Join this
conversation
Download the Swell app and instantly add your voice.
What's interesting is I needed to take a break from that in order to sort of regroup and refresh and begin to work on new material. But now I'm feeling ready again to focus on submitting in a big way and reaching out to Editors and agents and all sorts of ways that I may be rejected this year. Will you join me? And if so, I'm curious, how are you going to try to be rejected this year and let's support each other through it?
Shahnaz Ahmed
@bookishpodcast · 2:58
I mean, we're not just going to just submit crap and just be like, I know this is going to get rejected. No, we're going to try to submit something that's good, but we're going to try to get those rejections because it's the year of rejections. We're going to keep trying and going for 100 rejections, so I don't have anything to submit yet. I'm still working on my book
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 2:05
So maybe this year isn't the year to focus on rejections when it comes to the book. But I'm curious in what other ways you've been wanting and hoping to grow when it comes to your reviewing your podcasting and your reading. I was laughing at what you're saying about if you try to get 100 rejections when it comes to getting arcs, that might not be the best thing
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 0:41
So I just wanted to give a quick update. I did make some time last night to send some submissions out. So far I have sent out, I believe four, four or five submissions in 2021. I am not where I need to be. I need to be sending out at least I think eight or nine submissions a month. So I definitely still have a bit of work to do over this next week, but I'm confident I will reach Mya monthly submission goal. So wish me luck
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 0:24
So yesterday, when I posted my update for January, clearly, that really motivated me because I stayed up way too late last night and sent out a bunch of submissions. And I'm now up to 20 submissions, which is almost double my January. So I'm feeling really, really good about that. And hopefully that will be some motivation for anyone who comes across this when you hear it, too
Shahnaz Ahmed
@bookishpodcast · 1:30
I've even read up to 14 books a month, and now I'm at four books for this month 41234. So behind lined up my reading so I can't even think in the year of rejections. Anyway, I will catch you later. Bye
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 2:15
But yeah, I can see how that's different with reaching out to authors and stuff. And I think just whatever motivates you and makes you feel good about whatever you're doing works like I haven't done a lot of submissions. The the the the year of rejections in a couple of years because I just really needed to focus on work and getting more settled in life after graduate school and trying to slowly get back into working on my book
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 2:05
Hopefully, like I said, hopefully I'll get more acceptances and then that'll mean that I have to withdraw a lot of these submissions, since I'm submitting stories to multiple places. Some of you may already know that's called simultaneous submissions, but for those of you who are just beginning in the submission game, that's what we call them simultaneous submissions. Most journals accept simultaneous submissions, but some do not. So that's a whole other thing, but just wanted to clarify
Shahnaz Ahmed
@bookishpodcast · 3:43
And I've got all my notes. I'm just going to go in and I know exactly what I want to do and what the novel. And I'm really, really excited about it. So when I finish the novel, maybe I might have my year of 100 rejections yet because I'm going to submit it and it's going to be reject, reject, reject, reject, reject. Speaking of rejections, I just interviewed an author, Jenny Ashcroft
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 1:47
Oh my gosh. Thank you, Shahnaz. Thank you for these kind words. I stayed up late writing last night, and then I'm now getting up very tired and have some work to do today. So this was really nice to start my day off, and I just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing that rejection story and please keep them coming. Any that you hear of or learn as you continue to interview and talk with all these different authors
Amira A
@Artist.Amiraa · 4:00
And I still submitted to many different art avenues, such as blogs and magazines, etc. The in person shows, of course, got canceled. And I've since been moved cities. So there's definitely no chance of ever going back to try to figure that out. I remember in the beginning feeling really down because of the rejections. And it's not just about the rejections. These things are expensive. Like, some of these submission fees are, like, $50 each
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 3:20
And luckily a lot of these publications when you pay that fee often that will come with like a year subscription or something like that. So I try to just budget it in a way and focus on magazines where I can submit and then also get to enjoy the yearly subscription and be thoughtful because I want to support magazines that I really stand behind, but it takes a lot of work and energy just talking to you about it
Steve Rice
@SteveRice · 2:46
It was a Facebook acquaintance I hadn't talked to in years that reached out and wanted me to paint a painting for her, and I was uncomfortable listing my rates for her. And when I did, she commissioned me to do a piece. So that's really cool. I think for me, this exercise in my hobby of art is going to be the exercise of rejection, because maybe it's a little unfair because I'm kind of buffered I don't need to make money from it
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 0:55
Steve, I absolutely love your perspective on all of this. And thank you so much for being so encouraging and also just being of the same mind of being able to appreciate all of the things that that there is to gain from rejection and having that beginner's mind to go out and do something new no matter where you are in your life. I think it's really brave
Sontaia Briggs
@PKBriggs · 1:01
It's not really that ideal, but I've been trying to Well, actually, I probably shouldn't say that, because who knows who's listening to this? There's something I have been trying to do, and it's just not been working out. And I get these moments where I pause, but then I start all over again. Yeah. I don't know what I would do, but this is really good
Average Joe
@AverageJoe · 0:26
Oh, I'm good at this game. I used to play it all the time, like it would start off with me going, hey, there Foxy Mama. And then they'd go, oh, and then that would then I would collect rejections like Pokemon. So I'm good at this. So don't try to go for my high score is what I'm saying. Now that I think about it, it wasn't a real fun game
Shahnaz Ahmed
@bookishpodcast · 2:03
Hey, Bowie, long time. So you know, as people are posting on this, I'm kind of like, yeah, I remember I was kind of thinking about it and I didn't know what to do to even get rejected. Well, I don't know if I told you this, but I did finish my novel and someone on Clubhouse asked for the first 20 pages because they were going to submit to a couple of people or something
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 1:15
I am so grateful for your comments. I have actually had it on my list to update my rejection. Oh my gosh. So many things are happening right now. An alarm just went off to remind me to do something that I always forget to do as I was talking about how it's been on my to do list for weeks to update my rejection spreadsheet because I have received many more rejections since my last update, which was quite a while ago
Tasha Frank
@NLOFrank · 2:56
I think I read an article not so long ago that said, Are you really a writer if you don't have piles of rejection letters? So yeah, I'm feeling really inspired listening to you as well. I've been sat here thinking, yeah. So what if I get rejection letters? Because rejection letters means I'm putting myself out there and you never know. And what if I do put it out there?
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 1:24
It's about dusting yourself off and continuing to move forward towards your dreams and what you value and care about. And I could really hear how much that resonated with you. So I love the idea of you joining and you can pick any number. It could be okay. I want ten rejections by the end of the year, whatever I think intuitively feels right for you
Tasha Frank
@NLOFrank · 2:26
I ended up getting really excited after leaving you the response and messaged my writer's group and was like, hey, listen to this because I think we've all been meeting up virtually at the moment and talking about how we're all stuck. And one of those things is because we're getting imposter syndrome. And what if we get these rejections and it's stopping us from moving forward? We all sit there and say, we want to progressive our writing
Tasha Frank
@NLOFrank · 2:58
So I wanted to let you know that it still has struck a chord with me, and it's been something that's really been playing on my mind, as I think will get me unstuck from some of the route I've been in regards to my writing and the fear of putting myself out there because the the year of rejections haven't managed to do much in terms of actions yet because life I've had a couple of kind of things going on crisis wise at home, so I've not really managed to do much in terms of submitting work
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 1:18
So now that I'm a little bit more settled in a new location this month here in New Mexico, I am going to catch up on submissions and my own rejection goals starting this month, I have a lot of catching up to do by the end of the year. I definitely think I can do it. I feel very determined to do it. It's just going to take some time and focus
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 1:01
I love this so much. Thank you so much for your message, and I really resonated with what you had to say about discovering more about what maybe needs to change or evolve or be revised or kind of have sat with more in this process of sending things out and getting rejected
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 3:30
So definitely not a normal year as far as how much free time I have, but I have still been keeping up with submissions and putting myself out there to be rejected as much as I possibly can. So at the moment I currently have 24 active submissions. That means I have sent pieces out to publications or to Editors of the pitch to ask them to accept it. And I haven't heard back yet so far. This year I've received one yes
Charlie Floyd
@damonnomad · 0:37
Yo, this is revolutionary. This idea is off the d*** chain. And I'm being for real for real. Like, I mean, just seems so counterintuitive, but I'm I'm not down for it. I'm down for 100 rejections. Matter of fact. Let's see here. Let's see if I can get 100 before April 15. Before tax deadline is tax deadline. April 15? I don't know. F*** it. 100 rejections
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 0:45
I'm sure at the start of the new year, but honestly, it's helped me so much and going more towards the things that I really want to do and not letting fear get in the way. It's been life changing for me. So I'm really excited to hear that you're on board and would love to hear how it is going for you as you start on your journey of 100% sections
Charlie Floyd
@damonnomad · 2:11
This actually reminds me of something prolific that I heard from a rapper. One of my favorite two goes by the name of Lupe Fiasco. And in one of his verses on one of his mixtapes, he says, if you want to be like me, you have to reproduce my failures. And I think about that every so often we do live in a culture that, as a result, has also produced a lottery type culture. And when I say lottery, there's the literal lottery
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 3:47
Good luck with your writing in the future, and I feel pretty good about that because that means that at some of those publications the Editors may remember my name next time I submit, they may be on the lookout for my work and more open to publishing me in the future. So there is a chance that maybe I will get another acceptance or two from my 100 submissions and not actually reach my goal of 100 rejections for the year. But I think I'd be okay with that
Join this
conversation
Download the Swell app and instantly add your voice.