The State of My Writing Career

in #writing4 months ago

I used to be a submitting machine ... but now I'm tired.

If a writer wants to be traditionally published, they must submit. Their short stories, novels, non-fiction books, must go out to those publications that accept un-agented submissions, or they must go through literary agents for the other publications. (Independent publishing is a different animal, which some writers swear by to bypass traditional gatekeepers.)

I have an Excel file I've used to track my submissions since 2009. (!) It has 418 entries. Some of those resulted in request for further materials, such as a synopsis and opening chapter that led to an agent wanting to read the entire manuscript. A very few led to publication.

In 2022 I submitted to magazines, agents, and book publishers 77 times. In 2023 I only made 45 submissions, and so far in 2024--zero.

What went wrong?

Submission distraction.JPEG

There are always distractions. This distraction lives next door, and likes to have her belly rubbed.

What went wrong is what went right: I got a "yes", and was contracted to write a book. It took me a year, during which time I was too busy to worry about my other projects. Now it's time to play catch up.

That stranded a lot of material, just waiting to go back into the wild, cruel publishing world. On the other hand, I have the advantage of considering most of it fair game again: If no one I submitted to has expressed interest for over a year, chances are pretty good I can move on. That includes, sadly, a couple of exciting requests for fulls.

So I have six completed short stories ready to go out. I'll probably polish them, and everything else, one more time before submitting, since they've grown "cold" and I can look at them with a more objective eye.

Submission cemetery.JPEG

I'd really like to see all this done before I grow cold.

I have six completed novel manuscripts, and two more that need revisions before they're ready. Oh, and a novella: a Storm Chaser prequel that promises to be a lot of fun.

I have two books, one fiction and one non-fiction, that I started on and need to finish.

Then there's my sudden realization the other day that the nation's 250th anniversary is coming up in just a couple of years, and that might present the perfect opportunity for a Hoosier Hysterical sequel.

I'm thinking "Hoosier Hysterical II: Hoosier Hystericaller". No?

Submission blog Hoosier Hysterical.JPEG

This is why sometimes it frustrates me that I could have retired from my full time job two years ago, but can't afford to. Imagine what progress I could make if I sold enough books to write full time!

Well, I guess that's what promotion and publicity are for. They're next on the list.

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter
Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter
Substack:  https://substack.com/@markrhunter
Tumblr:  https://www.tumblr.com/ozma914
Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914

Remember: Every time you buy a book, you encourage an author to write another one. Enable those poor people.

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Perhaps the single best piece of advice I got from several years of creative writing courses at University is that "creativity doesn't move in a straight line."

I know there's a lot of wisdom out there that suggests we should "write every day," but I'm not so sure that works for everyone. At least I know I get disgruntled with the whole process if I "force myself."

But congratulations on getting a "yes!"

I have several unfinished book manuscripts but have slowly come to accept that my lot in life is to write shorter pieces... and — at age 63 — I have made peace with that.

Write on!

Oh, the idea that you MUST write everyday is so wrong in every way! I don't, and I have eleven books published. There are no writing rules that apply to everyone, other than "don't be boring".

By the way, I'm 62 and still going strong! I've had a few short stories published, too.

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