Now, A year later, it's as big as can be and all of us writers with issues have a forum for letting out all our fears.
This month, I'm not going to talk about the 3 or 4 short story markets that have decided to not respond to my submissions at all. Not a rejection, not an acceptance. Just nothing. If it were one place I would suspect it was lost or something, but for it to be so many makes me think they are colluding to make sure I have a proper freak out about it all. They must be getting so angry at my constant submissions they've decided to blackball me going forward. Only explanation.
But like I said, I'm not going to talk about that.
Instead, I'm here to talk about something much more positive - The need for not giving up. I read somewhere on the interwebs yesterday a line from someone famous that said something like this:
"To be a successful author, the need a little talent and a lot of perseverance.... Actually, it's mostly perseverance."
So, don't give up, the implication is that you don't have to be any good, just bull-headed. So there's hope.
23 comments:
One dream... one random comment... and look at where we are now!
Can't ever win if we quit. And you of all people can't quit!
What are some of those markets? maybe I can distract them with some crappy short stories of my own.
That's odd, Rusty. I guess you're checked your spam filter. Check out the respsonse times on Duotrope and then drop the editors a quick note. I've done this from time to time, and they don't mind.
I'm so glad Alex had the ingenious idea of letting people whine on their blogs, because no one had ever thought of doing that on a blog before then...
Never EVER give up. :) Thanks for this post!
Well, if being bull-headed is all it takes, I'm golden. :)
I hear this all the time at conferences, the thing about talent and perseverance. It's so true. And it is hard not to hear anything. I do end up wondering if Cyberspace eats some of our emails. Actually, I know it does because I've had people tell me they didn't get something and it's always the important emails. I picture a cyber being scanning emails and going, Oh yea! This is the one to snatch.
Yeah, turns out getting published is more marathon than sprint. How ever thought we'd need THIS much perseverance. But onward we trudge!
Never give up, never surrender!
I was going to suggest checking Duotrope too. There's lots of great info to be found on that site.
I agree, perseverance is key. Thanks for the encouraging post!
Allison (Geek Banter)
What was it Winston Churchill said?
Something like "Madam, maybe YOU will fight them on the beaches but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be embroiled in the XYZ affair."
Oh, wait, I thought this was QUICK QUOTES, the game sensation that's sweeping the nation. My bad.
Anyway: sorry you didn't get a response from them at all. That's just poor business; as I pointed out to an agent recently, deciding to deliberately cut out your client base is a bad business idea. But, then, when you say "Bad business idea," you've summed up publishing these days. Book publishers may last longer than scrimshaw did, but both are dying art forms.
You know what Jim Butcher said about getting published, right? I'm just gonna assume you do, and, if you don't, you can ask me.
:P
If it makes you feel better, I can't get my kids' counselor to return an email. People are just kind of slow and lazy. Or on vacation.
...high school guidance counselor, not the other kind. :)
I'm wondering if we're both waiting for the same market because I have one short story subbed out.
What's sad is how many businesses forget etiquette, especially publishers, agents, and magazines.
Alex has created something really great with this group, I think he said several months ago we were among the few who have posted every single time. It's a struggle, but knowing the effort he puts into this, I keep making the deadline, too.
Look! I'm going to respond to comments! It must be awfully cold in Hell right now.
Alex - Asimov's, Analog, and Michael Morcock's new mag... I forget the name off the top of my head.
Deborah - I did check my spam filter. I'll check the response times on duotrope to make sure I'm just not being anxious. But I don't think it's me, really.
PT - It was genius. Sure, people did it before, but it was filled with self loathing... a forum like this means we get to do it guilt free!
Lynn - thanks for stopping by.
Brinda - Me too, well, I'm actually only bull headed in things that are clearly a waste of everyone's time. Important things though, I cave like a house of cards in a hurricane.
Cherie - probably proof that the internet is sentient... and out to get us.
SL - It does seem like it's taking a long time. And I'm not happy about it.
MJ - thanks, commander.
Karen - thank you too. I don't have anything else to do, so I guess I'll hang in there.
Allison - thanks for stopping by!
Briane - I do think it's a bit ridiculous that it takes this long. I'm sure they can find some way to speed things up. Maybe I should start my own mag.
Andrew - I actually don't know. I'll see if I can look it up before I ask though.
Tonja - Well, I've been known to be pretty bad at returning emails in my professional life too. So I won't comment about your kid's guidance counselor.
Cindy - Maybe, I mentioned the ones I recall without checking my spreadsheet in my comment to Alex.
Diane - Yeah, I felt sick when I realized I was about to miss today. I'm glad I allowed myself a few minutes and put up something.
He said it's like being chased by a bear. You don't have to be faster than the bear, just faster than the guy running next to you.
It is guilt free! And after today's posts and comments, it is just overwhelming the positive response.
Andrew's comment is great!
Well, I'm pretty bull headed, so I should some day find a pay-off for all my perseverance.
.......dhole
Don't ever give up, Rusty! You're a great writer and a talented artist.
Andrew that's the key to anything. M.J. great Galaxy Quest quote!
"Just bull-headed". Bull-headed I can do. :P
Great IWSG post!
Thanks for the reminder. :)
(and I agree, the no response stinks, though I pretend they paused a moment, thought about my talent, then sighed and said, I wish I could take them all!)
Post a Comment