Revise and try again

Trying again after revising the story. One rejection response had made a comment on how to improve the story. A week ago I revised the story according to my best understanding of the comment. After letting it alone for several days, the revision did seem to me to improve it. So am sending a second group of simultaneous submissions with the revised version to a totally new group of magazines. This group is smaller, just five. The story fit is also not as good with this group as it had been with the first wave of submissions.

The stories are all ready to be mailed. January 2, 2013 is the target mailing date.

Also starting research on a non-fiction article. The idea came to mind while playing with some of the new gadgets in the stores. Might not be interest in the topic nor a likely home for the article. I will have to research that but think I will write the article anyway because I found the topic so much fun. So many writers like Bradbury have advised writers to write from their interests and passion.

Gettysburg Review

Another rejection yesterday. This one from the Gettysburg review was on a printed form with the name of the story hand written at the bottom. It reads: Thank you for letting us consider your manuscript. We regret that it does not suit our present needs.

This story was sent to them on September 19, 2012 with a post card to acknowledge the manuscript was received by them and a self addressed stamped envelope for acceptance or rejection. Thoughtfully they enclosed the unused but stamped postcard in the envelope so I could use it again.

Snow

It has been a long time since the grass was white with snow. I had forgotten how bright the sun can get when reflected from the snow.

In paintings light is so important to give focus, mood, and color. Like painters, writers use the light and shadows of both to set the physical and emotional scene.

How does light affect our moods? Is it similar for all of us? Is bright light happy? Subdued light, contemplative?

Some people are yellow-blue, green-blue, or red-green color blind. Are their emotions affected differently by light?

I love looking at light shining through stained glass windows. My favorite colored glass is a dark blue with the sun shinning full through it.

Firelight and candle light have their own powers to warm the soul. Why is that?

It is bright and cold out today; challenging me to be alive and leave the house.

Enjoy the holidays!

Memories

Holidays often trigger memories. For some the memories just flow smooth and easy. For others a few tricks can help. Listen to the music of the holiday for the time period you want to recollect. Recreate the smells -- Christmas trees, baking cookies, clear crisp air, holiday foods cooking. Feel anew the cold on your cheek, the snow on your skin, the warmth of a holiday cup of chocolate, the fur of your coat, or the warmth of a fireplace. See the bright stars in the sky, the flicker of candles, the glow of light displays. Hear the quiet of snow covered ground at night. Enjoy the laughter of friends. For a writer a memory isn't enough until words distill it to its purist.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. My wishes for a safe, happy, and healthy New Year.

Another rejection

In today's mail another rejection arrived. This one is from The Sun. It is a form letter essentially meaning to me that it wasn't a rejection, just a non-acceptance.

Always read the submit page

Another rejection today. This one comes from Inkwell which is not considering submissions because it is in  'a period of hiatus'. Always read the web site submission page. I read theirs and even printed it out. For Spring and Fall of 2012, their reading period was Aug. to November 2011. As it was September 2012 I just thought they had not updated the year on their website. The rejection says check the website in the spring.

Inkwell is from Manhattanville College which offers a graduate program in creative writing and an MFA.

Where is Manhattanville College?  Purchase, NY 10577

WordPad

Just found WordPad on my computer. It has all the word power I need. It is simple and easy to use; has the fonts I like; and has the other needs like spell check. Perfect for me.

But there is a problem. Now I have no more excuses for not getting those submissions out. I have a long way to go to meet my five hundred goal.

Another Rejection

Today another rejection arrived. This is a very special rejection. It is a hand printed note and signed. It has some nice comments and a suggestion for improvement. These are very rare and I am encouraged and thankful to The Fiddlehead in Canada.

In Today's Mail

It feels good to get something even if it is a rejection. One came today from AQR, Alaska Quarterly Review. Their form, on a little piece of paper maybe four by five and a half inches, reads: We thank you for the opportunity to read your manuscript. Unfortunately, your work does not meet our needs at this time. Because we know how much effort went into this submission, we regret the use of this form. But the volume of manuscripts we receive makes a personal reply impossible.
The Editors.

In hand printing they added the name of my short story and wrote in "many thanks". I think it nice that someone took the time to personalize their note like that.

That note has put my day on an upbeat. So any editors out there who are feeling bad about sending rejections, know that there are rejections that lift the spirits of us wannabes. Thank you for your efforts and time.

Still Nothing

Still no more rejections or even the post cards that indicate that it was received. Nothing is required but to put the card in the mail yet most of the places to which the manuscript was sent haven't even done that!

I should be making more submissions but haven't. My excuse is really just an excuse. Word 2010 is driving me nuts going from Word in Windows XP. For me it is new. I never went to Vista or Word 2007 so the change seems radical. I don't want to 'personalize' my set up. I just want to write like I did with my old system with simple easy choices that are readily available without a lot of searching and reading of manuals, help screens, or books.

I am seriously thinking of buying another word processor because the threshold seems too great to get to the basic level of use in Word 2010. Blog word processors are all I need for short stories so maybe I should just open a private blog and then copy those pages for electronic submissions.

Spent last weekend with a couple of books about Facebook. I have decided from the feed back from friends who had a difficult time while on Facebook and had a difficult time getting off of Facebook that Facebook is not for me.

My first computer was in 1979. An Apple II with 64k memory was just about the hottest personal computer going. The ipads and iphones now are wonderful. The laptops have better screens and do so much more. The World Wide Web is great. I guess I need to do some work catching up to all of that.

Year Review

Starting early this year to review the year, set goals for next year, and to make my budget for the year. Tossing old financial records. It sure takes a long time to shred records and to decide which to shred. Found some old records from 1989. Before www, I was on Comp-U-Serv and was charged by minutes used. Progress and time keep marching on.

Writing goals are the hardest to set. Each has to be what I value doing, measurable, and under my control. While I may say, "My goal is to get published or to get a short story published." That would not be a good goal because, unless I self publish, it is the editor's decision on whether I get published or not. What would be good goals would be to determine the actions that lead to getting published and to set them as my goals. Writing well, submitting, and doing my homework on what each publisher wants will increase my odds. That's what I can do. Submitting and doing publisher homework can be easily measured in numbers of submissions or publishers researched. Writing well is difficult to measure. Perhaps it would be better to determine those things that I do that will improve my writing like writing regularly, joining a group to get feedback, going to a conference, or taking a writing course. And when I get done deciding what to set for goals, I need to go back and ask myself, "Are these the things I want to be doing?"

Values determine our lives. Goals and budgets should always bend to principles and values because the plans are only helps not the reality. Sometimes in my enthusiasm to stick to my plan I place too much importance on straying from it. Well, back to planning. How much weight should I lose this year? Oops, only God determines how much weight I'll lose; I can only determine how much food I eat, what type of food, and how much exercise to do. Maybe writing goals aren't the hardest to set.

Red-Green Friday

Red-Green Friday

That's my name for what the media now calls 'black Friday'.  So often in the stock market a severe market fall is referred to as 'black' as in 'black Tuesday' that black Friday just doesn't seem to get the picture. But retail stores going from the Red to the Green on this huge day of sales keeps with the holiday colors and uplifting feel. So I think we should call it Red-Green Friday.

But whatever you call it, enjoy the holidays. The gifts and giving are fun but only because of the love they express.

Wishing you the best, now  and always!

Physics

One of the laws of physics is an object in motion tends to stay in motion. It seems to apply to my writer's pen too. When I write regularly it is easier to write. I am amazed at how a few days off puts me out of my writer's mind. A few days and it seems so difficult to write.

One of the local short courses in writing promoted a writing warm up each day. Either a free write just letting a stream of whatever pops into your head come out on paper or a directed write where a topic is chosen. About a page of writing seemed to be enough for most people to switch to their author mode.

Other courses have suggested using word association. Pick a word for your topic and put it in a circle in the middle of the page. Then draw a line from that to another circle into which you put a word or phrase that is about the first idea. Fill up a page of these circles with phrases and ideas that relate to the circles connected by lines. Many people actually feel a mind shift in the middle of this. When that happens or after filling one page, start to write on your topic.

Whether it is at the start of the day's writing or after a few days off, try doing some sort of writing exercise for a couple of minutes before starting your serious writing effort. It may make that getting back into your author's mind easier.

Story Roughs

Right now I am in the middle of about six stories. What I'm doing is just writing for fun trying to get down as many story roughs as possible. By story roughs I mean just what comes to mind for a story from beginning to end as far as I can go. Sometimes a description or an action scene is written sometimes just outlined. But I am pushing through as far as I can go, usually to an end. None of these stories will remain the same. Most will have different endings and beginnings.

At one point I ran out of story ideas and started writing scenes that might be useful. Before I finished the first scene, a story rough had popped out from it.

For all of these I'm using a basic set of my characters throwing in new ones as needed. It is fun. For me, writing these for-my-eyes-only stories has broken down the barrier to daily writing.

Another Rejection

Glimmer Train

Another post card arrived today and a rejection letter. Both from Glimmer Train.  For unpublished authors Glimmer Train is a good place offering great pay, good exposure, and a fair chance to get published.

At the top of the rejection letter is a quote from Melanie Bishop (presumably the one at Prescott College who started Alligator Juniper Magazine as opposed to the one who published "Effect of ascorbic acid on hydraluronidase inhibitor" in Nature in 1975):
          "Each rejection puts you that much closer to an acceptance. I read somewhere that Steinbeck received seventy six rejection letters before his first acceptance."

Rejection

Rejection is just another step on the road to success.

When I was eighteen, my summer job was selling Fuller Brush as a door-to-door salesperson. At that time a reorganization of their selling structure in the area meant that I had the wonderful opportunity to sell in many different areas of the city.

On one particularly disappointing day when all I seemed to get was rejection, my manager told me, "Remember: You're going to sell something every three houses. Count them and see. Each 'no' is just a step closer to a sale."

All that summer I kept count and found out that he was right. And throughout my life I found that lots of things are like that. Often success is just trying long enough or being at bat enough to get that hit and succeed.

I did ask my manager what is the difference between a good salesman and an excellent one. His answer: the size of the sale.

For writing submissions the number I'm guessing is five hundred rejections. That's why I'm celebrating. For these two stories, I'm already one step, one rejection closer to getting published. Maybe only a baby step, but I'll be running soon.

Celebrating a Rejection

Nov. 1, 2012 the first rejection for this submission arrived from The Iowa Review. It was printed on a three and half by five and a half inch sheet of paper and even had what appears to be a form number on the bottom. Ashley Clark signed it which I thought was nice.

It read: Dear Writer, Thank you for allowing us to consider your work. Though we find we are unable to use it, we consider it a privilege that you thought of us and regret that the volume of submissions precludes a more personal reply. Sincerely, The Editors

Having Fun

While waiting, I started to write some rough stories for fun. Using my favorite couple as detective helpers, I tried to write a story from his view, then another from her view, then another from the view of the detective that they are helping. Then it evolved not just into who is telling the story but how and in what time. It really has gotten out of hand but it is fun so I'm running with it. Just roughs, skipping parts with put-in-here notes, for my eyes only. I know teachers have assigned things like this and it always seemed like a chore, but now I find it loads of fun.

Still writing and waiting

The Wait


Still writing and waiting. Working on another short story and trying to get into a habit of at least five hundred words per day. I can see it makes a difference for the better in my writing.

In a couple of weeks will send out a second wave of simultaneous submissions to a completely different list of places. The second list will be appropriate paper publications that only accept e-submissions.

Postcard

One more postcard came back today. And the submission to Glimmer Train was returned by the post office. I just doubled checked to see if I sent it to the right place and their web site confirms it. Will send it to the address at the bottom of their web page that matches the expired forward that the post office stuck on the envelope. Off to the post office now.

Still Waiting

Still waiting on postcards to come back. But did send out one October first to one more magazine.
In the meantime I am starting on another story and keeping up frequent freewrites.

Everyday when there are no new postcards in the mail box, I ask myself, "Why can't they just drop the pre-addressed, pre-written post card in the mail to let me know at least it has arrived?"

It really shouldn't matter since even after they all get the story, it'll still be six weeks or more for the rejections/ acceptance to arrive. I hate to wait.

Postcards

The postcards have started to return letting me know the submissions have arrived.
So far three out of the dozen or so have arrived.

I feel like just waiting, but a writer writes. That's what I'm doing -- starting another story.

Poor Odds

Sent off a couple of stories. One story to one spot and another story to a dozen places that accept simultaneous submissions.

Looking at the the number of stories that each magazine publishes each year and the number of submissions they get each year is interesting. Then I look at the percentage of the published stories that are from unpublished authors. If I figure that all stories are equal which they are not, some writers just stand out, then I get a 'feel' for what my best chances are. I say best chances because I am certainly not one of those writers whose stories set the world on fire.

Anyway, at best the sum of all twelve submissions give me, as an unpublished writer, one chance in three hundred and fifty.

Of course this isn't very scientific. Maybe most of the submissions are by very poor unpublished writers.

But for me it helps set a goal. My goal now is five hundred submissions before I put down my pen and take up brush.

Writing and rewriting

Not blogging much but I am writing and rewriting. Even starting to send the stories out into the world to find a home. The wait seems so long -- three to five months for each turn around.

Revisiting an old story

Short Stories

Ben Nyberg's ONE GREAT WAY TO WRITE SHORT STORIES could be a help to many. It has lots of advice on technique. 

He writes, ".....writing a story requires knowing technique. If you don't have that, no amount of heart or mind will make your stories work. If you do, you can write effective, even publishable stories, even if your creative gift is not huge."

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I recently set about to polish up one of my favorite short stories that I wrote several years ago. What a surprise to me! The story needed more than just a tweak here or there. And it needed more than just a revision. About a third of it was dumped including a major premise. The starting, the end, and several scenes were kept. The rest had to be rewritten.

Was it because I learned more technique, developed a better  critical eye and ear, or because with time I could be more objective?

Going back to one of your older stories might be as helpful to you as it was for me. 

Pima Writers' Workshop

PIMA WRITERS' WORKSHOP

May 24 -- 27, 2012

A wonderful workshop is held every year the last weekend in May at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona.


Meg Files (520/206-6084 or mfiles@pima.edu) creates a blend of fiction and non-fiction writers, agents, and poets that is magical. The participants select the lectures, readings, and writing exercises that fit their personal interests.

I wouldn't miss it.

This workshop would be a bargain at any price. It can be taken for credit or non-credit. The non-credit cost is $130 (and that includes a manuscript consultation if you get it in before May 10).

Easy does it!

Go easy with yourself as you write for these fifteen days. It doesn't matter if it is good or not. Just plunge ahead and write. Don't correct, except the things you normally catch that don't slow you down. Often you'll see this advice not to correct because many people use that as an excuse to stop writing and switch their mind from creative to functional. Corrections can be okay as you go along if they are quick corrections that you usually do when you write, but not if they slow you down or are an excuse to stop and ponder grammar, spelling, or best phrasing.

In my case, other work drew me away for awhile and upon returning was pleasantly surprised to find that there was some good stuff (stuff that I liked and was satisfied with) upon which a story could be constructed.

The story continues and a first draft is almost done. Not the world's best story nor even my best story, but something I like and can build on.

Go easy with the critical mind. Write freely, regularly, and often.

Taking a break.

Taking a break!

Taking a break from blogging for a while. Still writing everyday -- at least something!

So expect a couple of months to go by before I post on this blog again.