Last year did not go to plan, but it ended with more rejections than I’d first anticipated. In August, I shared my efforts to get more rejections. The idea is that submitting more poems to more places will result in more accepted pieces. With a general acceptance rate of somewhere between 1% and 5%, for poetry, it behooves a writer to get busy with subs. Late spring last year (why does that sound like so much longer ago than it was?), I set a goal of 50 rejected poems, uncertain about how much I’d been or be submitting. Before year’s end I increased the goal to 75, then gave myself a stretch goal of 100. I’m certain just setting a goal made me more intentional about submitting. And I almost made it to my stretch goal, ending 2024 with 89 rejections (and 7 happy acceptances).
Top Learnings
Here are seven things I learned during my first year of setting and chasing rejection targets, including tips from the pros I picked up in various discussions, meetings and presentations:
1. Know your why.
Beyond being published, think about your purpose. What do you want to accomplish overall with publications and with each specific publication? As you assess an opportunity, consider if it will support your overall goal (i.e., do you seek your first publication, more readers, more prestigious publications, being part of a community, etc.) (Many thanks to Shannan Mann of Only Poems and Authors Publish for her great and far more detailed talk on getting published.)
2. Package Wisely
Keep your cover note brief and meet requirements. If you have connections to the publication, note them. New writer starting out? Tell them. Follow the guidelines for bio length, and all of those poetry guidelines (e.g., topics, how many, length, font, file format, etc.) (There are really too many poets to name here, but to all of those presenters and friends who’ve talked about this topic, thank you for your tips!)
3. Set a Schedule
If it’s on the calendar, it’s more likely to get done. For me, having a portion of a day or two each week slotted for submissions is helpful. Also helpful, noting when busy windows may emerge for submissions and marking in large block those submissions you want to go for that have very short entry periods. Join an accountability group to keep you on track (here’s one on Facebook if you’re shooting for 100 rejections).
4. Submit soon(er).
Catch readers and editors early in the call cycle when they are fresh, and give yourself a window of time in case the rest of your life gets in the way of your poet life. (Last-minute Lisa is working on this. I missed a few targeted opportunities last year because I didn’t give myself time to navigate the unexpected in my schedule.) (Thanks to Larry Thacker for making me think about timing my submissions better.) A tip for beginners: unless an embargo is required, don’t submit to one place and wait for a response before sending out again. Simultaneous submissions are key to getting published.
5. Keep the receipts.
You can’t keep all those submissions in your head. Create a system (that won’t drive you crazy) so you know what you’ve submitted where, and be consistent and timely with updates. I make notes in poem files of all submissions in real time. I also maintain a spreadsheet (me and spreadsheets go way back to the beginning of my decades in business with a copy of a new software from Lotus called 1-2-3 and a director’s request to “see how we could use this thing”). It takes a little time to do this housekeeping, but when I get an acceptance, I know exactly who to contact about withdrawing piece(s). One more thing: if you use a submission service that asks for feedback on publication response time, please add your experience to their database! That’s a nice service for our community.
6. Try feedback options.
Get an editorial viewpoint. If you can afford a feedback submission option from publications that offer this service, from journals you trust, it may be worth it to get a fresh look at your work. This may be helpful even if you already have a strong workshop crew. In my workshops, people respond to a single poem at a time. Most submission feedback services will review a small packet of poems The input I got about strengths and weaknesses across my (carefully curated) handful of poems gave me insights into how to approach my work in future. (Many thanks to the readers at Chestnut Review for their feedback! Thanks also to my workshop/critique group pals in Poetry Society of Tennessee and Poetry Writers Workshop who keep me encouraged and accountable through the month.)
7. Be kind (and have fun)!
As much as some of us would like to release our poems into the wild, submitting poems is hard work, from attending to all of the details on the sending side to being on the receiving end of so many rejections. Don’t be hard on yourself over missed opportunities or heartbreaking outcomes. Each day starts anew. Treasure each rejection (especially the lovely ones!) and celebrate each acceptance. Win or lose, throw yourself a tiny poetry party for each result! (It fires me up, thinking about 100+ poetry parties for every poet all across the poet universe!) Create a poetic variation of an end zone victory dance or take a quiet moment to give thanks. And thank those readers and editors for keeping a publication alive for our writing and reading community.
A Few Details
In 2024, I wanted to submit more and to explore new opportunities. Bigger ‘zines like Rattle and The Sun were among my rejections. The long-running Slipstream Press accepted my poem “(re)percussion” in issue 44! I (finally) entered the Florida State Poets Association contest in 2024 (and landed a poem in Cadence 2024!). The first cento I submitted took first place in a 2024 Poetry Society of Tennessee monthly contest and will appear in Tennessee Voices Anthology, 2024-2025. (I can’t wait to share it with you.) I’ve also been test driving poems for a collection, and some of my poems published in 2024 are earmarked for it.
#100REJECTIONS
As 2025 wends its way to a week in, I’m already a week into a new year focused on #100REJECTIONS. I need to get to work! If it’s all quiet on the blog front, know I’m busy writing, chasing submission opportunities (also throwing tiny poetry rejection & acceptance parties), and trying to become a better poet. I invite you to join me in setting a rejection goal in 2025, whatever number feels comfortable to start. Give it a try … and let me know how the experience is for you.