short story submissions

[gettingby]

For those of you who write and submit short stories to publications, how many submissions do you make? A year? A month? A week? I try to stay on top of making submissions, but there are times I slip up or just take some time off. I wish I didn't do that because I probably publish one story for every 100 submissions I make.

I try to make at least two submission a week. But now that it's the fall (which is the big submission season) I hope to make around 30 to 50 more submissions before the end of the year since a lot of these places will have open reading periods during this time.

I don't think my numbers are all that good. In fact, I know they're not. But when I sell a story or two I get that little note on Duotrope saying my acceptance rate is higher than average among people who have submitted to similar or the same places. Really? That would indicate other short story writers might have a similar ratio of accepted and rejected work.

Do you guys know your ratio? Do you make 100 submissions in order to sell a story or two? I don't know if this is something I want to or can change. It's just something I'm aware of. Curious about other submitters. Would love to hear from you guys on this.

 

[Unimportant]

I've requested that this be moved to Short Fiction, where it might get more traction.

 

[Elenitsa]

There are a few literary magazines to which I submit. Each of them appears quarterly. If I forget any of them, the chief editor is asking for short stories or book recommendations (it depends each one what needs more). Also, when there are contests for anthologies, I also submit, these are a few a year. You do impress me with 30 in a few months... I guess I have less than 30 a year.

 

[Chris P]

I haven't submitted a story in a long time, but when I was doing it regularly it fluctuated. There were times I had up to six or so stories out on sub at the same time, then it would dwindle down to just one or even periods with none depending on what was going on in my life. I did better than 1 sale for every 100 subs, but I don't think that's a good metric. Some stories got picked up on the first try, others never sold, and the exclusivity of the market makes a huge difference. One sale in 100 subs to only pro-paying markets is way more impressive than selling 1 in every 10 subs to less restrictive markets.

 

[gettingby]

I've been planning on making a lot of submissions, but I'm struggling. I've been giving every story a final pass and realizing they might not be ready. So, I'm trying to work on them one at a time. I've got about a dozen stories that have been submitted some places that I want to keep submitting. But when I look at them I can see things to do to make them better. I think this is helping me in a big way, but it's taking time. I'm not sure when I will like a story is ready, but I should wait until I get that feeling, right? It was like all of a sudden everything I've written sucked. Have you guys experienced anything similar?

 

[gettingby]

I made 9 submissions over the weekend.

 

[gettingby]

I haven't submitted a story in a long time, but when I was doing it regularly it fluctuated. There were times I had up to six or so stories out on sub at the same time, then it would dwindle down to just one or even periods with none depending on what was going on in my life. I did better than 1 sale for every 100 subs, but I don't think that's a good metric. Some stories got picked up on the first try, others never sold, and the exclusivity of the market makes a huge difference. One sale in 100 subs to only pro-paying markets is way more impressive than selling 1 in every 10 subs to less restrictive markets.

I pretty much only submit to pro markets. But, yeah, it seems that my acceptance rate is 1% to 2%. I know it's going to take a lot of stories and a lot of rejection and a lot of submissions just to maintain my average.