IWSG - New Year, New Doubts

Not only is it the first Wednesday of the month, it's the first Wednesday of the year! Time for the first Insecure Writer's Support Group posting in 2019.

Created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, the IWSG is a blogging community that comes together to support each other in our ups and downs. We post on the first Wednesday of each month. You can, too! Click on Alex's name above and sign up. Be sure to visit some new to you blogs and say thanks to the co-hosts: Patricia Lynne, Lisa Buie-Collard, Kim Lajevardi, and Fundy Blue!

I'm starting the year in a down place, frustrated with some aspects of the publishing business and feeling like a failure in several ways.

I suspect part of it is the fact that the holiday season depresses me, but at the same time, I've had a string of bad experiences with some publishers lately, including two breaches of contract I've been dealing with. Maybe I've simply been lucky up to now. I can say that, overwhelmingly, short story editors and publishers are fabulous people who put their passion into their magazines and anthologies, and do their absolute best, even though most of them aren't making any money off these publications (and many are funding them from their day jobs). I've enjoyed working with those I've worked with in the past (and the vast majority of the ones I'm currently working with). It's disappointing that the end of my year (and thus the beginning of the next) had to be tainted by these experiences, and I keep telling myself it's rare, and to push forward. (To be clear, I'm not talking about normal things, like delays in publication, etc. I'm talking about breaches of contract; not getting paid; books not coming out at all, with a strange email from an editor that the publisher is refusing to respond to his queries about why the finished book has not been released, and said publisher ignoring my queries; and similar issues.)

In addition, I've been struggling with finishing anything. I'm at this weird crossroads where I'm doubting my writing and feeling like if I put out something  bad it will ruin any minor amount of accomplishment I've reached. So it holds me back. I realize it's this fear that's keeping me from writing, but recognizing the issue doesn't seem to make it any easier to write most of the time. I'm also struggling with resubmitting rejected pieces, but I'll be buckling down tonight and getting that done.

To end on a more positive note, I managed to not only get some writing done this week, but to finish a short story I'd been working on for a while. That, despite starting a new day job on top of the one I already have, and some real life stress/drama that's piled on in the last month. I'm feeling pretty good about that, and I hope it indicates those self-doubts are starting to fade some. Here's looking forward to a positive update in February.

I almost forgot the optional question for the month: What are your favorite and least favorite questions people ask you about your writing?

I like questions about what inspired my stories. Sometimes they're completely random, but often there's a story behind the story. There's at least one question I hate to be asked, yet I'm drawing a blank. I'll have to update if I remember it.

Before I get to submission stats for December, how about some IWSG news? We've got the contributors for the next IWSG anthology!

Oddly Suited by LG Keltner
Sea of Sorrows by AV Brown
Behind the Catcher’s Mask by Jennifer Lane
A Diver’s Ball by Angela Brown
Fearless Heart by Deborah Solice
The Dark Charade by CD Gallant-King
The Cog Prince by Elizabeth Mueller
Flower of Ronda by Myles Christensen
Remedy by Chelsea Ballard
Charleston Masquerade by Carrie-Anne Brownian

The top story has the honors of being included in the title. LG Keltner’s story came out on top! The official title of our next anthology – Masquerade: Oddly Suited. Congratulations, LG. (She was also in the top spot for our first anthology, Parallels: Felix Was Here.)

The IWSG Admins spent many hours reading the entries and fourteen were sent to our special judges. We certainly wish to thank them for taking time away from their own work to read the entries:

Elizabeth S. Craig, author
Kelly Van Sant, agent at Red Sofa Literary Agency
Elana Johnson, author
DL Hammons, Write Club founder
S.A. Larsen, author
Kristin Smith, author
Gwen Gardner, author and previous IWSG anthology winner

Look for Masquerade: Oddly Suited late spring!

Congratulations to everyone! There were so many great entries!

Don't forget #IWSGPit is coming up January 15! Do you have a manuscript ready to pitch? Come out to Twitter and pitch to editors and agents.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Twitter Pitch Party!

#IWSGPit

January 15, 2019

8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Time

All writers and authors are invited to participate.

Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On January 15, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query.

Many writers have seen their books published from a Twitter pitch - it’s a quick and easy way to put your manuscript in front of publishers and agents.

Rules: 

Writers may send out 1 Twitter pitch every 1 hour per manuscript.

Publishers/Agents will favorite/heart pitches they are interested in. Publishers can either Tweet basic submission guidelines or direct writers to their submission guidelines. (Writers, please do not favorite/heart pitches.)

No images allowed in pitches.

Pitches must include GENRE/AGE and the hashtag #IWSGPit.

Ages: 
#C - children’s
#MG - middle grade
#YA - young adult
#NA - new adult
#A - adult
Genres: 
#AD - adventure
#CF - Christian fiction
#CO - contemporary
#F - fantasy
#H - horror
#HI - historical
#LF - literary fiction
#MCT - mystery/crime/thriller
#ME - memoir
#NF - non-fiction
#PB - picture book
#PN - paranormal
#R - romance
#SF - sci-fi
#WF - women's fiction
#UF - urban fantasy
#S - suspense

*Authors, please check out the publishers and agents before submitting.*

Also, start getting ready for the next WEP challenge. Here are the 2019 challenges, so you can plan ahead if you'd like.

The February challenge will be 28 Days.

Okay, time for my December stats. I post them each IWSG Day to keep myself accountable.

5 submissions
6 rejections
0 acceptances
1 story returned after contract timed out with no published book, so I'll be submitting that tomorrow, too
2 stories pulled from unresponsive markets who appear to have gone under
8 stories currently on submission

Are you submitting? Getting any writing done? What questions do you like or dislike people asking about your writing? What are your insecurities? Will you be taking part in #IWSGPit or WEP?

May you find your Muse.

IWSG - Fickle Beast

It's June, and time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, created by Alex J. Cavanaugh!

The co-hosts for this month are Murees Dupe, Alexia Chamberlynn, Chemist Ken, and Heather Gardner! Be sure to stop by and thank them for hosting.

IWSG is the first Wednesday of each month, and encourages us to share our fears, insecurities, and inspirations. Anyone is welcome to join. Simply go here to add your name to the list.

Had I posted this two weeks ago, I would have been in a more negative head space. It hit me that I gave up too much in terms of my personal aspirations in writing in order to fulfill two volunteer positions for a writer's group I'm part of. I stopped writing for several months because of it. While I was still submitting, though at a slower rate than usual, during that time, it has finally caught up to me that I didn't do what I should have been doing. Things are a bit slow right now, and I had a period of panic where I thought I had perhaps shot myself in the foot.

I do believe that I shot myself in the foot, and that I will now be playing catch up for awhile. Because I paused my forward progression, I am in a gap of time where I haven't placed stories at the rate I previously was. Who knows how long it will take me to get back to where I had worked so hard to get before.

However, I'm writing again. I've finished two short stories and gotten partway through two others in the last two weeks. I'm about to jump back into novel edits (finally). And I'm making notes on a new novel. This progress has helped me get past my dip into panic. Mostly, anyway. I still regret that I put myself in this position, but knowing that I'm taking it back is helping. Publishing is a slow process anyway, I didn't permanently harm anything, so it comes down to patience and determination to get it back.

If you've come around before, you know I post submission rates for the previous month with my IWSG post to keep myself accountable. I also usually post publication links on Wednesdays, but have decided to post only once per week over summer, except in special circumstances, such as IWSG. You can find the publication links I typically post on my Monday post from this week.

My stats:

In May, I submitted 7 stories, had 0 acceptances, got 3 rejections (1 personal, with valuable feedback), rewrote the endings on 2 stories that I've resubmitted, had 2 pieces published, and finished 2 new short stories, as mentioned above. I currently have 10 pieces on submission. The longest has been out for 205 days. Yeesh.

This is an improvement just over last month, so I'm feeling good about it. I'd like to get up to 20 stories in action at any given time, so that's my next goal. I'd also like to write in a different genre than usual. I've got several ideas floating around in my head, so we'll see which one takes the lead.

What are you feeling insecure about? Has anything helped to settle any of your insecurities lately? Any regrets you're facing in the writing world? Have you submitted or queried this month? How is your writing going?

May you find your Muse.

It's ShaNo Time Again & A Thank You to Yolanda!

Happy Day After National Author's Day!

What's that? November? Month of my birth? That must mean it's time for ShaNoShoStoWriEdSubMo again!

Don't tell me you've never heard of it. Surely you jest.

See, I don't want to write an entire novel this month, but I love the infectious energy of NaNoWriMo. So I set my own goals and use those to get back into the routines that faltered when the kids were home for the summer.

Feel free to join me in your own version of NaNo if you're not participating in the real one! It's the  energy and support that drive the month.

ShaNoShoStoWriEdSubMo stands for Shannon's Novel & Short Story Writing, Editing, and Submitting Month.

The Sub part of it all was a bigger deal before I reached the point I'm currently at with stories, so I'll be redefining it mildly this year.

My goals for the month will be:

1. Write 2 new short stories
2. Revise the 4 short stories/flash fiction currently in need of revisions
3. Submit 6 new short stories/flash this month
4. Complete the current round of revisions on Wendigo Nights
5. Post-outline and mark needed revisions on Lonely Hollow: Synthesis
6. Decide which novel writing project I will begin writing next

I'll update weekly on my progress.

I'd also like to thank Yolanda for the fun Halloween series of posts she put together, and for allowing me to participate. I won the 2015 Halloween Flash Fiction Contest! You can GO HERE to find links to all the entries. Poor Jerry. He never saw it coming.

Alex J. Cavanaugh was the winner of a copy of The Deep, Dark Woods, with my short story The Blue Mist. Now if we can just reach publication date, I can send him a copy!

What goals do you have for this month? Are you participating in NaNo or creating your own? Did you follow along with Yolanda's great Halloween posts this year?

May you find your Muse.

IWSG, Submission Updates & Links

Here we are at the beginning of a new month yet again! Before I jump into my IWSG post and links, a quick good luck to those of you out there embarking on the A-to-Z journey today.

And now it's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, created by Alex J. Cavanaugh.

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. 

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

Alex's awesome co-hosts for today's IWSG are Suzanne Furness,Tonja Drecker, Toi Thomas, Rachna Chhabria, Fundy Blue, and Donna Hole! Show them a little love!

I like to keep myself accountable by posting submission information for my short stories on IWSG day. I hope that it encourages other folks to get out there and start submitting, and that it shows that rejections aren't the end of the road. Keep submitting and you'll start seeing acceptances. 

In March, I:

Submitted 6 pieces

Got 9 rejections (1 of those was after being short listed, 1 came with great feedback)

Received 1 acceptance (to be published this Saturday--news here on Monday!)

Currently have 4 pieces on submission (soon to be more when I turn around the ones rejected)

Got a new piece edited by hand, but need to transfer those edits to the computer and submit

Sent off a query to follow up on a piece I submitted over 130 days ago

Oh yes, and I wrote The End on WIP #2, something I took a long step away from for awhile because I wanted to explore short stories for a little while. I'm currently outlining it for the plot points and important information so I can fiddle with the outline before heading into full edits. I want a general idea of where some plot and character information needs to be submitted before I start.

After a year of submitting with nothing to show for it, I've started getting scattered acceptances. I figure it only goes up from here. So if you've been waffling, I recommend you get out there and submit, submit, submit!

To help you get started with that, here are some links:

Accepting Submissions:

Weirdbook Magazine is accepting submissions for Issue 31. They want weird speculative fiction stories. Preferably less than 6000 words. Pays $5 per thousand words and a contributor's copy. Deadline for this issue is April 30.

AGNI is in their open submission period. They take poetry, short fiction, and essays. No specific word limits. Pays $20/page for prose and $40/page for poetry. Deadline May 31.

The First Line runs a quarterly contest (though there are no specific winners or ranks, just pieces chosen for publication and pay) where they give you the first line and you run with it. The summer first line is "Laura liked to think she was honest with herself; it was everyone else she lied to." 300 to 5000 words. Pays $25-50 for fiction. Also accepts poetry and non-fiction. Deadline May 1.

Knightwatch Press has several horror anthologies open for submissions. Three have May deadlines. All are royalty based and, for the most part, are expected to be around 5000 words (word requirements vary minutely, so check the website). Deadline for Playroom (horror in childhood settings) is May 1. Deadline for Madame Morte (horror in burlesque) and Wild Things (shape shifters) is May 15. 

Ghostwoods Books has a couple calls out for anthologies. They pay a small advance, plus royalties, and both have a word count of 3000-8000 words. The first one is in the genre of cosmic horror entitled Cthulhu Lies Dreaming--deadline May 1. The other, Haunted Futures, is looking for romance and has a deadline of early summer 2015. They have said they'll post a strict deadline closer to the date.

Myth Ink Books has a call out for stories with the theme Legends of Sleepy Hollow. 2000-8000 words. It will pay $5 and a contributor copy. Deadline May 1. 

Manchester Speculative Fiction Group is putting together an anthology entitled Revolutions, where the stories are set in Manchester, England. 1500-6000 words. Will pay 10 pounds. Deadline May 1.

Flash Fiction Online is looking for flash fiction up to 1000 words. Open to all genres. Pays $60 per story. No deadlines.

Cracked Eye is accepting submissions in multiple genres. 3000-6000 words. Pay is not specified, other than that a fee is paid to authors. No deadlines. 

Perihelion is looking for science fiction. Short stories, articles, reviews, etc. 2500-7000 words. $.01/word up to $75. No deadlines.

Any of these of interest to you? Anything to add or share? What are your insecurities? What's holding you back from submitting? 

May you find your Muse.

ShaNo Update, Week 3

Hey, hey, hey, it's the end of the third week of ShaNoShoStoWriEdSubMo! One more week to go. This is where I stand on my goals:

Writing

Write 1 new flash fiction piece

Write 1 new vignette (still trying to fully figure out the form)

Write 2 new short stories

Write at least 5000 new words on WIP #2

Write at least 2700 additional words to the above goals

Editing

Edit 2 flash fiction pieces awaiting editing

Edit 3 2 short stories awaiting editing 

Edit at least 5 chapters of WIP #1

Submitting

Re-submit pieces currently awaiting submission

Submit newly edited pieces from above (Submitted the one short story and the flash fiction pieces I edited)

Re-submit rejected pieces

I added two goals: Write at least 2700 additional words to the above goals and Re-submit rejected pieces. I've completed the re-submission, but that goal will open back up if I get any rejections this week. And yes, the one I was so sad about on Wednesday was among those re-submitted. The 2700 words additional are because of a meme I posted on Facebook this week. 100 words per like, 27 likes.

As you can see, I have a lot of goals remaining for completion this week, but the kids are out of school, so my time available could go either way. I don't have to play chauffeur all week and I have no events other than some write-ins. Then again, I have a few things I want to do with them over the break, so we'll see. 

My writing goals were on top of a bunch of to-dos not related to writing, so I've had to balance them. Anything remaining at the end of the month carries over into December. I do this each year to get back into better habits, not to add stress onto the holidays, and I'm happy with what I've accomplished, so far, and hyped for the rest of it. 

Next week I intend to let you know how I did in closing out ShaNo, then review what I need to do to complete the goals I set for 2014 last December, so I can hopefully close out as much of that as possible before the end of the month. 

How are you doing with NaNo, your other goals, or with your overall writing for the month? Kicking butt and taking names or taking it easy over the holidays? Have you reviewed your annual goals to see how you've done? Do you plan on doing that? Do you set annual goals?

May you find your Muse.

5 Fun Things to do With Rejection Letters

Rejection letters. If you get them, you're doing something right.

Wait, what?

No, really. Getting rejection letters means you're working, that you're writing, editing, and submitting. At least in terms of those seeking traditional publication.

But what are you supposed to do with those rejection letters that swarm in via email and snail mail? That is, after you set it aside and send your piece to a different entity RIGHT AWAY...

Courtesy of OCAL, clker.com

Here are five ideas:

1. Wallpaper a room. Your office would be best, but you can paper any room, even the bathroom. Oo, or maybe a closet. One with an old light bulb that flickers, and a chain to turn it on. Yes, do that!

2. Send them back...rejected. Write your own rejection letter about their rejection letter*. Example:

Dear Agent/Editor, <---Write exactly that if they didn't know your name, but feel free to fill in their names if they were polite enough to check your query for your name

In reference to your rejection letter, submitted January 9, we are currently not taking rejections in this genre. Please check your rejection letter over again and re-submit somewhere that is a better fit. If you'd like to review our rejection guidelines, please see www.rejectthis.com and click on the Rejections tab.

Sincerely,
Author X 

3. Make a flip-book. Draw a new image on the bottom of each sheet and glue them together on the top to create a flip-book. Come on, you know you secretly love those things!

4. Make them a different kind of art. Carefully connect the periods to create pictures, then color them in. Submit them to art magazines or have your own juried art show! You could become famous.

5. Put them where you really want to. Use them for kitty litter or to line the bottom of a bird/hamster/guinea pig/you name it cage.

Or you can do what I do and put them in a plastic sleeve in a binder with the acceptance letters. It's a story in itself to flip through there and see my history, and I hope to fill that binder one day (with far more acceptance letters than rejections, of course.)

Share your ideas in the comments!

What's your favorite above? What do you actually do with your rejection letters?

May you find your Muse.

*A moment of seriousness in a post of levity...don't really do number 2, mkay? I will not be responsible for you getting blackballed!

ShaNoShoStoWriEdSubMo & Good News

I passed state boards this weekend! I'm now a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant). Next up will be a First Aid & CPR class (my certification for this is long expired). I wish we actually got a score instead of a pass/fail, as I think I kicked ass, but I'll take it, anyway.

Moving on to ShaNoShoStoWriEdSubMo...

Yep, it's almost November, signaling time for everyone to start discussing NaNoWriMo. I'm not in a place to start a new novel at this time, but I enjoy the kick in the pants NaNo gives me. A goal shared publicly is a heck of a kick for someone like me who does better with deadlines. With as distracted as I've been lately, I really need to get back into a routine. Any routine will do, really. I'm sort of a leaf floating at the whim of the river currents at the moment, so why not embrace something that could prompt me.

I made a solid start in NaNo last year. It was the first time I officially signed up for NaNo and started a new novel. However, I was derailed when I found out my dad was dying. I think that might do so to a lot of people. Since I enjoy the energy that accompanies the month of November, I'm going to hijack it for myself while setting my own goals.

Thus, I present to you: ShaNoShoStoWriEdSubMo.

What the heck does that stand for? Shannon's Novel & Short Story Writing, Editing, and Submitting Month.

I've got one novel in desperate need of some re-writes (only one of my villains has enough heart, methinks, and it isn't the main guy), another novel waiting for me to finish it, plenty of short stories needing editing and submitting, and some shorts clamoring to be written.

I'll be aiming to write 30,000 words in November, a combination of the novel needing wrapping up and short stories. I'd like to edit and submit one short story per week. And I'd like to get some editing done on Novel #1.

November is bounce back month!

What about you guys? Participating in NaNoWriMo? Doing your own thing? Do you set goals every month or wing it?

May you find your Muse.

Returned, Refreshed, and Setting Some Goals

Hi, all! I'm back from Oregon, where I had a lovely time, though I must say that I am officially too old, broken, and sleepy to sit in a car for 21 hours straight. I routinely made that drive years ago, but I'm thinking this was my last straight-through shot.

I got to act like a twenty-something, enjoy some time with my mom and my two youngest siblings, who were 4 and 5 1/2 when I moved out to get married, see friends and family I often go years without seeing, sight-see and take tons of photos (over 800 by the time I got home--yes, I'm a photo slut). We extended our time at the beach and cut time out from later in the trip to do so. I got a short story written, got a few ideas for others, and best of all, I got to forget my troubles for a little while, pretend they didn't exist. It was nice.

Though I did miss my hubby and my babies. And my bed. And my laptop. And you guys, of course!

Now I'm back, refreshed (after a couple days recovering from the drive), and eager to jump back into my writing. Unfortunately, I have a whole lotta' work to catch up on, seeing as how I was gone for a week after just having come off five weeks of school and investing all of my attention into that class. I came back to find my test date waiting for me. It's not until October. Ugh. I'm a fan of just getting things over with, but hey, now I've got over a month to study (and obsess, and worry, and forget details, and, and, and...)

Back to that eagerness to get back to writing. Did you guys see the results of the Hugo Awards last night? I'll be honest. I had forgotten they were going on, but then an acquaintance posted a picture of his shiny new Hugo Award, so I went to check it out. Reading through that list of names, all the categories, I was inspired. I've been letting work, volunteer work at that, take the place of my writing time. I can't let that happen anymore. Yes, I'll still do my jobs, and I'll do them well, but I will also set aside time to write. My kids started school, and I can now create a schedule for myself.

So here's a little non-New Year's goal setting: I will create a schedule that provides for time to write and time to exercise. I've gotten out of shape while battling depression and doing an awful lot of sitting at my computer, sitting in meetings, sitting in the car, sitting, sitting, sitting. Work the body, work the mind. Once a week I will go somewhere other than home to write. I will make time to go on hikes when I can, because I enjoy them, and because I always find inspiration while out hiking and/or walking. I will finish Wendigo Nights. I will submit short stories for publication. I will take my writing seriously.

What about you? How are you feeling? Where's your inspiration level right now? Have you looked at your goals for the year, examined them, adjusted them for your current needs? What's looming over your head? Work deadlines, writing deadlines, test deadlines? Are you making time for yourself? For your writing? 

May you find your Muse.

Submission Tracking

You know how every little once in awhile you get a phone call from someone, pick up the phone, and they ask, "Who is this?" It makes no sense, right? THEY called you. Shouldn't they know who they were calling?

I sort of had that experience with the contest I was chairing. Only I wrote to someone to let them know they hadn't placed in the contest, and I got a response back saying, "Who is this again? I don't remember submitting anything to you? Do you know what my piece was called?"

Huh?

By OCAL, clker.com

I had written the name of the organization, as well as the contest, several times in the email, so I was really confused as to why they simply didn't look it up. Plus, this person had paid to be in the contest (there was an entry fee), so there were multiple ways to track. PayPal, for one. The website. Their outgoing emails.

It made me wonder just how many contests this person was entering! I mean, props to them for submitting and submitting and submitting, if that is the case. However, if they're submitting that many pieces, maybe they should be keeping track in some way. Do you really want to write to an editor, for instance, and ask, "Who is this?" Probably not. Of course, I'm no editor, so this didn't impact them professionally, but if they weren't keeping track of paid contest entries, there's a good chance they're not keeping track of other submissions.

For me, I keep an Excel spreadsheet with the date of submission, title of submission piece, who I've submitted it to, their response period (if this is listed), their website, their email, and the editor's name. I then have tabs where I move it if I get a rejection or acceptance. This helps me keep track of those I've submitted to, and insures I won't have a mind spasm and re-submit the same piece to the same place. Given, I'm not submitting so many things that this is likely to happen (in fact, I haven't submitted since the piece that got accepted), so this shouldn't be an issue for me.

I also keep the copy of the piece I sent in within a folder called "Stories Submitted," so I always have the proper version and formatting sitting there to check, if need be. And I file the email in a folder for submissions, so I know what bio and information I sent. Overkill? Maybe. But it came in handy when I needed to notify one publication that another had accepted a story that was a simultaneous submission between the two. I was able to pull up the email and contact the appropriate person. Shew!

I'm wondering just how many people keep track of their submissions, and how they do so. Do you send it and forget it? Do you keep a record of it? What's your process for keeping track of your submissions? Do you include contests in that? Have you ever received an acceptance or rejection from someone you didn't remember submitting to?

May you find your Muse.