Anyone can participate in the IWSG by posting their insecurities or reassurances (or a combination of both). Simply sign up at Alex's blog and put your post up! Then visit fellow IWSGers.
Also, be sure to visit the co-hosts for this month's IWSG: Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte , LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott!
There's now a monthly question you can answer. This month's question is "What's the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?"
I've got a short answer for this, and it's a double: 1. Your story scared me so much, I can't do x,y,z anymore, and 2. You made me cry.
Today I wanted to say, in brief, that to conquer your insecurities, you have to meet them head on. If you're afraid of putting your work in front of other people, go to a private critique session or find a critique group. If you're afraid of public speaking, try to get involved with some form of public speaking. If you're afraid to write sex scenes, slap one of those puppies out.
When you do the things you're afraid of, you take away their power. The writing world is full of fears, full of doing things that force us to put ourselves out there and make ourselves uncomfortable. But each thing we conquer takes us one step further.
STATS
Each month I do a recap of my submission stats and notes for the previous month.
In June, I had 1 story accepted, submitted 0 stories, and got 4 rejections. It was a slow month.
One of those rejections was one I'd already written off and resubmitted, as I didn't think I' be hearing from them (they had announced they'd made it through all submissions), so that one went down easy. In fact, it made me laugh.
I am, quite happily, down to 91 days as the maximum amount of time one of my pieces has been out awaiting a response.
LINKS
Since it was IWSG week, I skipped my Monday post, so will include links here. This coming Monday, I'll be back on my summer posting schedule, which is Mondays only, with links on those days, and a horror list book review every other Friday.
Accepting Submissions:
Splickety Publishing Group is taking submissions for their October edition of Havok, theme HalloWhimsy. They're looking for humorous Halloween stories. 300-1000 words. Pays $.02/word. Deadline July 22.
Dirge Magazine is looking for someone to do a monthly serial. They are currently taking 100-200 word pitches, plus a 1-2 sentence outline for each entry over the next 12 months. There will be a $200 advance, plus $50/month. Deadline for pitches July 31.
Enchanted Conversation is open for fairy tale inspired stories and poems. 700 to 3000 words. Stories pay $30, poems $10. July submission theme is fairy godmothers. Deadline July 30.
Otter Libris is taking submissions for The Solstice Lady, a Christmas theme. 3000-10,000 words. Pays $25. Deadline July 31.
Room is looking for food-related stories, poems, creative nonfiction, and art. Pays $50+ CAD, depending upon published page count. Up to 3500 words. Deadline July 31.
Digital Fiction Publishing Corp is open for reprint submissions in fantasy, science fiction, and horror. In addition, they have two special reprint anthologies open right now: Killing It Softly (stories by women) and Memento Mori (dealing with death). 3500-7500 words. Pays $.01/word. Deadline for all July 31.
Body Parts Magazine is seeking horror and erotica with the theme Fairy Tales, Mythology, and Gods & Monsters. Flash fiction up to 1000 words or short fiction up to 8000 words. They also take art, photography, essays, and interviews. Pays between $5 and $20, depending upon submission type. Deadline August 1.
The First Line is taking submissions for their third quarter first line prompt: "Mrs. Morrison was too busy to die." Must begin with their first line. 300-5000 words. They also take poetry and nonfiction. Pays between $5 and $50, depending upon submission type. Deadline for this line is August 1.
The Shell Game is looking for submissions that combine creative nonfiction with ordinary sources (police reports, obituaries, recipes, etc.). 750 to 8000 words. Pays $100. Deadline August 1.
Of Interest:
Kim Liao wrote a piece entitled Why You Should Aim for 100 Rejections a Year. It was posted on Literary Hub, and I agree with the sentiment.
How have you conquered fears in the past? Are you working on conquering any right now? What is the best thing someone's said about your writing? Any of these links of interest? Anything to share? Did you submit anything in June?
May you find your Muse.
54 comments:
I had to laugh that one of your stories scared people so much they can't, etc. That's how you know you are a great horror writer! Made me think of how much The Shining scared me when I read it way back when. I've never gotten over it LOL.
Thanks as always for the links!
91 days waiting for a response. That's LONG.
You made a reader cry? Congrats.
Two words - job done!
Thanks for the links!
Writer In Transit
Awesome compliments! And I totally agree you should do things that scare you. Thanks for the links! I have a couple of stories I can submit to a few. :)
Excellent point about how when we do something we're afraid of, we steal some of its power.
And isn't it fun to scare people? :)
You must've really scared that person.
And I'm still too scared to do a sex scene. I can barely make people kiss.
Does writing a memoir fit into the fear factor?
Love your answers!
I have worked on conquering fears in the past, so I think I need to tackle another one - maybe writing a romance scene. I'm with Alex on this one.
Love your thoughts about conquering fears. We all need to face them head on and stick out our tongues. =)
Loo, that's awesome:) To scare someone enough to prevent them from doing something is certainly a special gift:)
Pardon my fat fingers, I meant "LOL" :)
Shannon,
You are an example for me of courage. Because of your posts, I started submitting my work back out and you know what, you're right. It is good submitting because everyday that I face my fear, the fear grows smaller.
Congratulations on your sale also.
All the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia
When the acquisitions editor made me an offer on my first book, she told me she couldn't stop crying the first three chapters of my book and she NEVER cries! That did make me feel good :-) Great advice here, too.
Hehehe, sound like you're an effective writer. Good job!
You're story scared me so much I can't...HA! That is the best compliment for someone who writes horror/suspense. Awesome!
Sounds like your doing a great job. Very productive. You go!
Happy IWSG day
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
I try not to think about how scared I am. That said I do show up in IWSG every month. :-)
Anna from elements of emaginette
It's sound wrong to say congrats on making someone cry, but for a writer it's gold!
To scare someone that badly is such a compliment! I was compared to Stephen King, but honestly I think it was by folks who'd never read him, but had heard of him. :) Still, I'll hold that as a positive. I don't hold myself as that good, not yet! But I've no doubt that you are!
Thank you for these great links. We writers have to draw out emotions from readers and fear is an emotion along with sadness. As long as they keep reading. That 100 rejections aim sounds awesome. Need to check that out.
Shannon,
I am back again to say thanks. I took the time this morning to read the article you recommended and yes! I agree. It also strengthened my writing muscles. I am going to keep submitting and now I have put one more thing on my list, Fellowships.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia
Great feedback for a horror writer. Congrats!
91 says to wait is not too long. One Canadian magazine I submitted to took longer, over 6 months.
Writing horror...have never even taken a stab at it! I do love the prompt: Mrs Morrison was too busy to die...
Thanks for the great links and the inspiration. I write horror and someday someone else might read it.
"When you do the things you're afraid of, you take away their power."
Excellent advice!
Hi, Shannon. I've just joined the IWSG group and I've just joined your blog. Dolorah is right. Facing fear, you win. If you do NOT face your fears, they have already won over you. All the best.
Congrats on one acceptance and for scaring a reader. LOL That must have been some horror story!
Your paragraph - When you do the things you're afraid of, you take away their power. The writing world is full of fears, full of doing things that force us to put ourselves out there and make ourselves uncomfortable. But each thing we conquer takes us one step further.
Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting links. I have never thought to submit any of my poetry anywhere.
So I have a question, having never submitted anything to be published. Does one submit someone to only one person at a time? Or does one send to several. Because if one send to several, what if they both (improbably I know) accept it?
Your comment about scaring the reader cracked me up. What great praise to a horror writer.
Great advice about conquering your insecurities. Ever since I began my publishing journey, I've gone way out of my comfort zone and tackled many fears. It's gotten easier. I refuse to let fear stop me. Congrats on your story acceptance!
The Shining is a good one! You're supposed to put it in the freezer. ;)
Oy, I've waited way longer. I tend to submit to markets that are quicker first then move up the line.
Did you hear back on any?
It is definitely fun to scare people! Perhaps a little addictive. ;)
Maybe some day?
I'm sure it does. What's scarier than looking inside yourself and writing about real people in your life?
Do it! I relaxed about them when I finally wrote one.
Yes! Mock fear.
Now to do it more!
It definitely does diminish as we confront it more. Keep submitting!
Oh, that's wonderful feedback to have gotten!
Thanks! I'm working on it.
I try to block that out, too. Ha!
So true!
What a compliment to get! And thank you.
We definitely need to be working to draw out emotions. One of my horror stories both scared someone and made them cry. Not sure I'll achieve that again.
Yay, thank you for coming back to let me know!
No, 91 days is definitely not so long. I've had things take a year.
Pun intended?
I hope it's someday soon! We need more horror.
Thanks!
Agreed, and welcome to the IWSG!
I've gotten that compliment a few times. Always makes me happy.
You have to consider the market. They'll say if they don't allow simultaneous submissions. If they do, you can send to multiples. Most likely, you won't get two acceptances at once, but if you did, you'd have to politely turn the other down. But once you get one acceptance, you should send a polite letter to the other publication to let them know. I've done simultaneous submissions a few times, but I find them more stressful than just doing one at a time.
Fear keeps finding new ways to rear its ugly head, but we keep taking it out one by one.
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