Here it is, already the first days of 2015. OK, really, who hid the last year? What happened to all that time? It feels like the year took off in a massive roller-coaster ride of ups and downs and all arounds, and my head is spinning after I’ve stepped off, onto this year’s whirl of events.
Good news of the year: I made my first two pro sales. Hurray!!
Bad news: I still haven’t managed to finish the first draft of the novel. I’m hoping to have it wrapped up soon, because…
I’m looking forward to another year of the Weekend Warrior Flash Fiction contest over at Codex. Starting soon, but not soon enough! I’m doing the tappy-toe dance of excitement in anticipation of this. Wheeeee!
Eh-hem. Hrmm. Yes. So, back to the year-end summary. Writing on the novel, its world building, research, and etc, took up most of my year of writing. Because of this, I currently have only four submissions out. In good news, two of those are being held for a second round, at two separate markets. Perhaps the new year will bring me two quick, lovely sales? (Fingers crossed here.)
For the record, this year I made approximately 64 submissions. From those, I received:
- 54 total rejections, including 23 personal rejections
- 6 acceptances, 2 being pro sales(!!)
- 4 stories are still out on sub, held over from 2014
Not bad, considering how few short stories I wrote this year. As I checked in on my year-end stats, I got a bit depressed. How few stories and submissions. These have been my on-going “reality check,” my personal gauge of success. I understand that dedicating myself to writing a novel means fewer short stories will be written and subbed out. Of course it does. But still it comes back to haunt me, making me feel like “less a writer” when I don’t see a full 6 (or more) stories out on submission. And then I get depressed and start hating the novel for eating my life.
Sigh. I am my own worst enemy, at times. grumble grumble grumble
My other goals for the year were met: I attended WFC and had a great time. I continue loving my slush-reading gig at Fantasy Scroll Magazine. The novel is well underway, nearing completion.
In “real life,” it’s been hiccup-central. We moved. There exists a family health crisis. We adopted a puppy. Said puppy has just had knee surgery. And is now recuperating on the sofa, next to me. (He’s just glad to be out of the crate and not wearing the Elizabethan collar for a change! If his nose heads toward the incision, his nose gets tapped. It happens surprisingly little. I am amazed at his understanding of this situation.) All these things interfered with writing, so it’s not surprising that I got less done than I’d hoped. But still. (sigh)
And yet, I’m not complaining: my life is good. I enjoy my writing, and have gotten some nice compliments, in the form of personal rejections, some quite lovely (thank you for those). And–even nicer–some acceptances. My home is wonderful, and I’m settling in and enjoying not being cold. The dog is healing, and will be better-than-new once a few months have passed. Those tennis balls are in trouble then, I tell you! All in all, the stage is set for an amazing year. I hope you’re here for it!
Everyday Magic | M. E. Garber 
I also got a profound kick of “less a writer” when I began transitioning from flash and short stories to novels. It’s a totally different submissions loop and economy of your time. But look, even the mighty Ken Liu hasn’t appeared as ubiquitously in zines since penning his novel. You aren’t less productive; you’re differently productive. And congratulations on all the progress you’ve made on the book thus far. Here’s to the year of conquering it!
Thanks for the pep-talk, and the reasonableness of it all. (I like reason, my Inner Critic does not.) I shall now go be “differently productive.” 🙂