IWSG, Good News & Links

It's time for another round of Insecure Writer's Support Group!

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.

Whoops! I missed that we were supposed to be introducing ourselves, so I've edited to add in a quick overview: I write horror and urban fantasy, primarily, and have been focusing on short stories this past year to hone my craft before returning to my novels, one of which is complete and awaiting further editing, the other which is waiting for an ending. I enjoy all things horror rather gleefully (except those fake haunted houses you visit, because I'm convinced it would be an excellent way for a REAL psycho to take out some victims without anyone being onto them until they closed for the evening).

I like to do an update on my submissions for IWSG in order to keep track of what the month looked like. (And because having all those pieces out there just waiting for rejections is a huge chunk of my insecurity.) In December, I:

Submitted one piece

Got one rejection (not for that piece.)

I participated as a guest author in Of Mist and Magic (anthology release news coming super soon!)

AND GOT ONE ACCEPTANCE!

Did you see that last sentence (You should have, seeing as how I put it in all capitals)? I officially signed the contract for one of my horror short stories to be published in the November 2015 issue of Bloodbond Magazine. 

This is the same piece that was shortlisted for an anthology in November, which felt good at the time, but this feels much better.

I know it's a ways off, but I can't wait to see what the cover will look like, and have the chance to share it.

Why did I have so few submissions this month, you might ask (or you might not)? It's just that all my pieces that are ready are out on submission from November still, and I didn't get a chance to edit and submit any others. I hope to remedy that this month. I had several that had been out well past when I expected them, but finally heard back on those (they'll be counted in next month's rejections.) It was actually a relief just to have the official rejections at that point, so I could resubmit them.

Courtesy of the acceptance, I still have the usual insecurities and doubts about my writing, but there's a glimmer of hope. So all I can say to my fellow insecure writers is to keep muscling through and submitting, submitting, submitting until you find the right publisher for your stories.

Now for some links. (Always check these publications out on your own before submitting.)

Accepting Submissions:

Glimmer Train is in one of their open submissions periods, where entry is free. Stories of any genre up to 12,000 words. Deadline January 31. Payment is $700, publication, and 10 contributor copies. They typically charge for submission, so it's always a great opportunity to submit something during the free submission window.

The First Line provides you with a line to start your story then asks you to write a story of up to 5000 words (nonfiction is 500-800 words). The current first line is "Fairy tales hardly ever come true for quiet girls." Deadline February 1. Pays $25-50 for fiction.

Charon Coin Press is seeking submissions for Carpe Noctem: Truly, Madly, Deeply, an anthology of urban fantasy and paranormal romance. 4000-10,000 words. Deadline February 1. Pays in a royalty split and contributor copy.

Splickety Publishing Group is open for submissions this month in their Havok issue. The theme is Crossover Chaos. 300-1000 words. Deadline February 6. Pays $02/word.

Journeys of Wonder is seeking submissions for their fourth volume. Up to 10,000 words. Speculative fiction. Pays a percentage of profits.

Reader's Digest accepts submissions in a wide variety of styles/topics. You have to send a pitch first. Pay starts at $1/word. 

The Magazine of Bizarro Fiction is open for submissions. 100-6,000 words. Pays $.01/word.

Flapperhouse is open to submissions that are surreal, shadowy, sensual, or satirical. Fiction up to 5,000 words. They also take nonfiction, essays, reviews, comics, and artwork. Pays $.01/word for fiction. 

Transition Magazine wants stories about mental health and stories of personal experience with mental health issues. They also take artwork. Pays $50 per printed page.

Epic Saga Publishing has nine anthologies currently open to submissions. These lean toward science fiction with various minglings of genres. They're open until filled. Story lengths vary per anthology. I'm unsure of pay.

What are your insecurities? Any submissions news? Do any of these publications interest you? Do you have information on any of these publishers?

May you find your Muse.