I found this thought-provoking post the other day about The 100 Best Ways to Becoming a Better Writer on thecopybot.com. Some of them are interesting ways to meet characters, such as “74. Sell insurance, cars or newspapers face-to-face for two months.” A lot of them are imaginative and funny. Some of them are just things you know you need to do, like “3. Write over a thousand words a day.”
But the one that really stood out to me and inspired me most was Number 66.
Rack up Rejections.
I haven’t been doing a lot of this. I haven’t really been doing any of it. In the past 10 years, I’ve maybe submitted work to 5 literary magazines. At this rate, all my writing will sit quietly on my computer and collect digital dust until I die or my computer dies, and either way it will be lost forever. (Note to self: remember to back up hard drive.)
That’s not really how I’d like it to go.
I write because I care about inspiring people, about connecting with people in a more meaningful way than normal day-to-day conversation allows. That’s not gonna happen if everything I write remains for-my-eyes-only-on-my-measly-little-laptop.
So, I’m challenging myself to rack up rejections this month.
So, self:
Put yourself out there, knowing that you will get lots of rejections. Not everyone likes to read what you like to write and that’s ok. Think of each rejection as a battle scar, a symbol that you’re fighting the good fight, getting closer to being who you want to be.
So here’s the plan: I’ll be submitting work to 30 LitMags this month, one for each day (with one day off, just to make the number round!). To try to keep myself honest, I’ll be posting them here as I go. Feel free to join me!
Aaaaaaaand, we’re off!
3: The Round
5. Swine Magazine
10. The Journal
12. Mid-American Review
14. Exegesis
15. Columbia
16. Yemassee
17. Clarion
18. The Southeast Review
19. Silk Road
21. Reed Magazine
23. The Coachella Review
25. Saw Palm
26. Switchback
27. Camera Obscura
29. Slice Magazine