Tag: Writing
A Better No: The Higher-Tier Form Rejection
I’ve covered higher-tier form rejections on my blog a few times, but it’s a subject I see in writing circles a fair amount, so I thought I’d dip back into my generous supply of rejection letters and show off some recent examples. Let’s look at… Continue Reading “A Better No: The Higher-Tier Form Rejection”
2017: A Writing Rearview Review
Another year come and gone, and it’s time to wrap up my writing endeavors for 2017. I set some writing goals at the end of last year, and as these things usually go, I accomplished some and fell short with others. Still, 2017 was… Continue Reading “2017: A Writing Rearview Review”
Submission Guidelines: Check ’em Twice
If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you’ve no doubt heard me go on and on about the process of submitting a story. Well, most of that has to do with one very important factor: following the submission guidelines. I’ve written… Continue Reading “Submission Guidelines: Check ’em Twice”
Submission Statement: December 2017
December was another good month for submissions. I didn’t think I’d match November’s output, but I did, and I had more than just rejections to tally in the final month of the year. December 2017 Report Card Submissions Sent: 13 Rejections: 8 Other: 0… Continue Reading “Submission Statement: December 2017”
Hook, Line & Sinker: Fine-Tuning the First Sentence
Last year, I wrote a blog post inspired by one of my favorite essays by Stephen King, “Great Hookers I Have Known,” from his collection Secret Windows. The title of the essay is, of course, not what it sounds like. It’s about crafting a… Continue Reading “Hook, Line & Sinker: Fine-Tuning the First Sentence”
Two New Publications & Two New Markets
The first part of this month has been pretty damn decent. I’ve received one acceptance and I’ve published two pieces, both of which you can read for free online. I’m gonna talk about the publications first, and then I’ll give you some information that… Continue Reading “Two New Publications & Two New Markets”
Acceptance Rates: What are the Chances?
We all know that top-tier short story markets receive tons of submissions, likely hundreds every submission period, but how many of those submissions are actually accepted? Excellent question, and we have some data that can at least get us in the ballpark. Since I’m… Continue Reading “Acceptance Rates: What are the Chances?”
Submission Statement: November 2017
November was my most productive month of the year for short stories, maybe my most productive month ever. The reason? I finished some new stories and started sending them out, which led to a record number of submissions and a fair number of rejections.… Continue Reading “Submission Statement: November 2017”
The Standard Form Rejection Revisited
One of the first posts on this blog was about the standard form rejection. In the intervening years, my thoughts have changed some, and I find I have more to say about what they mean or might mean. First, as a refresher, what is… Continue Reading “The Standard Form Rejection Revisited”
Close Encounters: The Shortlist Letter Revisited
There has been a definite theme to my submission endeavors in 2017. I’ve received more shortlist letters this year than I have in years prior. So, it got me thinking, how close am I actually getting when one of my stories is shortlisted? Well,… Continue Reading “Close Encounters: The Shortlist Letter Revisited”
Effectively Wild – A Baseball Horror Story
Night Walk & Other Dark Paths
Acts of War: Flashpoint
Acts of War: Aftershock
Acts of War: Stormbreak
Aeryn Rudel's Rejectomancy 