Update: 86 of 100 rejections

 

I've now received 86 rejections from literary magazines and journals for stories and essays, and two acceptances. I have out about 75 submissions, most of which are likely to be rejected, statistically speaking. I work hard to match the story or essay to the aesthetic of the journal or magazine I'm submitting to but it's still tough to know what anyone wants and there's no accounting for taste. All I can do on my end is make my work the best it can be and be considerate of any feedback I may receive which may improve the work.

One piece of mine, which almost got published twice (came close, final rounds), has been rejected 18 times. Another piece got rejected once before it got accepted. Another piece got accepted right away, no rejections. So much for the hits and near-hit.

The other pieces that are out there I believe in very strongly, and I hope that they find good homes.

The pieces that have been accepted have not been published but are slated to be published this year. As soon as one is published for good, I'll reset the rejection bar to zero. If I hit 100 rejections before then, I'll stop trying to publish new pieces for a while. That's the deal I've made with myself.