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Shade's Words and Worlds - 2008 Retrospective
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2008 Retrospective

2008 - the year of the rat - was an interesting year... On one hand, one of the best to date, but the lows this year were damned scary. CrazyHorse in the hospital with pneumonia. Wolverine and his constant battle with the skin issues (we’re taking him to a dermatologist after the holidays see if we can’t find SOMETHING to help him). Ambulance for me and my bee sting (but this was good as it was minor and forced me to actually go to the doctor and I now have my epipen). Hubster got his promotion. We’re starting to catch up with everything even though our ideal dream is probably twenty years away – we want a farm with horses and pigs and cows and assorted yummies.


 

On the writing side of things - this was my best year to date! I did a complete revision on Thosha Tol - needs another before I start sending it out. I wrote a complete rough on Purgatory’s Queen. I sold my short story collection, Hardwired Humanity. I have no idea how many words I wrote - as I’m horrible at keeping track. I can’t even tell you how many stories or poems I wrote this year.


 

My stats were OK. Didn’t hit my goals but I’d been expecting to have Thosha ready to query too and that didn’t happen. I did, however, send 121 submissions out. With 13 acceptances and 90 rejections and an acceptance rate of 10.74%. No where near my goals but maybe next year. (there are still submissions out there of course so those numbers will eventually change).


 

Short fiction accepted in 2008: Switch (Hardwired Humanity), Venus and the Birth Of Zephyrus (Hardwired Humanity), When Closed Eyes Open (Hardwired Humanity), The Wreck of the Griffin (Hardwired Humanity), Canned Man (Hardwired Humanity), Evolution of a Shadow (Hardwired Humanity), Moronar’s Chosen (Flashing Swords Summer Special*), Scabs (Everyday Fiction), Left Behind (Anthology Builder), In the Midnight Hour (Espresso Fiction), Fireworks (Abandoned Towers),


 

Poems accepted in 2008: The Man I Never Knew (Peeks and Valleys), Trinity (Sounds of the Night), Tomb of the Ancient Goddess (Big Pulp), Soul Scrapbook (Big Pulp), Crow Queen (Aoiffe’s Kiss*), Tryst (Oysters & Chocolate), Dambala (Niteblade), Resurrection (Mirror Dance), Symbiosis (Mirror Dance), Seduka (Mirror Dance)


 

Nonfiction accepted in 2008: My Mother’s Playbook (Things My Mother Taught Me), Beacon (The Sigurd Journal),

* Markets on my most wanted list for 2008

 

I've only really been keeping good records since 2004 but it shows a lovely trend - it does!

Year /  Total Submissions /  Total Acceptances / Total Rejections / Still Under Consideration / Acceptance Rate

2004           80                            8                                    72                           0                                             10.00%
2005          123                          13                                 110                          0                                             10.57%
2006           90                            9                                    81                           0                                             10.00%
2007           207                         25                                 181                          0                                             12.08%
2008          121                          13                                  90                           18                                           10.74%

Total           621                         68                                 534                          18                                           10.95%

Factor in that I had a baby in 2006 (which is why the numbers are so low for that year...) I'm not doing too bad. Could be better. It could always be better but Next Year may have some surprises in store for me and my database...
 

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Comments
bondo_ba From: [info]bondo_ba Date: December 31st, 2008 02:12 pm (UTC) (Link)
A great year on the writing front - and Hardwired Humanity is a huge achievement. A boook with your name on it from a legitimate publisher. You rock!
shade53 From: [info]shade53 Date: December 31st, 2008 02:42 pm (UTC) (Link)
THanks :) It was a wonderful milestone to reach - but this is only the beginning. And it only took 12 years to get to the staircase.
bearleyport From: [info]bearleyport Date: December 31st, 2008 04:55 pm (UTC) (Link)
I averaged a yearly acceptance rate of 10% until recently. I thought it was a good number, an indication I wasn't targeting too many "easy" markets.
shade53 From: [info]shade53 Date: December 31st, 2008 05:09 pm (UTC) (Link)
Exactly. My goal for next year is 15% - and I figure every year I get better at the revisions aspect of writing so it may even be doable.

I do admit to having something of a heirarchy when it comes to where I submit things - often I aim for pro first and then, down the ladder, unless its a themed thing or a market I just really enjoy.
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