Sept ’22 Submission Challenge Round-up

Possibly the hardest the challenge has ever been for me. Really tough, mentally. There were many days where I just felt like not bothering and subbing nothing. No idea how I overcame that, but I did. Here’s the breakdown.
____________________________________________

Sept 1st – 3 subs sent out today.
Rooms Full Of Memories to Split Lip, A God’s Day Off to Forge Literary & When Does The Screaming Stop to Dark Recesses (Print).
I’m only going to log challenge submissions & rejections here. Previously I had also logged all the on-going stats, the comings & goings of the month, but I realised there’s no point in doing that as I’ll be doing the normal monthly round-up so why do a thing twice?
I’m happy, I got stuff out to all the markets I wanted to, and it felt pretty easy and good.
3 subs made. 0 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 2nd – 2 subs today.
Illegal Operator to Cosmic Roots & I Made A New Friend Today to Eidetic. A bit of stress doing my Cosmic Roots sub as it’s always a bugger to log in there. I managed eventually.
5 subs made. 0 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 3rd – 3 subs today.
Some Enchanted Evening to Clarkesworld, Welcome To The Death Machine Factory Tour to Into Chaos & Transitional Period to The Dread Machine. Felt fairly easy, I was watching the Taylor Hawkins concert on Youtube so had decent background music.
8 subs made. 0 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 4th – 1 sub today. Should have been 2, but Andromeda Spaceways closed at short notice.
Egress to Apex Magazine.
9 subs made. 0 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.
This is what the challenge is about, being flexible at insanely short notice. I don’t plan these market drop-outs, they happen organically, and we have to be able to react to them at a moments notice. Can you find another market, pick a story for it then get it ready and sent out the same day?

Sept 5th – 2 subs today, but not to one of the listed markets.
Befriend a Robot to Interzone & Reserved For Special Treatment to The Vanishing Point.
I had Taco Bell Quarterly listed, but already have a story there at the moment, also the story going there hasn’t actually been written yet. Fortunately I spotted a tweet from The Vanishing Point who do dark SF & horror and that is pretty much my wheelhouse so I dived right in there.
11 subs made. 0 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.
EDIT, LATER:- No on Befriend A Robot from Interzone.
11 subs made. 1 rejection. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 6th – Another 2 subs today.
Shots Of Repatriated Bastard to Etherea Magazine & Why I Didn’t Escape from New York to Flash Point SF.
I made a sale overnight, but it wasn’t challenge related.
13 subs made. 1 rejection. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 7th – 2 more subs went out today.
Mother Knows Best to Asimov’s & Hush, Hush, The Princess Is Sleeping to Tiny Tales Podcast.
15 subs made. 1 rejection. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.
EDIT:-No on Some Enchanted Evening from Clarkesworld.
15 subs made. 2 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.
Clarkesworld are fairly quick with rejections which generally means they are then available as a spare or back-up market in the event that other markets close at short notices or any other submission issues arise. Interzone fill a similar spot. F&SF used to, not any more.

Sept 8th – 2 subs made today. I had 3 markets listed but had nothing for Analog.
An Tincture Against Forbidden Love to Strange Libations & A Dragon Landed In Central Park to Fractured Lit. No on When Does The Screaming Stop? from Dark Recesses.
17 subs made. 3 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 09th – 2 more subs made today. Any day you can make more than 1 sub is a good day as far as I am concerned.
Star-liner Down to StarShipSofa & Going Overboard to Tales From The Radiator.
19 subs made. 3 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.
The Queen died yesterday. Telly has gone to shit and will stay that way for the next week, at least.

Sept 10th – Just the one sub went out today. I had 2 markets listed but Archive Of The Odd weren’t confirmed as open & eventually proved not to be.
Bodge Job to Neon.
20 subs made. 3 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 11th – 2 subs went out today.
The Ripples Of Time to Shoreline of Infinity & Dungeons, No Dragons to Whetstone.
A few markets have been holding stuff longer than normal, I’m trying my best not to read anything into that. And failing miserably. Whatever happens, happens. It’s out of my control now. All I could do was send the best story which I felt suited the market formatted how they wanted them.
22 subs made. 3 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 12th – Actually logging this on the 13th because I somehow forgot? My memory is getting a lot worse than I thought it was. Anyway. I’m fucking here now, so let’s do the damn thing!
2 subs went out today.
A Wizarding World to World Unknown Review & The Burning Towers to The Bureau Dispatch.
I did have a rejection, but it was from last month, so it doesn’t feature for these stats.
24 subs made. 3 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 13th – Yep, this is a double entry because I forgot yesterday. Don’t ask. “Of all the things that I have lost, I miss my mind the most.”
3 subs made today.
Not A Matter Of Belief to The Vampericon, The Adventures Of The Amazing Jill, And Otter Bob to Electric Spec & Say Again, Over to Obsolescence.
27 subs made. 3 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.
I spent yesterday shifting some stuff around because certain markets were threatening to close early or if full, so not everything was originally listed for today. Vampiricon & Obsolescence were both brought forward so I could beat the rush.

Sept 14th – Two weeks in.
3 subs went out today because I had an extra off the calendar.
Observation Log; Day Shift to Stanchion, Welcome To The Death Machine Factory Tour to Penumbric & The Doppleganger Exchange to Aniko Magazine.
30 subs made. 3 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 15th – Pretty much halfway through the month, getting the stories out is starting to feel like a strain. 3 subs went out today.
The Hanging Gardens Of Babylon to riddlebird, Do Bears… to Winter of Wonder & The Solved Equations to Clarkesworld.
I had Interzone Digital listed as one of the markets today, because of the issues I’ve been having through Submission Grinder, I’ve decided I won’t be subbing there again to avoid any further confusion or repetition of stories to different versions of the same market.
33 subs made. 3 rejections. 0 acceptances. 0 holds.

Sept 16th – 3 subs went out today.
Also, good news. My 1st acceptance! And of course, with victory, comes defeat.
No on The Solved Equations from Clarkesworld. They’re back to fast rejections, which is good.
London By Data-tape (Sensorium Version) to FFO, Amy, Alone to Flash Frog & Something Good To Eat to Dose of Dread.
36 subs made. 4 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 17th – Just the one sub went out today. What an absolute fucking joke that was. From pressing send to receiving the rejection, less than 3 minutes.
Things To Do When You’re Undead In Denver to The Dark.
No on Things To Do When You’re Undead In Denver from The Dark.
37 subs made. 5 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 18th – Just the one sub going out again today. More on that shortly. No on Transitional Period from The Dread Machine.
I’ve Been Everywhere, Man to Pyre Magazine. I had Dream Of Shadows scheduled as well, they don’t open until tomorrow so I’ve put them back for then.
EDIT:- A rejection came in late. No on A Dragon Landed In Central Park from Fractured Lit.
38 subs made. 7 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 19th – 3 subs going out today. Because Dream of Shadows wasn’t open yesterday, I bumped them to today.
Dream Journal #4 to Dream of Shadows, Commence With Enthusiastic Dancing to Three-Lobed Burning Eye & Scenario Twelve to Escape Pod.
EDIT:- A couple of late rejections came in. A same dayer (5 hrs 30 mins) on Dream Journal #4 from Dream of Shadows & on Amy, Alone from Flash Frog.
41 subs made. 9 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sep 20th – 2 stories went out today.
Inheriting Grandma’s House to Kaleidotrope & Life Is Grim to Tumbled Tales Anthology. I also managed to get some more stories selected as it was reaching the last few.
43 subs made. 9 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 21st – Another 2 stories went out today.
Also got a lead on a new market, more on that later.
Chancers subbed to F&SF & Hot Dust to Hexagon.
Found a podcast site called Simultaneous Times who cover SF (and are paying) so I’ve slotted them in for a sub on the 23rd. Quite of lot of my stories matched up in Submission Grinder and I am having a chat with them via Twitter also. Hopefully a sale there, perhaps.
45 subs made. 9 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 22nd – 2 more stories went out today.
No on Commence With Enthusiastic Dancing from Three-Lobed Burning Eye.
I bumped Simultaneous Times up a day, to get something there quicker because it looks like they might get a rush in the next few days. I’ve shifted a few markets around. Dreamforge were scheduled for today but as they’re open all month, I moved them. More on that another day.
Pick A Witch to Translunar Travelers Lounge & Ground Control to Simultaneous Times.
47 subs made. 10 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 23rd – The day everything changed.
2 subs went out today.
Here’s what was scheduled. Mythulu (Symbiosis), Crack In The Code (Mocha Memoirs) & Simultaneous Times. What ACTUALLY went out?
Befriend a Robot to Crack in the Code & The Magician to Chrome Baby.
49 subs made. 10 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.
EDIT:-1 rejection came in, it’s always the same isn’t it. You’ve got nice and settled, then you have to do admin.
No on A God’s Day Off from Forge Lit.
49 subs made. 11 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 24th – My sub to Cosmic Roots as been placed “Under Consideration”. This is the 1st time I’ve ever gone further than a form rejection with them. It’s quite scary.
2 stories went out today.
I couldn’t sub to Bump In The Night, as I didn’t qualify.
Idiots Of The Underworld to Tales from the Moonlit Path & Unlucky For Some to Clarkesworld.
Also 2 rejections. No on Inheriting Grandma’s House from Kaleidotrope & Pick A Witch from Translunar Travellers Lounge.
51 subs made. 13 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 25th – Only the 1 sub went out today.
Mission 334; Mannequin World to The Future Fire.
I also had the Icarus Writing Collective listed for today but it turned out their call was themed and my story didn’t fit, neither did I have anything which did.
52 subs made. 13 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.
EDIT:- Also had a rejection come in later. No on Unlucky For Some from Clarkesworld.
52 subs made. 14 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 26th – 2 stories went out today.
Neither were what I’d wanted to send to either market. One was too short, the other didn’t fit them at all.
When Does The Screaming Stop to Nightmare Magazine & A Controlled Situation to Seize the Press.
54 subs made. 14 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 27th – Yes, 3 markets were listed for today. I didn’t have anything for tdotSpec (SF Tarot), so only 2 stories went out.
No on Bodge Job from Neon.
Running With Scissors to Weird Horror Mag & Dial Stuck On Summer to Flash Fiction Podcast.
56 subs made. 15 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 28th – 2 stories subbed today. I only had 1 market listed but pulled another out to boost my numbers.
The Bivouac to Interzone & True Identities to Radon Journal.
58 subs made. 15 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 29th – A heavy day for rejections. 6 in total.
No on An Tincture Against Forbidden Love from Strange Libations, on Running With Scissors from Weird Horror, on The Bivouac from Interzone, on Something Good To Eat from Dose Of Dread, on Egress to Apex Mag & on Observation Log; Day Shift from Stanchion. It was easier just to do a round of rejections then log the subs later as there were so many, it wouldn’t have fitted in 1 tweet.
Just the 1 story being subbed today.
I know I had Chrome Baby logged for today but bumped them up. Dreamforge were also in the frame potentially but the story I want to send there is already out so I’m waiting until the day the close, next month.
The Death Of Tony Fashion to Tough.
59 subs made. 21 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.

Sept 30th – Final day of the challenge.
Just the 1 story went out day.
No on Scenario Twelve from Escape Pod.
Sixteen Tons to Planet Scumm.
I had Chestnut Review down but unfortunately they charge for anything which isn’t flash so I had nothing for them, because I don’t pay to sub.
Not awful because it means my current stats are all nice round numbers. That may change over the rest of the day though.
60 subs made. 22 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.
EDIT:- Had a rejection arrive at tea time. No on London By Data-tape (Sensorium Version) from Flash Fiction Online.
60 subs made. 23 rejections. 1 acceptance. 0 holds.
_______________________________________________
Overall, a very tough challenge. 2 sales made this month, one from the challenge so that picked my spirits up for a few days. I’ve no idea if the challenge will return in January or not, there are other factors in play, including a serious need to make some money. You’ll find out as soon as I know.
I don’t know if I should class the Cosmic Roots “into further consideration” as a hold or not. It feels like one to me so I’m going to claim it.
I’m sorry that I can’t announce what I sold to who during this month, the market asked me not to until they’ve announced themselves, so I have to respect that.

FINAL STATS:- 60 subs made. 23 rejections. 1 acceptance. 1 hold.

Advertisement

So This Was September 2022

I’ve made 284 submissions. 254 rejections. 16 acceptances. 1 story being held.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-Sidekicks was accepted by A Hero Of A Different Stripe, Oct 6th ’21. (Not included in the above total)
Bag Of Bones was accepted by 206 Word Stories, Feb 12th ’22
Madam Midnight Fucks Shit Up was sold to Synthetic Reality Magazine, Feb 15th ’22
PROVISIONAL SALE IF MARKET GOES AHEAD, TO BE LOGGED.
Father, Are You Sleeping? was sold to Dark Recesses Press, Mar 5th ’22.
Dragon Bait was sold to Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Mar 20th ’22.
I Hide Behind Cardboard Cliffs And Polystyrene Rocks was sold to Fission, Apr 3rd ’22.
Dawn of Time Episode 1, Time Flies With Time Pies (Co-Author) was sold to Stupefying Stories, Apr 8th ’22.
Dawn of Time Episode 8, When things look dark…. was sold to Stupefying Stories, Apr 8th ’22.
A Fine Body was sold to The Lorelei Signal, May 9th ’22.
Ask For Slim was sold to HyphenPunk, May 17th ’22.
Total Immersion was sold to The Society of Misfit Stories, Jun 22nd ’22.
A Monster Under Every Bed was sold to It Came From Under The Bed, Jul 15th ’22.
The Age Of Chivalry was sold to The Lorelei Signal, Jul 17th ’22.
Unannounced sale to redacted market, Jul 23rd ’22.
Spun Yarn was sold to Bullet Points, Aug 8th ’22.
The Man Who Borrowed My Clock has been sold to The Colored Lens, Aug 24th ’22.
Breaking Down A Cursed Sandwich has been sold to Never Cheat a Witch, Aug 29th ’22.
The Dragon Readers has been sold to 99 Fleeting Fantasies, Sept 5th 22.
Unannounced sale to redacted market, Sept 16th 22.

CAVEAT:-Be aware, I am now adding stubs for titles which have sold, but I’ve not yet received official permission to announce as sold yet. These are just an aide memoire for me, and my increasingly terrible short-term memory.

There are currently 55 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-
Stranding Room Only was released at Abyss & Apex, Jan 1st ’22.
Bag Of Bones was released at Bag of Bones – 206 Word Stories: A Horror Anthology, 26th Feb ’22. (POEM)
Father, Are You Sleeping? was released at Dark Recesses Press, 16th Mar ’22.
Dawn of Time Episode 1, Time Flies With Time Pies was released at Stupefying Stories, 8th April ’22. (Co-Author)
Call Back, Any Time! was released at Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 20th Apr ’22.
Dragon Bait was released at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, May 2nd ’22.
Dawn of Time Episode 8, When things look dark… was released at Stupefying Stories, May 27th ’22.
Ask For Slim was released at HyphenPunk, Jun 15th ’22.
A Fine Body was released at The Lorelei Signal, Jul 3rd ’22.

LESSONS LEARNED:-(This is a new segment, I’ll be adding tips for myself for future blogs.)
Add sales as stubs as soon as those are received. Temp entries until announced then replace with official info.
Add releases when info is received to Shape Of Things To Come, so I don’t forget.
Add stubs to Shape Of Things To Come for unannounced sales.
Create entries for the Submission Challenge each day, as they come in or go out.
I chose to remove the Stories On Hold section as I didn’t want any markets to feel pressure to buy stuff.
I moved the entry for Tuck & Roll because I’m tired of working around its constant delays.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!
Where They Fear To Tread will be released in Jersey Pine Ink’s Trees Anthology, Summer 2022. (DTBC)
The Age Of Chivalry will be released in The Lorelei Signal, Oct 2022. (DTBC)
Breaking Down A Cursed Sandwich will be released in to Never Cheat a Witch, Oct ’22. (DTBC)
I Hide Behind Cardboard Cliffs And Polystyrene Rocks will be released in Fission Vol #2, Nov ’22. (DTBC)
Madam Midnight Fucks Shit Up will be released in Synthetic Reality Magazine, Issue 9, Late ’22. (DTBC)
The Man Who Borrowed My Clock has been sold to The Colored Lens, Autumn, 2022. (DTBC)
Unannounced sale to market, possibly late 2022. (DTBC)
Unannounced sale to market (not listed in sales yet, possibly late 2022. (DTBC)
Sidekicks will be released in A Hero Of A Different Stripe, Feb 2023. (DTBC)
Total Immersion will be released in The Society of Misfit Stories, June 2023. (DTBC)
A Monster Under Every Bed will be released in It Came From Under The Bed, 2023. (DTBC)
Spun Yarn will be released in Bullet Points, 2023. (DTBC).
The Dragon Readers will be released in 99 Fleeting Fantasies, (DTBC).
Tuck & Roll will be released. (DTBC).

There’s some other stuff coming, I can’t officially talk about it yet. Just know it IS coming.
When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.
Publication of Madam Midnight was pushed back due to illness of the Synthetic Reality Mag editor. That may be delayed by at least 2 months.
Seems like a few publications have been pushed back. No-one’s really talking to me.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

I wrote nothing this month. I wasn’t in a great headspace at all, if I am being honest with you. The start of the Submission Challenge felt like quite the struggle. It’s never felt like that before, so I don’t know what was going on. Normally I feel enthused to get stuff out, not this time around, for whatever reason. Low brain chemicals, lack of desire, low money, SFWA membership expiring, an on-going feeling of what the fuck am I even doing.