IWSG - Five-Year Plan & Links

It always throws me when the first day of the month is a Thursday. I almost posted my IWSG last week, but realized it wasn't December yet. Why am I in such a hurry, anyway? Guess I'm ready for it to be 2017, and to leave 2016 behind.

But for today, it's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Ninja Captain himself.

The IWSG is here for anyone to participate by airing their insecurities or reassurances (or both.) Sign up here and post the first Wednesday of each month then visit your fellow posters to lend your support.

The co-hosts for this month are Jennifer Hawes, Jen Chandler, Nick Wilford, Juneta Key, JH Moncrieff, Diane Burton, and MJ Fifield!

In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what's your plan to get there?

In five years I intend to be a published novelist who also still publishes short fiction. I'm working the plan now, which is to say I'm writing when I can, submitting short stories, and I'm hoping to be querying one of my novels by April. It's out to beta readers now. I have a critique group, who mostly see my short stories. I'm working! Which is what we all need to be doing, whatever that may look for each person.

November was a good month, which you'll see when I post my stats. So instead of talking about my insecurities, I'll just say write, edit, submit/query! Work your plan. Work your business. You're not a writer if you don't write. You can't get published if you don't submit/query. Invest in yourself and believe in yourself, and you can get there. Like anything else, it takes time, practice, hard work, and persistence.

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One of my stories is free to read right now at Cheapjack Pulp. Just click here. Another story of mine will appear free online with Literary Hatchet on December 15, but I'll post that one when it's out.

I wonder if people will notice what book this short story is anti-fan fiction to? Meaning, I was inspired by this book to write a tongue in cheek response to it, and I was not a fan. If you read it, let me know what book comes to mind.

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Stat time! Each month I go over my submission stats for the month. It keeps me in line.

November Stats:

Submitted Stories - 4 (on top of ones already on submission)
Rejections - 6
Acceptances - 2 (Cheapjack Pulp and The Literary Hatchet)
Currently on Submission - 9

Two of these rejections were for themed anthologies, which creates a new issue. That issue being that I have to decide if they are too specific or if I need to modify them in order to be submittable elsewhere. One is currently out to my critique group to see what they think. The other I'm already fairly certain needs reworking before I try to submit it elsewhere.

I also suspect I'll be pulling one of the stories currently out on submission, because it's been removed from Duotrope due to being behind on its publishing schedule, and they haven't responded to people in awhile. Ah well. This is not the first time.

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Now for links. Bear in mind that I am merely passing along links I've found, not endorsing them. Always do your own due diligence when researching publications and contests.

Accepting Submissions:

Garden of Fiends is an anthology of addiction based horror. They are seeking 16,000-25,000 word stories. Pays $500. Deadline January 1.

Azoth Khem Publishing is open for submissions to their anthology Carnival of Madness. Psycho-thrillers. 5000 to 7000 words. Pays $25 plus a contributor copy. Deadline is after the New Year.

Inkubus Publishing is seeking stories with a male/male erotic fairy tale theme. Between 500 and 10,000 words. Pays $15 and a contributor copy. Deadline January 2.

The Wild Musette Journal is in its open reading period. Current themes are music and dance, fantasy and mythic fiction, women's fiction and consequential relationships, and environmental and earth-centered concerns. Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. 1000-7500 words. Pays $15 to $100. Deadline January 2.

The Twelfth Planet Press is seeing letters from speculative fiction writers, fans, editors, and critics written to Octavia Butler. 1000-1500 words. Pays $75. Deadline January 8.

The Flash Fiction Press is always open for flash fiction submissions. 250-1200 words. All genres. Pays $5.

Year 20XX is always open for submissions. 2000-10,000 words. Pays $10.

Worcester Journal is open to short fiction. 500-1500 words. Pays $15 to $80.

Contests:

Honeysuckle Press is holding the Honeysuckle Chapbook Contest. In their words, they are "seeking boundary-breaking chapbooks that evoke vivid truths." Poetry and prose. 20-35 pages. $500 prize with publication.

What are your writing plans? Your insecurities? Do you have a 5-year plan? 10-year? Did you make any submissions this month? Any of these links of interest?

May you find your Muse.