Don't Fret, Fume, or Fuss Over Submissions

 

What happens after you have sent a submission to a publication or a contest? What do you do? Some writers will forget about it and move on to other writing. Others will fret and fume and fuss. 

Logically, those who do know a lot of time will pass before they receive either a rejection or an acceptance. But logic can go out the window when you're a bundle of nerves waiting for word on a submission. They also know that the chances of being accepted are less than those of being rejected, and that's a concern. They put stress upon themselves by wondering if they should have done one more revision before sending the submission. Some writers will check email every day to see if the editor has sent a reply and fret a bit more each day.

All the fretting, fuming, and fussing in the world is not going to change the outcome of the submission nor make the editor hurry up and email you. You who read this blog regularly know that my two keywords in my writing world are patience and perseverance. Some writers learn to use those two traits more slowly than others. It's to your advantage to work at acquiring both.

After you submit to a publication or a contest, put the date and title and place you sent it to in a file. Then, it's time to do one of two things, or both. Send another piece of writing to another place or work on another writing project. Put the submission on the back burner of your mind. Be aware of it, but don't dwell on it. 

If you wait and worry and then a rejection pops up in your inbox, you'll be even more disappointed than the writer who submits, then goes back to other writing projects. Sometimes the wait seems unbelievably long, and sometimes, it truly is. I appreciate guidelines which let you know an approximate time before you will hear anything. I once received an acceptance on an essay I had submitted two years earlier. Needless to say, I'd assumed it was a rejection, even without the editor sending one to me. Sadly, some publications do not respond unless they are accepting your submission. That irks me and probably does you, too. Editors are busy people, but so are writers, and if you know you were rejected, you can submit the piece of writing elsewhere. 

Submitting and waiting is a part of the writing world. Learn to have a little patience and not worry yourself sick over it. As our poster for today tells us, "Worrying is a waste of time. It doesn't change anything. It messes with your mind and steals your happiness." 

I have tried to adopt the attitude that, if it's meant to be, it will happen. If not now, maybe it will be accepted or place in a contest later. We all know that not every submission works to our advantage. Submit and move on.