I juggle two pen names and with contests, fiction, and nonfiction, I've had somewhere btwn 10 and 20 usually floating out there. Weds are submit days-so every Weds I submit at least one thing, somewhere. because it takes so long to hear back, they add up. I've been waiting on one since March. Argh.
the pieces I've had published/are awaiting were on the first time I'd submitted that piece, except one. as far as publications-of what I've had published, only one had previously rejected a prior piece, but they accepted the second and third pieces I sent. I'm short-listed on two pieces, both were those pieces' first submissions. But on one, that publication has rejected me previously on something else. But short-lists can and do turn into rejections. so.
Everything, but one, was targeted for those specific markets. The one was rejected by the market it was targeted for, and the editor wrote saying they'd changed guidelines and suggested another market it would be perfect for. I followed her advice and they did indeed accept it.
hope that helps.
