Submitting Your Story

Submission. It can seem like the most frightening thing. You imagine someone going through that manuscript, the one you painstakingly pieced together, metaphors, dialogue, narrative structure, and all.

But it doesn’t have to be.

Yes, you might get rejected. In fact, it’s inevitable. I’ve been there. I’ve seen form rejections, some positive ones that speak to the strengths of my stories or suggest how to make them stronger. I’ve seen rejections that call my work “nothing special.” Seriously.

But it’s a step. And when you get your first acceptance, it’s a feeling you’ll never forget. That’s another step, a validation of your skills.

My First Acceptance

I still remember my first acceptance. It was April 12, 2013. 11:50 am. I was going up the escalator to catch a movie at a downtown theatre in Boise. I don’t remember the wording, to be honest, but I do remember that sense of exuberance after a litany of rejections. I remember feeling that I’d broken into the literary world, that I’d achieved something that seemed impossible. I felt like the guy who plies himself with champagne and caviar.

I used my school notebook’s back cover, the empty blank spaces in the daily newspaper, used gift wrappers or old magazine pages.

So, how do you deal with the fear and take that step forward?

I think of submission as leaving a mark. Even when you get rejected, the act of submission itself is something powerful. It’s a testament to the work you put in. The mere act reveals effort and initiative. You’re a writer, and not simply someone who bloviates about wanting to be a writer over a cappuccino.

You might also make a game of the rejections. I’ve heard of people who aspire to get a hundred, and people who post said rejections on their walls. You might shoot for a hundred, or even fifty. You might make a game of getting rejected by top-tier journals like the New Yorker or the Missouri Review.

But above all, remind yourself that somewhere else, there’s another author who’s going through the exact same process. Enduring the same problems. By becoming a part of writer’s groups, whether online or in person, you can foster connections and learn from your peers. Knowing that others are enduring the pain, the waiting, the bewilderment, and everything in between can be a great motivator. And you might just take some tips from them. See what they do too. Author’s note: any coping method involving taking shot after shot should probably be avoided. You’ll not only have a hangover, but you’ll be doubly stressed!

As FDR said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” I’d tweak that and say, “the only thing we have to fear is not submitting and wondering what if.”