I went to see Ben Folds (for the ninth time, by my casual count) in June at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. The title of this newsletter is a line from Army, a favorite song from The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.
“God, Spare Me More Rejection,” hit differently when I heard it that night. There are many occupations that deal with much rejection: most sales, I imagine, dating, for sure, especially hitting above your grade, and surely acting/singing — all those auditions! But in writing rejections are par for the course. Read it, log it (on Duotrope, in your spreadsheets, etc.), and shake it off.
I’ve been a Ben Folds fan since 1995. We’ve both gotten quite old, as have our children. My Allison (with whom I was pregnant when I met Ben in 1996) is 27 and his Gracie is 25. During the show, which was the Paper Airplane Tour, in which Ben mostly played requests from the audience (can you imagine?!), Ben referenced a songwriting class he taught via zoom during the pandemic. Anyone could sign up. Participants would write a song based on the prompt, then share with the rest of the workshop. Ben himself participated and, I guess, probably had the best songs of anything written in his class.
I’m in writing workshops that sometimes have editors of literary journals participating in them. Their work is great, and I learn a lot from their feedback, but I also learn a lot from everyone else — the readers, the first timers, the fans of flash fiction — we all learn from one another and hopefully, continue to improve in the process.
In-Progress in Submittable
When I first started using Submittable, that blue In-Progress icon would make my heart soar! I just knew at any moment I’d be getting an acceptance from a dream publication. I’d refresh and refresh, checking the dang thing numerous times throughout the day. Back then, I might have two or three submissions out at a time. Oh, those were the days. Now, I do my best to submit it and forget it — to do all my responsible logging in Duotrope and in my submissions spreadsheet but then to walk away, and wait to hear from someone, anyone. Duotrope’s crowd-supplied reporting is helpful to let me know about how long I should expect to hear from a journal, and when I should follow up or give up. I have waited a year or more in some cases. On the flip side, I’ve had a same day acceptance, which is an absolute thrill. Here’s your nudge to submit a dozen or more places this month and then just get outside. Go for a walk. Take a swim.
Competitions, Retreats, and Other Cool Happenings
NYC Midnight has a 500-word story challenge starting July 12. The competition last just 48 hours with writers assigned a genre, action, and object. Cash prizes! Writing community! Feedback on your work!
It’s been HOT in Virginia, which always leads me to look for northern writing residencies. Prospect Street Writers House in North Bennington, Vermont might do the trick! Rolling admissions, accepting for 2024 calendar year.
Or, how about an island in Maine? The Salty Quill is a writing retreat for women, only.
Chestnut Review is again offering a retreat in Merida, Mexico next year in January. Highly recommend!
What about you? What are you doing/thinking about to advance your writing practice this summer?
Does manifesting work? I got an acceptance today. Don't stop believing (another good song). Happy 'ly ferd everybody!
I appreciate this! I've just started to submit - in a rather narrow, ginger, timid way - and the process is as sticky as the audition racket I couldn't stomach in my twenties (which led me to quit acting!). To finally feel confident enough to put something out in the world... and then have it rejected. Oof. I am very good at going on walks though and your post reminded me to go big and let go. So thank you and all the best with your submissions!