Warning -- mileage will vary.
I'm publishing my horror and dark fantasy under my new pen name, but I was feeling slightly disappointed that I hadn't had many acceptances.
But then I thought, hold on, how many subs have I got out under that name. A quick check revealed that I'd got three subs out under Kelda.
Three? Three? That's compared to thirty under Deborah Walker where the acceptances come trickling in at a nice rate.
So, it's obvious that I need to up my subs for Kelda. This might not be your way, some writers sub only a few subs a year and get accepted. But for me I need volume. I knew this, but it's so easy to forget. So, if you're unhappy with your acceptance rate, it's worth asking, are you subbing enough?
I'm going to have a sub-fest today. If more stories need to be written, then that's the next job. What about you, gentle reader. Are you happy with the number of subs you've got out.
I'm not happy at all. I only have 13 subs out and one of those is a novella, and I need to write a novel which probably means I'll write no new stories. I shall go off and panic now. :O
ReplyDeleteGood advice, Deborah. Employing my "shotgun method", I currently have 40 stories making the rounds -- with another 20 on the way, if I can keep sticking to the Write1Sub1 weekly challenge. My goal is to have 100 short stories published, but I haven't given myself a time limit.
ReplyDeleteWell, Cate, you will keep selling your stories. You can't have a nice sub long sub list, if you keep selling. A novel will put a crimp in things too.
ReplyDeleteMilo: nice. 40 subs out is very impressive. So you've got an aim of 100 shorts, eh? How many are you at now?
Short story writing is a mystery to me. I've gotten a few done, but most turn into much longer works. I keep trying to write shorter pieces but almost always end up being longer than I want. So it takes me about a month (or more) to complete a short story, which means I only do a few per year. Of course they're usually novellas or novelettes by then, but still.
ReplyDeleteI have a novel out on submission right now and that's about it.
Good for you, Cate. And I'm with you. I do, of course, study GL very carefully, but I'm more of a scattergun submitter than a sniper!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck to you Deborah.
ReplyDeleteDebs says:
ReplyDelete@Rusty. I find that the more I write the longer the stories want to be. I've had to put aside a few that seem to want to be novelettes. Should get them sorted one of these days. Good luck with the novel subs-- that's exciting.
@Simon. I sub quite widely because I've no idea what's going to sell and where. It's all a glorious mystery.
@Michael -- thanks, babes. I'm up to 8 subs now. Thank you enormous inventory.
Oh I'm with you - it's all about the numbers for me, too! Cast the net wide, I'm a big believer in that method! :o)
ReplyDeleteGood one, D.U. It's so tricky knowing what's going to sell, isn't it.
ReplyDeleteI still have not got my act together with subbing short stories. I need to work on that!
ReplyDeleteKeep at it, Trisha. You know it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteYes, selling would put a crimp in things, really.
ReplyDeleteI've got nine subs out and I've been aiming for ten. FORTY? I'm going to really have to write more.