IWSG - A Different Sort of Insecurity & Links

It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. For more information, or to join (all are welcome!), go HERE.

While I'm still filled with all the usual insecurities, I'm too excited to come up with them right now. This weekend, I got a short story accepted for an anthology I was really hoping to get into. Not only was it a fun (in a horror manner of speaking) collection, but it's also my first pro-pay sale.

Unfortunately, I can't post what it is specifically (or the cover, which I already have), because I'm not sure if the publisher wants us to just yet, but soon! It will appear on my Publications tab as soon as I have more information.

I also got the cover and tentative publication date for a book I placed a flash fiction piece in last month. I love seeing the covers! It's in the Top 3:

1. Getting the acceptance
2. Getting the book/magazine/e-mag/e-book in my grubby little hands
3. Seeing the cover for the first time!

Since I usually do a [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday image post, here's the cover of the acceptance I got last month:

This one is a kid-friendly publication, in case you can't tell from the cover. I'll be in Volume 2, Issue 2, releasing in April 2016. I only know what the cover (and some of the illustrations) look like because of the Indiegogo campaign they're doing to try to get up to a pro-paying market.

Actually, I do have an insecurity to discuss today that has to do with acceptances and publication. Even when I get an acceptance, it doesn't magically stop the insecurity I feel. All of a sudden, my insecurity isn't that an editor won't like my story, but that now that it's published, the people reading it will hate it. What if someone buys that magazine because I'm in (say, my friends and family), and they read my story and think, "How did she get this published?" They'd never tell me, so how do I know if they actually like it? Of course they're going to tell me they like it! (Or just not say anything.)

So, yeah, even acceptances come with their share of insecurity. There's plenty more where that came from, but how about just the one today?

Those of you who have visited before know I do a recap of my submissions each month for the IWSG to keep myself accountable, and to give a look into what it's like to be an author submitting short stories to markets. If it's something you're looking to do, but you have questions, ask away! It gets easier once you jump in.

In August:

I submitted 4 pieces (lower than usual number, because I've got several submissions out to markets that take a longer time to turn them around)
I got 3 rejections (again, lower number than usual)
I got 1 acceptance (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!)
I got 1 new piece revised and submitted for the first time
I currently have 12 pieces on submission
Since I began submitting a little over a year ago, I have received a total of 68 rejections and 10 acceptances.

Apparently, you're a success once you get to 100 rejections, so I've got a bit longer to go. ;)

I also post publication links each Wednesday. Note: I have not researched these links and do not endorse them. I merely pass them along. Always do your own due diligence before submitting to a publication or contest.

Accepting Submissions:

Weird City is accepting submissions for their inaugural issue. 1500-7500 words. Pays 1.25 cents per word. Deadline September 30.

Imaginate accepts stories based on their photo prompts and themes. Current theme is Weather, for the December issue. Short stories, flash fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. They also take photo submissions for their covers. Pays $.05/word. Length requirements vary per submission type. Current deadline is October 1.

Guardbridge Books is taking submissions for Myriad Lands: An Anthology of Non-Western Fantasy. They want fantasy that is not based on Medieval Europe. 1000-6000 words. Pays approximately $.05/word. Deadline October 1.

Cantina Publishing is taking submissions for Untethered: A Magic iPhone Anthology. 3000-7000 words. Pays $100. Deadline October 1.

The Tishman Review is always open to submissions. Short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and book reviews. Word limits vary per submissions type. Payment is between $10 and $75.

Manor House is currently open to submissions of dark fantasy and horror. 2000-7000 words. Pays a flat fee of $20.

Tales to Go is seeking travel stories that deal with unfamiliarity and seeing the world from a different view. They prefer 1000-3000 words, but set no hard limits. Pays $50.

Contests:

Brilliant Flash Fiction is holding a Freestyle Writing Competition. No entry fee. 600 word limit. Cash prizes. Deadline September 15.

The Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award is taking entries. 6000 words or less. No entry fee. Cash prize. You have to have had something published in the UK and Ireland, but you do not have to be a resident. Deadline September 24.

Fiction Vortex is holding their Serial Box Contest. This sounds interesting. Grand prize winner gets to control their "serial box," earning royalties from the other pieces allowed in and having control over which ones get in. This should be episodic/serial. Limit 3500 words. Speculative fiction. Grand prize winner also gets a $300 prize. Deadline October 5.

P.S. I'm co-hosting the IWSG next month. See you then!

Any of these of interest? Anything to share? Publication news? Rejection news? What are you insecure about? Do you still feel insecure once you get a piece accepted? What is your Top 3 of the fun parts of getting published?

May you find your Muse.