HARD WORK PAYS OFF

It’s been a very good year. Since December 27th 2006, I have kept track of all submissions, acceptances and rejections, on another blog. (www.writingstats2007.blogspot.com).

The exercise was to show how hard work pays off. How you don’t get any acceptances if you don’t send your work out. How rejections DO come in, and writers who pretend they don’t are fibbing!


My stats are this:

75 Submissions. (33 competitions, 42 open)

36 hits ( 3 anthology publication, 2 non-fiction article, 1 anthology, 7 print mags, 8 ezine, 4 reading invites, 1 recording invite, 3 shortlistings, 1 longlist, 2 First Prizes, (Paddon Award Exeter Uni, Daily Telegraph Novel Comp), 3 Second Prizes [Bridport prize, Fish short story and Flashquake flash, ...]) 1 Third (normblog flash)


63 rejects (16 ezines, 11 anthology subs, 5 print mags, 8 flash comps, 1 non fic comp, 3 monologue, 15 story comp subs, 5 radio)

(of course, the maths won’t add up. The timelag between submissions and responses can be months and months. The above reflects some responses from submissions sent out in 2006, and there are still some results to come back in the New Year from 2007 subs.)



Acceptance breakdown is as follows:

Anthology publications: See You Next Tuesday (Better Non Sequitur), scheduled April 2008), New Short Stories 1,

Non-fiction articles: Per Contra (scheduled 2008 March), New Writer

Anthology: My own collection of short fiction accepted by Salt Publishing, publishing date: March 1st 2008)

First Prizes: Paddon Award, Exeter University, Daily Telegraph Novel Competition (First 1000 wds, plus synopsis)

Second Prizes: Bridport prize 2007, Fish Short Story prize 2007, Flashquake ‘Less is More’ flash fiction competition.

Third Prize Normblog flash

Shortlistings: Willesden Herald Competition, Philip Good memorial,

Longlisting: Happenstance

Print Journals: Riptide, Birmingham Arts Journal (2), Thema, Steel City, GUD, Penumbra,

Ezines: Café Irreal (2), Tien Ve (Vietnam) Burn (Italy) work taken from Café Irreal and translated), Onepagestories, Night Train,

Reading Invites: Short Fuse (2), Tales of the Decongested, West Cork Literary Festival (July ’08)

Recording Invite: Talking Newspapers




Rejection Breakdown:

Short Story Competitions: Herts University, Cotswold, Blinking Eye, 2 subs at Fish, Phillip Good memorial, V S Pritchett, Kid’s story comp, New Writer, Lichfield, Yeovil 3, 1 Bridport sub, Glass Woman, Fish Histories, Times ghost story,

Flash Competitions: Some European mag (cant remember!), drabble comp, 1 Flashquake, Ascent Aspirations, Guardian nano, BBC drabble, Fish history v short, 1 normblog sub,

Monologue comp: SWWJ (3)

Anthology subs: Comma Press (5, modern horror 2, new writers 3), Honno, Clockwork Phoenix, Apis (3)


Radio: 5

Print Journals:
Pedestal
Transmission
Penumbra
Zahir
Harvard

Ezines:

Frigg
Smokelong (2)
Kaleidowhirl
Cezanne’s Carrot
Tattoo Highway (2)
East of the Web 5
Vestal Review
Everyday Fiction
Strange Horizons
Summerset Review
Six Little Things

Handout: Broadsided


Subs Withdrawn: Shortalk (nothing seems to be happening after an interesting start)



I cant get it all to add up, but then I’m a writer not a mathematician!

However: early in the year I apologised that this was going to be a thin year for submissions as I am writing a novel, or trying to! And relative to the last three years it was thin. But the hit rate was far higher. I am not scribbling so much flash work, and have not been zapping pieces out there unless I reckoned there was a good chance of hitting. Also, I have learned the market, to a certain extent. I know where my stuff might hit.

What is surprising is the consistent rejects from the ezines… But then, I look at the acceptances and have to shrug.

Its been a interesting year. I’m doing more interesting things… readings, invites to contribute to this and that.

And f course the collection coming out soon from Salt… fabulous.

I started this writing lark in 2003. had first acceptance in early 2004. I’m pleased, overall, with progress. I guess I don’t have to prove anything any more. And that is great, on the one hand.

But it also takes away a spur, on the other…next year will be very very different. Lots of teaching scheduled already. The Workhouse continuing to buzz along, with regular flash blasts, consistent high quality critiquing. Working hard on promoting the book. And getting a flash collection ready….


HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL WRITERS.