Write One, Sub One

"Once when we were Boys" back from Flash Fiction Magazine 0/4
(is that the convention? Zero acceptances/4 round trips :D)

oh and "The Transmigration of Souls" off to Brilliant Flash Fiction - also 0/4
 
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kennychaffin said:
"0/4
(is that the convention? Zero acceptances/4 round trips :D)
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It might be fun if we all did it. We could commiserate together.

kennychaffin said:
This whole submission thing gets me down, I'm bipolar about it, I go through phases of sending things out in a storm and other times of refusing to at all. :D
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One of the most valuable things I get from this particular thread is the understanding that other writers get rejections too. They're just part of the process.
 
Facing said:
other writers get rejections too. They're just part of the process.
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Indeed. By the standards of this board, I'm a success because I have no trouble selling short stories to pro markets. But three months ago I finished what is probably the most significant work of my life -- a historical novel I waited more than forty years to write -- and it has so far been turned down by four or five agents. Today I'm going to start rewriting the opening because a former agent of mine suggested it would help and I concluded, after some thinking, that she was quite right.

Rejection is part of the process. You have to grow some hard bark on you. Just remember, once you get your first few short story sales, it gets easier.

And I suggest rethinking this preoccupation with flash fiction. The main market out there is for short stories. Learn to do them well and the sales will come.
 
Matthew Hughes said:
And I suggest rethinking this preoccupation with flash fiction. The main market out there is for short stories. Learn to do them well and the sales will come.
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For the record, I'm not preoccupied with flash. I use the contests here to try to learn to be less wordy. I have sent out a few flash pieces because...what the hell, but most of my stories are longer.
 
jarebcollins said:
@Matthew Hughes, how many pieces do you sell a month? Has it been a viable living?
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This year, a lot of time went into the historical novel in the spring. But I've sold four novelettes and I'm waiting on acceptance of another. So, no, I couldn't live on the money I'm making from writing short fiction. It's on the order of US$1,000 a month, which adds to what I get from pensions, royalties on previous sales, reprints, editing and critiquing, ebook and POD sales via Amazon, and advances on new book sales. On that total, given that I cut by living expenses by housesitting, I live comfortably enough for my tastes.

But bear in mind, I don't work very hard. Certainly nothing like an eight-hour day, five days a week. My aging thyroid wouldn't permit it.
 
Matthew Hughes said:
Sorry. I've only seen your frog flash piece and gotten the impression that flash is big with some of the other writers here.
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Some of us yes, but I also participate in the short story and novella contests and put other stories through the workshop. I find the feedback helpful since I am still trying to improve my writing.
If you get really bored one day, I've got other stories posted. ;)
On a more serious note, I'm certain that all of us would appreciate your reading the various contest entries if you can spare the time.
 
Its big here because of the monthly flash challenge and a lot of us have used it as a stepping stone to writing longer pieces. Sometimes when real life stops us from finishing longer projects, completing a flash is at least *some writing*.

But the number of venues that publish flash are few, so they're even more difficult to sell, and I think we need to recognise that. It can also have quite a different story structure to a short story, so after a certain point I don't think it develops your writing chops.
 
The squirrel's lips are sealed. :D

But I'll say that yes I'm enthralled by flash fiction - both reading and writing as well as microfiction, poetry and prose poetry. Not with the intent of making money, but certainly with the intent of getting published and for establishing myself in that genre such as it is. I certainly wouldnt recommend poetry as a moneymaker either. :D

Im also very 'into' flash nonfiction. ;)

And yes for the record ive always been most fascinated with short stories and will continue to be. Novella length stories are becoming much more interesting to me as well after reading and rereading and rereading Anthony Doerr!!!

I better get to writing that squirrel on the patio is giving me the evil eye....
 
Facing said:
Some of us yes, but I also participate in the short story and novella contests and put other stories through the workshop. I find the feedback helpful since I am still trying to improve my writing.
If you get really bored one day, I've got other stories posted. ;)
On a more serious note, I'm certain that all of us would appreciate your reading the various contest entries if you can spare the time.
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Yes, definitely!
 
I've only had two flash pieces published, and one micro… All of them for recognition, no money involved. Still, I think it's a good experience, and a reminder to keep writing every day.
 
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