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Hapax Legomenon

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Gettingby, I second the workshop. It might be something stupid, too, like submitting to the wrong market or length. I know at least in SFF it's harder to get a story accepted if it's like over 4k even though many magazines do say they take stories over 4k.
 

Tamlyn

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*waves at everyone*

I got sick again, but I think I used it as too much as an excuse to not do so much editing. Still creeping slowly toward the end of the current revision of my novel MS.

My poor stories are rotting. I get a rejection and never get around to sending them back out. And I'm overdue some rejections, so they'll join the rotting soon. I'm going to try and focus on them a bit more soon.

Nothing much really to say. I just thought I'd check in since I hadn't for a while :)
 

gettingby

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Thanks, everyone. I am doing my MFA so I have workshops. And I read a lot of journals so I feel like I know markets. I think I am going to try and write a new story every month. I'm not sure about submitting. I guess it won't hurt, but it is frustrating.
 

V1c

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I had to move. . . again (home is where your heart is, in your chest, I guess) so haven't written that much lately. Been reading though, which is imperative to writing! So that's something. I do still have about ten subs out, although at long wait markets (like lore, apex, lit stuff). Gotta get back on the horse! Although, I followed w1s1 a lot more this year since I was traveling more than working, and gotta say it was a banner year for acceptances and growth even doing one story a month.
 

Hapax Legomenon

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Okay, I now have 2 stories that are coming up as orange on the grinder. Maybe it's just a slow month...
 

Gnome

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Okay, I now have 2 stories that are coming up as orange on the grinder. Maybe it's just a slow month...

All of my subs are orange/red, too. I think they've been sucked into a black hole.

Had anyone heard from Penumbra lately? I sent in a story for the Aliens (November) issue and haven't heard anything... seems pretty late.
 

Steve Coate

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Penumbra doesn't make decisions on themed issues until six weeks prior to its release, which is approaching, so you should hear back pretty soon on the Aliens issue (maybe a week or so unless it moves on to another round of consideration). I've got something with them for that issue as well and have sent them stuff in the past. Good luck!
 

Hapax Legomenon

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See, the thing is that I know at least one of my submissions did not fall into a black hole -- it's still pending on Submittable and I've gotten some updates on it... it's just that it's been silent now for a very long time.

Anyway, I was reading over a draft I finished last week. Yuck.
 

Gnome

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Penumbra doesn't make decisions on themed issues until six weeks prior to its release, which is approaching, so you should hear back pretty soon on the Aliens issue (maybe a week or so unless it moves on to another round of consideration). I've got something with them for that issue as well and have sent them stuff in the past. Good luck!

November is only two weeks away? But if you haven't heard either I won't bother querying them.
 

fihr

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I knew my renovation would prevent me writing much, but I've been trying to do a bit all the same. Feeling discouraged though, because of all the distractions. I keep worrying I'll forget how to write.

Went into the Botanical Gardens on the weekend because I had to take my daughter to a dance rehearsal and the gardens were next door while I waited. Found a seat in a shady place and wrote using my laptop. No distractions, no tiles falling off the roof or crisis developing under my nose. No people interrupting or asking me for things. For the first time in a month, I found I could write and get into the flow of it.

Just have to find a way to do that more often.
 

gettingby

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Okay, I really didn't think I would have time to write enough to do this challenge again right now, but just finished another piece. However, I'm not sending stuff out. I just feel unsure. I used to submit like it was just part of my routine, and I believed that my stuff had a shot. Now, I just keep thinking that feeling will come back when I really do have a shot. How do you guys get your confidence back after so many rejections?
 

zanzjan

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:Hug2:

I don't know, gettingby. Sometimes I have to take a break and find the will again, sometimes I just stubborn through. Once in a while there is moping and the consumption of too much chocolate.

Take the time you need to get through, and remember you're not alone.
 

gettingby

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:Hug2:

I don't know, gettingby. Sometimes I have to take a break and find the will again, sometimes I just stubborn through. Once in a while there is moping and the consumption of too much chocolate.

Take the time you need to get through, and remember you're not alone.

Thanks. A lot of my writer friends are just starting to send stuff out, and it's good stuff. Watch them all publish on the first or second try. I have a few things out but not many. I think I will send be able to send off one of my newer stories by the end of the week. I've got a good idea where to send it and won't here back for a long time, anyway.
 

Hapax Legomenon

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I've sent something new out today! Though considering the magazine, I should be getting my rejection any minute now...
 

ACFantasy

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Drafted my 'Temporally Out of Time' submission. Taking a break from it for now to work on my 'Betrayal' themed submissions for Crossed Genres, since those are due sooner.
 

Eliza C

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Plasma Frequency Magazine is running a fundraiser to try and increase pay rates to writers and artists. The first few years in business the editor ran the semipro magazine entirely out of his own funds, but his goal now is to pay pro rates of .06 c/w to authors. They've been a very reliable and constantly improving market for the past couple of years. If you feel like helping out, his Kickstarter is live now.
 

Hapax Legomenon

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Okay, I have an idea percolating in my brain. However, I wonder if in a short story format if people would catch on quick enough that sirens are birdy rather than fishy?
 

alexshvartsman

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Okay, I have an idea percolating in my brain. However, I wonder if in a short story format if people would catch on quick enough that sirens are birdy rather than fishy?

Could you not simply describe their appearance? Or mention that they're flying or what-not?
 

ACFantasy

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Finished a story and sent it out. Also sent out another that I recently received back.

ETA: on a roll. Third one's out the door. Now I'm up to 8 out, including one that reached second tier so far and two that have been out for a couple months now (hoping no news is good news.)
 
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Aislinn

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Okay, I have an idea percolating in my brain. However, I wonder if in a short story format if people would catch on quick enough that sirens are birdy rather than fishy?

More context would be good - you could just bang out a first draft and then ask a beta reader - but 'sirens' to me are neither birdy nor fishy but the sound a police car makes to get other cars out of the way.
 

CathleenT

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Hey, I sent out six yesterday, almost all to SFWA publications, which for some reason is a real anxiety-fest for me. Still, they're out, so that means seven possibilities now.

And I found this cool thing on the Grinder, Crossed Genres is doing a call for an anthology. They want something from our world, real or alternate history, 1935 or before, with a protag that's 18 or under and from a marginalized ethnic group. Sounded interesting to me, so I thought I'd toss it into the ring in case anyone else is interested. Here's a copy of the Grinder's blurb.

"Your story must be set before 1935 C.E. (NO exceptions), and take place primarily in our world or an alternate historical version of our world. (Travel to other worlds, other dimensions, Fairyland, the afterlife, etc. is fine but should not be the focus.) Your protagonists must be young people (under the age of 18) who were marginalized in their time and place. By “marginalized” we mean that they belong to one or more groups of people that were categorically, systematically deprived of rights and/or economic power. Examples in most times and places include enslaved people, indigenous people, queer people, laborers, women, people with disabilities, and people who do not share the local dominant religion, language, or ethnicity. Many people belong to multiple marginalized groups, and many are marginalized in some ways and privileged in others. Your story should acknowledge the complexity and intersectionality of marginalization. Your story must contain a significant element of science fiction, fantasy, horror, or the weird, without which the story would not work or would be a substantially different story. - See more at: http://longhidden.com/hidden-youth-submissions/#sthash.HRS52spJ.dpuf"
 
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Hapax Legomenon

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Good luck to all NaNoWriMoers!

...Come to think of it, I have not seen any short stories recently with Greek myth in them. I'm guessing it'd be an extremely hard sell.