2024
Finished 2023 off with an amazing trip to Varanasi, India for a Jyotish contact class. Feel inspired both for writing and building my astrological practice. Currently working on a longer short story that was stuck for a good while. Will start working on novel revisions and submit later this year after a little hiatus of disillusionment.
Fellowship application: 1 pending
2023
Continuing work on my second novel, working on a short story collection. Back to looking for an agent and trying to get my work out there. Pray for me.
Fellowship application: 1 rejection
Stipend application: 1 rejection
Short story submission: 5 rejections (the first one in only 22 days, wowza!)
Small press submission (novella): 1 rejection
2022
Trying to stay motivated after a year of constant rejection/invisibility. The best way to fight writer’s block is to just make yourself sit down and at least read through your work and edit/revise if nothing else. Trying to muster up the energy to submit my novel to agents again/get ready for the ghosting that inevitably happens. Ugh, the bane of a writer, I swear.
Short story submissions: 8 rejections***
Small press submissions (novel): 1 rejection, 1 pending (assuming it is a rejection at this point)
Fellowship application: 1 (very disappointing) rejection
2021
Accidentally wrote and finished the novel Dick & Jane. Working on a collection of thematically-linked short stories (a novella for the collection still in the works), working title is Motherless Children. Finishing up the first draft of my second novel, Love Bites (this draft will be complete by the end of the year or I will personally kick my own ass). Currently seeking representation.
Short story submissions: 10 rejections, 4 pending***
Fellowship applications: 1 rejection
Writer’s stipend application: 1 rejection
Short story contests: 3 rejections
Agent queries: 8 rejections, 13 never responded (assume these are rejections after a reasonable amount of time, since many agents don’t respond to queries they aren’t interested in. Welcome to the fun world of querying!)
Small press submissions: 1 pending
2020
I survived this year by writing, making jewellery and studying astrology. One story published.
Short story submissions: 63 rejections, 1 acceptance
Essay submissions: 2 rejections
Fellowship applications: 1 rejection
Writer’s stipend application: 1 rejection
2019
Writing, writing and more writing. One story and one essay published.
Short story submissions: 88 rejections, 1 acceptance
Essay submissions: 1 acceptance
Fellowship applications: 2 rejections
Writer’s stipend application: 1 rejection
Short story contests: 8 rejections
2018
This is the year I published my first short story. I started writing seriously around 20 years ago, but took a six year break in between. You can read about my journey here. Started writing Dick & Jane with the idea that it might be a novella.
Short story submissions: 76 rejections, 2 acceptances
Fellowship applications: 1 rejection
Writer’s stipend application: 1 rejection
Short story contests: 6 rejections
2017
Not yet published, but still trucking.
Short story submissions: 28 rejections
Essay submissions: 5 rejections
Fellowship applications: 2 rejections
Short story contests: 3 rejections
*** I’m including this information for the sake of transparency, especially for any aspiring writers out there. Fact is, it’s freaking hard to get published. Whenever the percentage of publication rises above 1.2% of my total submissions, I get a congratulatory message on Duotrope which states my acceptance rate is “higher than those submitting in similar categories.” Rejection sucks, but unfortunately it’s most definitely the name of the game. If you are a writer, and it’s just what you do for better or for worse, write every damn day and never give up.