This year felt like a slow one to me, but when I look at my submissions spreadsheet and publication track record, it was pretty great! I did take it a bit slower in terms of workshops. I love the prompts and feedback in workshops, but this year was a rollercoaster in terms of my paid writing work, so not having the pressure (or expense, yikes!) of many workshops was a necessary break. (That said, I took seven workshops total, though many were in the spring when my work life was still running smoothly!)
I like the goal of submitting to a certain number of places a month because I like marking accomplishments off my list. However, I don’t like the pressure of submitting just because. So for 2024, I’m going to take a small step back. I’m going to focus more on the ideas I have for collections and novellas-in-flash and strive to finish those instead of writing one-offs for submission. I think having a few bigger projects on my plate will be a nice change of pace from these past three years.
Anyway, my 2023 stats meet the goals I set for myself at the end of last year. I submitted 62 times, compared to 63 written in 2022 (I also submitted photography that year) and 44 in 2021. I had 16 acceptances, compared to 13 written acceptances in 2022 and 5 in 2021. Six stories are still out/under consideration.
I also wrote blurbs for two amazing collections: Winter Dance Party by Brett Biebel and Awakenings edited by Diane Gottlieb.
Two of my 2023 acceptances are for anthologies coming in the future from Reflex Press and Stanchion, but the rest are online and linked below:
Ladyfingers published by Visual Verse 9/2023
The Hand, The Remorse of Conscience in The Ekphrastic Review’s Lucky 8 Marathon 8/2023
Precarious Pile published by Visual Verse 8/2023
Nectar published by SoFloPoJo 8/2023
Waiting in the Rain published by Visual Verse 7/2023
Blue Monkey published by Ellipsis Zine 6/2023
Crosstown Traffic published by The Write-In 6/2023
Moving Day published by The Write-In 6/2023
Trick or Treat published by The Write-In 6/2023
She’s Where the Sky Meets the Water published by The Write-In 6/2023
Dreamless Reality published by The Write-In 6/2023
Close Your Eyes published by Visual Verse 5/2023
Midway shortlisted for the Brilliant Flash Fiction Contest 5/2023
Mother of Pearl published by Visual Verse 4/2023
501 published by Spartan 4/2023
Death of an Influencer published by Visual Verse 3/2023
Bank Balance published by Friday Flash Fiction 3/2023
“Shining Light” photograph in Rock and a Hard Place Issue 9 2/2023
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