Wednesday, August 5, 2015

IWSG - Why We Do It & Links

New month, new insecurities. It's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, created by Alex J. Cavanaugh.


Anyone is welcome to come along with the IWSG. Go to the link above and sign up! Then either post your insecurities or reassurances (or a little of both.) Be sure to visit some of your fellow insecure writers, too.

I'm riding one of those all too brief highs, courtesy of placing two pieces this month (a short story and a flash fiction piece.) So I'm going to keep on riding, right into a positive post. I think my last couple IWSG posts were down in the dumps.

We all know that, as writers, we must steel ourselves against the negatives that come with our chosen profession. Most people don't take rejection well, yet an integral part of our job is getting rejections, one after the other. So you find ways to cope, to move on, to harden yourself.

So why do we do this? Why do we set ourselves up for pain?

Because each time we get a yes it makes everything worth it. Each yes, each positive review, each affirmation, diminishes the little things.

But most of all, we do it because we love it. Because we feel driven to it. We do it because we have stories to tell, voices in our heads. I'm pretty sure a good number of us would continue writing, even if we had no interest in getting published. It's the only way to expel the voices from our heads. We have vast worlds inside us, and it feels beautiful to share them with others. It feels even better when they enjoy them, too.

So write. Have fun. Create. Exorcise those demons, both enchanting and horrific. And if you like it, put yourself out there. Push away the bad so you can celebrate the good. Take a chance. Then take another. Then keep right on taking them until you've achieved your dreams.

Having said all that, it's time to report my submissions for the month of July, something I do each month during IWSG to keep myself honest.

In July I:

Submitted 6 stories
Got 4 rejections
Made 2 sales
Was short listed for 1 anthology
Currently have 12 stories on submission

Now it's link time.

Bear in mind that I'm just passing these along, and that I'm not endorsing any of them, nor have a I researched these, so always do your own due diligence before submitting.

Accepting Submissions:

Autonomous Press is looking for poetry, fiction, and memoir for The Spoon Knife Anthology. They want stories about consent and compliance. They're open to all writers, but are also looking for neuroqueer authors. Up to 10,000 words. Paying market. Deadline September 8.

Cicada is seeking poetry, fiction, essays, and comics. They take work from those 14+ and adults. They're currently looking for work dealing with witches. Paying market. Deadline September 9.

Liminoid Magazine is open for submissions for their fall issue. 500-10,000 words. Pays $20/piece. Current deadline September 8.

AE is accepting fiction, nonfiction, comics, and art. Science fiction only. Fiction is 500-3000 words. They take submissions from anywhere, but give preference to Canadian authors. Pays $.07CDN/word.

The Baffler is seeking "poetry with grace and fiction with personality." You must pitch first. Pays a token amount.

Glittership is looking for LGBTQ+ speculative fiction. There should be some sort of queer content. This is for podcast, not print. 100-6000 words. Pays $.01/word.

The Fiddlehead is seeking fiction and poetry. Fiction up to 6000 words. Pays $40 CAD.

Contests:

The M.O. has announced its new theme: Lesson Learned. Mystery. 1000-1500 words. Pays $.05/word to the winner, plus publication, and all those short listed get published. Submissions open August 14 and close August 28.

Of Interest:

Just a bit of fun. Plug in 300 words of your writing at Hacker Factor to see an analysis of the gender of the author. Yes, you know what you are, but it's interesting to see the analysis.

Buzzfeed posted "30 Copy Editors Tell Us Their Pet Peeves." Interesting to look over.

Any of these of interest? Anything to add or share? Publishing news? What are your insecurities? Why do you write? 

May you find your Muse.

50 comments:

Bob/Sally said...

Congrats - go ahead a ride that high . . . we need those moments to keep us going.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

What a positive and inspiring post! Congratulations on your story sales - keep riding that high. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

The yeses do make it worth it. Keep riding that high!

Julie Flanders said...

Glad you are still riding that high! You deserve it.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Congrats on riding the high. You deserve it.
Susan Says

shelly said...

Good for you! And thank you for the links.

Christine Rains said...

Woo-hoo! You're doing wonderfully. And I totally agree. One yes can make 100 rejections worthwhile. :)

Crystal Collier said...

The links are fabulous as always, and huge congrats on your two publications! You are rocking it!

Arlee Bird said...

Congratulations on your successes as well as your tries. I have to ask myself "Why am I not doing it?".


Lee
Tossing It Out

F. Stone said...

I bow to your success, Shannon - your quantity and quality. Awesome.

Nancy Gideon said...

Because we can't NOT write! Congrats on your successes!

Andrew Leon said...

Hmm... I'm not sure if that's why I do it. I think I would do it even if people didn't like what I write.
I think.

Yolanda Renée said...

Congratulations!
Love your post, and you are so right! WE HAVE TOO - besides it's just fun!
Love the links 'of interest' definitely going to check those out!
I need to submit more often, my bad.

Yolanda Renée said...

Did the gender thing. Posted an entire flash fiction piece. less than 1000 words
Apparently I'm a male. Love it, I think! LOL

Genre: Informal
Female = 1052
Male = 1868
Difference = 816; 63.97%
Verdict: MALE
Genre: Formal
Female = 793
Male = 957
Difference = 164; 54.68%
Verdict: Weak MALE

Weak emphasis could indicate European.

Liz Blocker said...

Congratulations! We were on the same wavelength when we posted for IWSG this month, I think. I always admire how much you submit!

John Wiswell said...

AE is such a fine magazine for Canadian writers. I know many USers who are jealous of Canadians' easier access to it!

Pat Garcia said...

Hi,
One of the reasons that I love reading your posts is because of your facing the facts or keeping yourself honest. I like the way you let us see how you are submitting and your results. In fact I am thinking about incorporating that idea into my monthly IWSG post because it will give me the kick I need to start back submitting.
Congratulations on your sales and keep on riding that wave. It motivates and keep up the great work you're doing.
Shalom,
Pat Garcia

Zan Marie said...

Congrats on the sales! I know you're thrilled. I'm facing a long workshop, but hope to come out of it ready to query. Then we'll see about those rejections. I have a room that needs new wallpaper. ;-)

Misha Gerrick said...

I agree with you 100%. I write because I love it. :-)

Unknown said...

Following your passion is worth every stumble along the way! I'm thrilled for you! And never let anything steal your moxie!!

Uncharted

Chrys Fey said...

Exactly! Even when I was trapped in depression, I continued to write and submit. :)

Chrys Fey said...

Exactly! Even when I was trapped in depression, I continued to write and submit. :)

Bish Denham said...

If I can't have fun what I'm doing (even if it includes revising which is my least favorite thing to do) then why do it? Life is just too short! Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Bish Denham said...

If I can't have fun what I'm doing (even if it includes revising which is my least favorite thing to do) then why do it? Life is just too short! Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Bish Denham said...

If I can't have fun what I'm doing (even if it includes revising which is my least favorite thing to do) then why do it? Life is just too short! Thanks for stopping by my blog.

cleemckenzie said...

Getting acceptances is always such a boost and you've had two stories people want to publish. I think that's wonderful. Keep it up!

Kimberly said...

Congrats on your two sales and here's to many more! :)

I've definitely got to check out the pet peeves.

Maurice Mitchell said...

It's so true that a yes makes everything worth it! We have to take chances to succeed and this is a good reminder. Thanks for sharing such a def article, and I hope you have a primo day buddy!

Shannon Lawrence said...

We certainly do!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Thank you! Those highs can get us pretty far, can't they?

Shannon Lawrence said...

Still there!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Thank you!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Thank you!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Happy to share them.

Shannon Lawrence said...

It really can. Maybe there's a mathematical equation for the magic number of acceptances to rejections.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I hope you get out there, Lee!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Thank you!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Right, I'd do it if no one was reading it. I've got plenty of things that aren't being submitted, but I enjoyed writing them.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I tried two. I did one and got Male, then got Weak Male on the next one. It makes me want to keep trying all my stories and see what happens.

Shannon Lawrence said...

It was a good wavelength to be on!

Shannon Lawrence said...

I've run across a lot of exclusive Canadian mags.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I'd love to see your stats each month! I do find it helps me.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I hope the workshop was a great one. Good luck!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Yes!

Shannon Lawrence said...

My moxie is here to stay!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Yes! It's hard to fight through that, but excellent that you kept going. And I think it can pull you through that depression when you're achieving something, too.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Agreed! And revisions are my least favorite, too.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Getting those in the same week was a huge boost!

Shannon Lawrence said...

The pet peeves were interesting.

Shannon Lawrence said...

We definitely have to put ourselves out there to make it.