Today I crossed the mark: 1000 Twitter followers.
1027, to be exact.
My goal for 2019 is 7500. (5000 seems too easy; 10,000, impossible.)
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Additional Goal for 2019: Twitter-style!
Goals for 2019
Last year, I joined a number of Facebook groups starring real, publishing writers. Many were focused on commercial publications than literary, especially high-level publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.
I queried a few placed. Crickets. I elected to finish out 2018 per my goals – literary publications – and to start factoring in the commercial media in 2019.
First step: identify dream publications. Step Two: approach.
- The New York Times: queried 3/17 with travel article culled from my recent Asia trip.
- The Washington Post: Queried the Parenting section on 3/17 with a short humor essay regarding my less-than-nurturing behavior during the death of my daughter’s Guinea pigs (scuttling, gnawing creatures). Was rejected 3/19.
- Huffington Post: Submitted the Guinea pig tale: “A Good Mama and a Decent Human Being.”
- The Cut: A section in New York Magazine (NOT The New Yorker), very “hip.” Formerly interested only in essays, they announced on 3/18 that they now take fiction. On 3/18, sent flash fiction featuring sharks, rats, bad stew, and nunchucks. Only from my wickedly feminist imagination could this story spring.
- Catapult: features long-form memoir (maybe 5,000 words). I have nothing for them, right now.
- Longreads: ditto for their requirements, and ditto for my stock.
- LitHub: Strikes a nice balance between literary and commercial. Submitted an essay, “Mouthy Ugly Genius.”
Acceptance: Who’s heard of Dale Peck?
Dale Peck is a publishing industry firebrand-genius-superhero. Famous for his eviscerating book reviews, he is the Editor-in-Cheif of what is considered the 8th-best online magazine in the country: Evergreen Review. Two days ago, I received an e-mail from Dale himself:
I just had a chance to read your stories “That Moment in Lao” and “The Great Ultimate.” I really loved “That Moment in Lao” and I’m sorry I missed the chance to publish it, but I really loved “The Great Ultimate” and I hope it’s still available.
Thunk. That was me hitting the floor in a dead faint.
I let him know that The Great Ultimate was certainly still available. (Currently at 8 other, totally unobtainable magazines.) The thing is, I am so convinced that this offer is what the youth call a “punked” that I keep looking over my shoulder for Alan Funt and the Candid Camera crew. And if you get that cultural reference, you are as old as I am. Congratulations!.
Literary Agent News
I started on it last night: sent out queries for my novel to six agents with whom I’ve had contact sometime in the past 20 years of work in publishing. Today, two of them responded! The first referred me to his co-agent/VP of his agency; the second asked to see the full manuscript.
I will keep you apprised of the over-all progress, probably in my YTDs rather than as each one happens. (That would be a crashing bore, I fear.) But I wanted to let you know about the great start, since y’all are so supportive all the time. Hearts to everybody!
A+ Editor/D- Sleeper.
For the last 24 hours, I have been an A+ editor (but a crappy sleeper). Last night, I tore through my pile o’ reads for Vestal Review. Today, I polished off my stack for JMWW Journal. This weekend, I actually get to edit some stuff for JMWW, rather than simply assess. Juicy, long-awaited editing, here I come!
A crisis of confidence
YTD Submissions, Acceptances, and Rejections: January/February, 2019
Submissions: 1
Acceptances: 1
Rejections: 12
Good Rejections: 4
Publications 1
What, with me being in Asia and the 20-something submissions still circulating from 2018, this years’ submissions are off to a bit of a molasses-pour of a start. The good news, however, is that my submissions-to-acceptances-to-publications rate is dead even: 1:1:1.
Almost as good is my Good Rejection-to-Rejection (Dear Writer: NO) rate: 1:3.
Wouldn’t it be swell if the averages held steady. A-hahahahahahaha.
On Friday, I will submit my first pitch of three for travel articles that came out of my recent Asia trip. To The New York Times’ Travel section. Petrified. I know that the worse that can happen is that they can say, “No.” I probably won’t even be crushed because I am already crushing myself merely thinking about submitting. And I know that there are many other outlets for these exciting pieces. Still … nerves like I haven’t had in years.
In other news: this week, I sent out my first query for As Far As You Can Go Before You Have To Come Back. Now there is THAT whole ferris wheel to think about. I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE. I’m going to go watch Colbert.
