality so that I can search on the tag 'submit again' and easily find journals that have encouraged me to send them more. I'm finding that if I do send more after the second or third try, I'll get something accepted.
Yes; it means you've piqued their interest! I copied and pasted the text of encouraging rejections, and when I'm ready to submit something new, I look first at the journals that have encouraged me.
I finally let go of writing children's lit after 40 books. I found ekphrasis and am loving that while exploring art museums in the US and Europe and pursuing a certificate in World Art History through Smithsonian Associates, responding to ekphrasis challenges issued by lit mags. Focus is good!
That sounds wonderful, Barbara! I'm looking forward to future ekphrastic brags from you. I too let go (mostly) of writing for children after encouragement but zero acceptances from publishers, and losing my agent. However, I dragged out a potential chapter book that I’d written years ago, and spent a couple of hours late last night going through it and thinking about how it could be revised.
Barbara, I love that! I submitted a piece recently for an ekphrastic project too, and it definitely inspired me to do more of that. I’m excited for you.
I was sick the other day so I thought I'd have some time to continue working on an essay. I couldn't find my "ideas notebook," so I just decided to start working on a new one that's been stuck on my mind for years. Really glad I finally found the arc of this essay. I'm now transcribing what I think will be a flash piece and I could have a zero draft ready by the end of the day!
Btw, I'm feeling much better and I also just found my "idea notebook" in my bag 🤷🏽♂️.
I completed a draft of a memoir in 2021 and aside from showing it to three of my friends, I have pretty much let it sit since then.
This morning while reading the book DEEP MEMOIR, which I highly, highly recommend, it finally hit me where to start a new draft - with what scene. What's funny is that I had this idea previously once but allowed an objection to overpower it. Now I know that I can make that powerful opening work, although it will also require major revisions of the bulk of the previous draft.
I also wrote and polished an outtake from the memoir and have let that sit also because I didn't want to publish a teaser for something I wasn't ready to show agents or editors. I'm ready to research where to send that essay, too.
The breakthrough is trusting myself and being determined to work this through to its conclusion.
And for the record, I am no beginner in this business. I've published 17 nonfiction books - just not a memoir.
I made some progress on a long-term project that may be nothing or may be the basis for a lot of things. I did some writing on a day when I thought I wouldn't be able to. I found I had room in my suitcase for another book.
New subscriber, but long-time professional writer here. Your question is a great one for sparking discussions. I'll share a yet-untold 'win' regarding the detective novel series I've been writing since 2021.
I finished the first novel's revised version in June 2024 (a win in itself), but since I had envisioned six novels in the series, I was always foggy on how it would all shake out in the end, how the loose ends would tie together and to what fates I'd leave the main characters.
Then last month, while taking a walk, the idea for the entire conclusion of the sixth novel hit me, arriving fully-formed from the heavens.
I realized exactly how and why the arc story would finish- and not only that, but how the previous novels in the series must be written in order to arrive at the 'big finish.'
It was a sunny day and I returned home and wrote a short post about this happy revelation, but decided to publish it in some months, after my currently ongoing series of posts explaining the literary, travel, and historic context of my Greek detective and his cohorts moves forward. So, while there's no huge obvious win, I now continue the hunt for a literary agent and publisher with much more confidence, since I now how the whole series will finish. For this I can only thank the accidental cogitation that comes with long walks and sunshine.
Keep upp the good work and happy writing, everyone.
This week I finished a draft of an essay that comes from the second half of my WIP memoir. It's on a sensitive issue -- I'm writing about being the mom of a police officer during the summer of the George Floyd protests -- but there was a prompt of "Cops" in one of the lit journals, so I've worked hard to get this essay right. It even took courage to share with my writing group, and am curious for their feedback, but proud of myself for moving forward.
I saw that call from Dorothy Parker’s Ashes. I’m SO proud of you for telling your story. I’m a huge supporter of our police officers and other first responders who have the hardest jobs for little pay. Praying your story makes it out there in the world.
I asked a friend who writes very different stuff to me for feedback - something I've had mixed experiences with before with other writers. This friend writes haiku and I prattle on in purple prose-like poems. The feedback was useful and eye-opening, a totally new perspective.
Also, despite some reservations I chased up two Lit Mags that were waaaaay overdue, like three or four times longer than their advertised response times. They did both respond to the chaser, both Nos, but at least now I know, especially for any simultaneous submissions.
I've only chased up a handful of times, already assuming it was a 'No' though a couple of times I've had Yes from folk where the submission went astray, so it's well worth doing. I've also had a few who never replied and I'll take a No, and that closure, any time over never hearing back! I'm sure you would do this anyway but I keep my chaser messages neutral and friendly, the kind of thing I'd want to receive if I was in their shoes.
Becky, I love your story about submitting while your daughter slept in the shopping cart! It reminds me years ago my son was arrested and arraigned on the day of a big deadline for me - the opp had requested I resubmit the following year, and this was the day the following year. I don't remember why I waited til the last minute, but I woke up with my teenaged son not home, and the police on my voicemail. (He is fine now, finishing his degree and applying to grad schools.) Instead of freaking out and pacing the courthouse all day, which is where I was sent after being told at the precinct that he had 52 stitches in his foot and needed sandals that I had to go buy (this was far from our home to get his, plus he needed a larger size for the bandages). I went to a cafe with wifi and sent my submission.
The committee was different that year - not interested in anything that wasn't social realism, and my play was definitely not that, so nothing came of it - but I was proud I got it in! I also printed out my son's transcripts (he was a straight A student) which definitely influenced the judge, and I was still able to be there for my son when he had his moment in court.
This week I did a major revision (hatchet job) on a short story I wrote back in the 1990s. It had been getting regularly rejected, and I fiddled with the ending a few times and continued to send it out. Then I got a rejection that declined the story by saying that, while well-written, it was an excerpt from a longer work, and didn't stand on its own. Well! The story was a standalone; there is no longer work. So I read back through the story and came to the conclusion that the conflicts and themes that had been so apparent to me must be getting lost on a reader. So, I threw out everything except the central conflict and made sure it was evident from beginning to end. I'm happy with how the revision turned out, although not quite ready to send it out again.
One week in the future, you may be ready to take another look. It is surprising how pieces can change with "distance," Write on!
Will do!
Editorial feedback can be so enlightening. It’s great that you received the feedback with such grace. Wishing you all the success on the world for this one. What a celebration it will be!
That's huge, Liz!
I love this idea! I’ve been working on an essay collection since 2013. Last weekend, I shared a few essay drafts with my parents after hemming & hawing all summer about whether I would. They are supportive of my writing but still it felt touchy—yet I knew I would regret not showing them more than showing them. It was a little challenging taking in their reactions to various elements, but ultimately I’m really glad we talked through it .
This is definitely a win, Anca. I’m glad you shared it with us.
Sharing work with family takes courage. So proud of you.
Thank you. The writing involves them, so it felt extra touchy yet necessary.
This is nice. Yes it has been a good month with one story accepted and another one going life on the 15th. But more important is this. Rejection. These are two rejections I cherish.
"After rigorous review and thoughtful deliberation, we regret to inform you that “On the Terrace” was not selected as a finalist in our 2024 Fiction Contest. However, I'd like to mention that this story made it to the later stages of our adjudication process. This year, we were fortunate enough to receive a wealth of compelling entries, and the selection was particularly challenging due to the sheer volume and diversity of talent."
Black Warrior Review
"Sincere thanks for sending us "The Words Junkie" for consideration. This submission received special attention. We particularly admired the character of Carlos and his love of words. Though we've decided not to publish this selection, we appreciate your commitment to good writing and hope you'll send other work in the future."
The Missouri Review
I cherish when they give you such encouraging rejections. I know those stories will find a place soon.
Two great lit mags! I'm kvelling for you.
kvelling <3
Luis, congratulations! It must feel good to know the editors at two first-rate journals have you on their radar.
Awesome. Congratulations, yes, sometimes it just the numbers of submissions.
Luis, that’s a big win! 🙌🏽
I was invited to a literary retreat in September, and since I am new to that sort of thing and was pretty chuffed just to be asked, I wasn't conscientious enough to vet it before going. The inviting organization had nothing but good intentions and goodwill toward me, but the residence I was offered to stay in was dirty and infested with mice and insects. Okay, it's in the country, but still! The house had no internet, although they promised there would be. I almost turned around and drove fourteen hours back home. But I stuck it out. I spent a day cleaning the place. Then I found free internet in a nearby town at two cafés, the laundromat, and the tiny local library. I got up every day and fought back feelings of anger—after all, I could've gone to sit in cafés at HOME!!!—and went to work in that town. I became friends with the librarians and baristas, learned that I write well to the pink noise of washers and dryers, and did a lot of good writing. But the real win was overcoming all these obstacles and rediscovering my profound dedication to the adventure of making literature, which often has to happen under less-than-perfect conditions. I am a warrior with a pen! (PS: Becky...Have you ever written a piece or had an event focused on residencies? Hmmm?)
Indeed! https://litmagnews.substack.com/p/unexpected-experiences-on-artist
I had tears in my eyes reading this. Not because I felt sorry for your experience but because I was so proud of how you handled it. This would make a beautiful essay. I’d read it. 👊🏽
Thank you, Tracie. You and Anne have inspired me to consider writing the essay. To tell you the truth, I almost didn't write this comment at all—out of unmertied shame, perhaps? — but now I am glad I did.
Yes definitely, an essay or even a short story, love the idea of writing to the pink noise of clothes dryers. And also this post blew away my blue feelings about not finding a writing retreat when I’m doing just fine on my own and should be wary of my motivation for thinking I needed one.
oh, this experience really should be turned into a creative nonfiction essay!! such a victory in overcoming bad circumstances & rallying to keep writing!!
Dear Anne, I accept that challenge! Thank you for issuing it. :)
I totally agree that you should write this story! I love it so much and I want to know more. Also, *when* you write this, do be sure to tell us about the characters you met, especially the librarians and baristas. I love when writers do that... I'm too shy to talk to strangers (I just start stuttering, it's awful!) and so I always want to be a fly on the wall when actual connections like that are made, because I'm so curious about who and what they are like.
Yay! What a great story. Getting it done. It's so easy to make excuses (for me, anyway) not to!
Wow! Congratulations on sticking it out so positively--and I hope that good writing finds a home (preferably not one infested with mice and bugs!)
Such an important point, Becky! After going back to grad school at age 40 for the MFA, founding a lit mag at my graduate institution, and having most of my poems trashed with little pragmatic help for revision by my teachers, I decided to ignore all the negativity and focus on writing my first full-length collection. That was 22 years ago, and the manuscript has been reshaped over a dozen times while I've worked 3 adjunct teaching jobs, a tutoring job, a freelance editing job, and taking care of my elderly mother through a severe fall, a car accident, and general aging. Half the poems have been published individually, yet the collection cannot find a publisher. My brag is that I'm still pursuing improved deployment of the craft skills of poetry, still believing it is worthy of publication, still immersing myself in poems from various eras and languages, and still believing in my voice.
Working on a novel at the time both my parents fell ill -- that caretaker role wipes you clean of energy & takes a writer off track. Persistance!! That's key!
That’s so encouraging to hear. Your commitment and your passion for your own is inspiring. Keep on rolling.
I am a self-taught writer. When I look back at things I wrote 20 years ago I give myself a big hug and pat on the back for my progress. I have learned so much and I think what if I had not stuck with it. And still learn more every day. Good for you, Prof. A. Burack
Well, I am ‘on in years,’ so tangible wins are life n death for me. I had a poem as one of 44 picked out of 800 submitted to win ‘Honorable Mention’ in Quiet Diamonds published by The Orchard Street Press in Gates Mills, Ohio. I am so bucked. Thank you, Jack Kristofco l, Publisher. Dealing with imposter syndrome never gets easier, nor the free ‘walking jurors’ who want to cut you down on every hand. It’s unbelievable the ill-willed critiques people have felt empowered by saying to my face.
I remember how stoked I was one time to “win” a “Close But No Cigar” designation. It really does help to celebrate your success at even keeping on, keeping on.
On in years? I’m 75, started writing about 6 years ago and have been wandering around feeling the foolish dreamer and then since June have had 2 poems and 4 short prose pieces accepted, scattered among almost 10 times that number of rejections. Every rejection is just the chance to submit it somewhere else!
To get in that journal is no marginal win. But thanks. And nobody wins a prize for quitting, so not sure what you’re saying, but I think you’re trying to encourage me, so thanks.
"Nobody wins a prize for quitting." Oh, I may just post this one my desk!!
Congratulations, Joanna! That is a big and definite win. Tell the imposter syndrome to take a hike --you're clearly super good--and do keep writing!
Thanks—I do, every time it peeks its little head thru! Smiles
Joanna, honorable mention is exactly what it says…it’s honorable. Awesome job!
Tnks, Tracy, and when it’s 44 out of 800—and we not a literary poet’s journal to boot
You get it when you win first place, too—one woman told when I’d won the first place Winsor Newton Award that “irks certainly wasn’t the best watercolor.”
Congratulations, Joanna! And I’m sorry you’ve had to contend with intentionally hurtful feedback.
I’m an artist, too, so I’ve gotten it double-barreled…When you don’t do recognized trends or repeats of the same winners, it’s inevitable. Thanks much, Lynne.
Twice a month I attend a critique group. We all share each time, and you must offer your own writing if you want to comment on others. It’s ok to bring rough drafts. I had nothing this past week, so I did a free write from a prompt. I thought it was a throwaway and then was really surprised the group thought it was good, found meanings I’d hadn’t seen and helped me realize I have something that deserves more work. It helped me remember that anything can become poetry, that writing is fun.
Sounds like you have a good group. 👏
We do. Definitely more useful comments and encouragement than negative remarks (which are generally out of clumsiness or insecurity than ill will, though they still sting).
Lynne, I feel that! Remembering that writing is fun is a huge revelation.
I usually sneak these into the trad brag: I don't hate an encouraging rejection, especially the kind that use objective standards like "final round," "2-3 vote," or "Xth ranking out of X total." These make me feel less delusional!
I tag those rejection emails and store them in a folder called Encouraging! I've found these phrases especially satisfying: " I hope you'll submit again" or "We invite you to submit a new piece for future consideration" and if they mention the number of submissions received for a particular contest or themed-issue, it really softens the rejection blow. I also tag these markets with Duotrope's new tag functionality so that I can search on the tag 'submit again' and easily find journals that have encouraged me to send them more. I'm finding that if I do send more after the second or third try, I'll get something accepted.
I track mine too. Huge win to hear positive feedback, even in a rejection.
Yes; it means you've piqued their interest! I copied and pasted the text of encouraging rejections, and when I'm ready to submit something new, I look first at the journals that have encouraged me.
I finally let go of writing children's lit after 40 books. I found ekphrasis and am loving that while exploring art museums in the US and Europe and pursuing a certificate in World Art History through Smithsonian Associates, responding to ekphrasis challenges issued by lit mags. Focus is good!
That sounds wonderful, Barbara! I'm looking forward to future ekphrastic brags from you. I too let go (mostly) of writing for children after encouragement but zero acceptances from publishers, and losing my agent. However, I dragged out a potential chapter book that I’d written years ago, and spent a couple of hours late last night going through it and thinking about how it could be revised.
Barbara, I love that! I submitted a piece recently for an ekphrastic project too, and it definitely inspired me to do more of that. I’m excited for you.
I was sick the other day so I thought I'd have some time to continue working on an essay. I couldn't find my "ideas notebook," so I just decided to start working on a new one that's been stuck on my mind for years. Really glad I finally found the arc of this essay. I'm now transcribing what I think will be a flash piece and I could have a zero draft ready by the end of the day!
Btw, I'm feeling much better and I also just found my "idea notebook" in my bag 🤷🏽♂️.
Good luck with the new essay, Andrew!
I completed a draft of a memoir in 2021 and aside from showing it to three of my friends, I have pretty much let it sit since then.
This morning while reading the book DEEP MEMOIR, which I highly, highly recommend, it finally hit me where to start a new draft - with what scene. What's funny is that I had this idea previously once but allowed an objection to overpower it. Now I know that I can make that powerful opening work, although it will also require major revisions of the bulk of the previous draft.
I also wrote and polished an outtake from the memoir and have let that sit also because I didn't want to publish a teaser for something I wasn't ready to show agents or editors. I'm ready to research where to send that essay, too.
The breakthrough is trusting myself and being determined to work this through to its conclusion.
And for the record, I am no beginner in this business. I've published 17 nonfiction books - just not a memoir.
Congratulations on picking up this thread again, Marcia! I look forward to hearing publication news in a future brag!
Marcia, I love that book Deep Memoir as well. So glad you are inspired to move forward with the essay and the memoir. 🫶🏼
Congrats, Marcia. And thanks for the book recommendation.
I made some progress on a long-term project that may be nothing or may be the basis for a lot of things. I did some writing on a day when I thought I wouldn't be able to. I found I had room in my suitcase for another book.
New subscriber, but long-time professional writer here. Your question is a great one for sparking discussions. I'll share a yet-untold 'win' regarding the detective novel series I've been writing since 2021.
I finished the first novel's revised version in June 2024 (a win in itself), but since I had envisioned six novels in the series, I was always foggy on how it would all shake out in the end, how the loose ends would tie together and to what fates I'd leave the main characters.
Then last month, while taking a walk, the idea for the entire conclusion of the sixth novel hit me, arriving fully-formed from the heavens.
I realized exactly how and why the arc story would finish- and not only that, but how the previous novels in the series must be written in order to arrive at the 'big finish.'
It was a sunny day and I returned home and wrote a short post about this happy revelation, but decided to publish it in some months, after my currently ongoing series of posts explaining the literary, travel, and historic context of my Greek detective and his cohorts moves forward. So, while there's no huge obvious win, I now continue the hunt for a literary agent and publisher with much more confidence, since I now how the whole series will finish. For this I can only thank the accidental cogitation that comes with long walks and sunshine.
Keep upp the good work and happy writing, everyone.
This week I finished a draft of an essay that comes from the second half of my WIP memoir. It's on a sensitive issue -- I'm writing about being the mom of a police officer during the summer of the George Floyd protests -- but there was a prompt of "Cops" in one of the lit journals, so I've worked hard to get this essay right. It even took courage to share with my writing group, and am curious for their feedback, but proud of myself for moving forward.
I saw that call from Dorothy Parker’s Ashes. I’m SO proud of you for telling your story. I’m a huge supporter of our police officers and other first responders who have the hardest jobs for little pay. Praying your story makes it out there in the world.
I asked a friend who writes very different stuff to me for feedback - something I've had mixed experiences with before with other writers. This friend writes haiku and I prattle on in purple prose-like poems. The feedback was useful and eye-opening, a totally new perspective.
Also, despite some reservations I chased up two Lit Mags that were waaaaay overdue, like three or four times longer than their advertised response times. They did both respond to the chaser, both Nos, but at least now I know, especially for any simultaneous submissions.
Emily, so glad to hear you followed up on those subs that were past due. I was just thinking I need to do that. Closure is reassuring and freeing.
I've only chased up a handful of times, already assuming it was a 'No' though a couple of times I've had Yes from folk where the submission went astray, so it's well worth doing. I've also had a few who never replied and I'll take a No, and that closure, any time over never hearing back! I'm sure you would do this anyway but I keep my chaser messages neutral and friendly, the kind of thing I'd want to receive if I was in their shoes.
Becky, I love your story about submitting while your daughter slept in the shopping cart! It reminds me years ago my son was arrested and arraigned on the day of a big deadline for me - the opp had requested I resubmit the following year, and this was the day the following year. I don't remember why I waited til the last minute, but I woke up with my teenaged son not home, and the police on my voicemail. (He is fine now, finishing his degree and applying to grad schools.) Instead of freaking out and pacing the courthouse all day, which is where I was sent after being told at the precinct that he had 52 stitches in his foot and needed sandals that I had to go buy (this was far from our home to get his, plus he needed a larger size for the bandages). I went to a cafe with wifi and sent my submission.
The committee was different that year - not interested in anything that wasn't social realism, and my play was definitely not that, so nothing came of it - but I was proud I got it in! I also printed out my son's transcripts (he was a straight A student) which definitely influenced the judge, and I was still able to be there for my son when he had his moment in court.
What a great story! Write that and submit it. It’s gold.
I am not much of a prose writer, but I will try. Thank you! I wouldn't have seen it as a story, but you're right.
Wow. Happy to hear your son is doing much better! Loved that you met the deadline!!
Thank you! Yes, it was a fluke. He's great. And I was so proud of myself for not getting flustered.