Uncle Says: Get Submitting
The first in the Uncle Says series, from A.R. Salandy!
I’ve been submitting since I was 16 and, in that time, I have learnt that there is no such thing as submitting too much—even if some say you should hone in and focus on specific submissions. Of course there is truth to this, but it really depends how far you are into your writing career. As an emerging poet, and later fiction writer, I took great comfort in submitting as widely as possible as it meant more exposure. Maybe more unpaid acceptances… but I digress! It can be hard to put yourself out there, but I’ve got some tips.
Five key ways to get your writing out more include:
- Prioritizing specific days where you submit. Weekly or even monthly.
- Taking the time to research your niche or thematic focus.
- Learning about your audience.
- Taking the time to scroll through the literary world—Twitter, Instagram, even TikTok, they’re all full of writers (and, more importantly, readers).
- Joining writer groups, newsletters and taking workshops that provide you with resources, tools and community.
Submitting is arduous, and you are in constant battle for every acceptance. Be prepared to devout time to your craft and time to the process! So many people take rejections personally, but the reality is rejection is simply part of life and should be cherished. Beyond the cliché ‘character building’ sentiment surrounding rejections, they give us the opportunity to reflect, grow as a writer, and learn ways we can improve.
Something I learnt, and learnt the hard way I might add, is that proofreading, attention to guidelines, and punctuality are sacrosanct to any literary ethos, in the United States and globally. I often ask emerging writers the following; what are you willing to lose in order to gain success? Are you willing to give up your time and energy? Submitting and trying to succeed is most of the battle.
In my career I have now received over 2000 rejections and, despite some rejectors really sending the most horrific of emails, I cherish them because they made me resilient and ardent in my own literary journey.
To leave you with a reflection that I believe is most poignant here, Toni Morrison says “Your life is already artful—waiting just waiting, for you to make it art.” So, Uncle Says: get submitting, friends, and never look back!
Check out the Think in Ink submission list as a resource for current submission opportunities!
