Ray Daley's Blog, page 5

So This Was March 2022

I’ve made 101 submissions. 94 rejections. 4 acceptances. 1 stories being held.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-Sidekicks was accepted by A Hero Of A Different Stripe, Oct 6th ’21.
Bag Of Bones was accepted by 206 Word Stories, Feb 12th ’22
Madam Midnight Fucks Shit Up was sold to Synthetic Reality Magazine, Feb 15th ’22
PROVISIONAL SALE IF MARKET GOES AHEAD, TO BE LOGGED.
Father, Are You Sleeping? was sold to Dark Recesses Press, Mar 5th ’22.
Dragon Bait was sold to Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Mar 20th ’22.

CAVEAT:-Be aware, I am now adding stubs for titles which have sold, but I’ve not yet received official permission to announce as sold yet. These are just an aide memoire for me, and my increasingly terrible short-term memory.

There are currently 36 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-
Stranding Room was released at Abyss & Apex, January 1st, 2022.
Bag Of Bones was released at Bag of Bones – 206 Word Stories: A Horror Anthology. 26th Feb ’22. (POEM)
Father, Are You Sleeping? was released at Dark Recesses Press. 16th Mar ’22.

LESSONS LEARNED:-(This is a new segment, I’ll be adding tips for myself for future blogs.)
Add sales as stubs as soon as those are received. Temp entries until announced then replace with official info.
Add releases when info is received to Shape Of Things To Come, so I don’t forget.
Add stubs to Shape Of Things To Come for unannounced sales.
Create entries for the Submission Challenge each day, as they come in or go out.
I chose to remove the Stories On Hold section as I didn’t want any markets to feel pressure to buy stuff.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!
Tuck & Roll will be released in Automobilia, Apr ’22. (DTBC).
Secret Project TBA, Spring 2022. (DTBC)
Dragon Bait will be released in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, May ’22. (DTBC).
Where They Fear To Tread will be released in Jersey Pine Ink’s Trees Anthology, Summer 2022. (DTBC)
Madam Midnight Fucks Shit Up will be released in Synthetic Reality Magazine, Issue 9, Jul 30th ’22
Call Back, Any Time! will be released in Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 2022. (DTBC)
Potential sale to future anthology, late 2022. (TBC)
Sidekicks will be released in A Hero Of A Different Stripe. Feb 2023. (DTBC)
There’s some other stuff coming, I can’t officially talk about it yet. Just know it IS coming.
When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.
I’ve got 1 story being held. I’m hoping it manifests into a sale.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

I wrote 9 new stories this month, a total of 6373 words.

May 2022 Submission Challenge

Listed below are the current provisional markets. Those with no links haven’t been confirmed as open, so are subject to change. As always, these markets may close for any reason between now and the end of May, so you’ll need to check they are still open BEFORE submitting there. I’ve provided the main list, and a bunch of spares who are know paying genre markets but who aren’t confirmed as open during May. Use those at your own risk or discretion!

Those new to the challenge, the rules are simple. Submit at least 1 story every day to a paying market for a month. This is my challenge. You can interpret the challenge however you wish. Do the whole month, do a few dozen, do it for a week, only sub to 1. Do sub to at least 1, otherwise it’s not much of a challenge, is it?

The idea is to get you used to submitting a lot, on a regular basis. You learn how to deal with pressure, unexpected challenges and lots of rejection. Trust me, there’ll be plenty, but we have had lots of success too! I’ve made at least 1 pro sale from this event & plenty of semi-pro sales too. Pretty much everyone who ever took part has reported at least 1 sale from these markets.

All I ask is you tweet the link to these markets (or put them on other social media) crediting me as the source. I put a lot of hard work into selecting & checking these links, getting 31+ markets for a month doesn’t happen overnight!

You can keep in touch with me @RayDaleyWriter & I’d love to hear how your month goes if you decide to blog or vlog about it in the future. Feel free to drop me a link in the comments when we’re done. You can also join our private Facebook groups where I sometimes share the latest links I haven’t put here for various reasons. You too could be enjoying links the regular humans don’t have access too, hit me up!

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01 Electric Spec https://www.electricspec.com/Submissions.html OR Galaxy’s Edge
02 Cosmic Roots & Eldritch Shores https://cosmicrootsandeldritchshores.com/submissions/ OR Enchanted Conversation (weather theme) https://www.fairytalemagazine.com/p/submissions.html?m=1
03 Clarkesworld http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/submissions/
04 Interzone http://ttapress.com/interzone/guidelines/
05 Andromeda Spaceways https://andromedaspaceways.com/submissions-manager/#fiction
06 Allegory https://www.allegoryezine.com/submissions
07 Planet Scumm https://www.planetscumm.space/submit
08 The Overcast https://theovercast.libsyn.com/submissions-guidelines
09 Asimov’s https://www.asimovs.com/contact-us/writers-guidelines/
10 Dark Void Mag https://darkvoidmagazine.com/submissionguidelines
11 Fairy Tale Review (Sleep/Dreams theme) https://www.fairytalereview.com/submit/
12 The Future Fire http://futurefire.net/guidelines/fiction.html OR SFS Stories OR Orion’s Belt
13 Three-lobed Burning Eye https://www.3lobedmag.com/submissions.html
14 The Arcanist https://thearcanist.io/tag/submission-guidelines/
15 The Lorelei Signal https://www.loreleisignal.com/Guidelines.html
16 Metaphorosis https://magazine.metaphorosis.com/guidelines/ OR Timeless Tales
17 Flash Point SF https://flashpointsf.com/submissions/
18 Fractured Lit (Flash/Micro) https://fracturedlit.com/submit/
19 Bourbon Penn https://www.bourbonpenn.com/submissions
20 Flash Fiction Online http://flashfictiononline.com/main/submission-guidelines-flash-fiction/
21 F&SF https://www.sfsite.com/fsf/glines.htm
22 Apex Magazine https://apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines/
23 Pressfuls https://pressfuls.com/about/
24 Escape Pod https://escapepod.org/guidelines/short-fiction/
25 Starship Sofa http://www.starshipsofa.com/submissions/
26 The Colored Lens http://thecoloredlens.com/?page_id=8/
27 Analog https://www.analogsf.com/contact-us/writers-guidelines/
28 Utopia SF https://www.utopiasciencefiction.com/submit
29 Freeze Frame Fiction https://freezeframefiction.com/write/submission-guidelines-faq/
30 Bards & Sages Quarterly https://www.bardsandsages.com/contact_us/fiction_submission_guidelines
31 The No Sleep Podcast https://www.thenosleeppodcast.com/submissions OR Chestnut Review

NOT CONFIRMED OPEN. MERELY ALTERNATE MARKETS WHICH MAY BE OPEN & DO PAY.

The Dark Magazine http://thedarkmagazine.com/submission-guidelines/
Tales from the Moonlit Path http://talesmoonlitpath.com/submissions/
Translunar Travelers Lounge https://translunartravelerslounge.com/submissions/
Dread Machine https://www.thedreadmachine.com/submit/
Dream Of Shadows https://www.dreamofshadows.co.uk/submission-guidelines
Amazing Stories https://submission.amazingstoriesmag.com/guidelines/
Departure Mirror http://departuremirror.com/guidelines/
Dose Of Dread 1k flash, horror https://dreadstonepress.com/submissions/#dose-jump
Cossmass Infinities https://www.cossmass.com/submit/
Apparition Lit https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/
Giganotosaurus http://giganotosaurus.org/submission-guidelines/
Syntax & Salt https://syntaxandsalt.com/submit/
Nature: Futures http://blogs.nature.com/futureconditional/2015/04/19/how-to-write-for-nature-futures/
Mithila Review https://mithilareview.com/submission-guidelines/
Allegory https://www.allegoryezine.com/submissions
Centropic Oracle http://www.centropicoracle.com/mainpages/subguide.php
Chrome Baby http://robindunn.com/chrome-submit.html
Infinite Worlds https://www.infiniteworldsmagazine.com/submissions
Dream Of Shadows https://www.dreamofshadows.co.uk/submission-guidelines
Mythic Magazine https://www.mythicmag.com/p/submissions.html
The Periodical, Forlorn https://www.periodicalforlorn.com/submission-guidelines
The Weird And Whatnot https://www.theweirdandwhatnot.com/submit
Compelling Science Fiction http://compellingsciencefiction.com/guidelines.html
Timeworn Lit https://www.timewornlit.com/submit
Hexagon Magazine https://hexagonmagazine.ca/submit/
No Sleep Podcast https://www.thenosleeppodcast.com/submissions
Dark Recesses https://darkrecessespress.com/?page_id=29
Sci Phi Journal or Daily Science Fiction https://dailysciencefiction.com/submit
Penumbric https://www.penumbric.com/subs.html
Cosmic Horror Monthly https://www.cosmichorrormonthly.com/submissions/
Mythaxis https://mythaxis.co.uk/submissions.html
Anotherealm http://anotherealm.com/faq/submit.php
Strange Horizons http://strangehorizons.com/submit/fiction-submission-guidelines/
The Other Stories https://theotherstories.net/submissions
Welkin Lit https://welkinmag.com/submit/
Not One Of Us https://not-one-of-us.pub/about/guidelines/
Newmyths https://sites.google.com/a/newmyths.com/nmwebsite/submissions/sub-2
The Mesozoic Reader https://farthertrees.wordpress.com/mesozoic-reader/
34 Orchard https://34orchard.com/guidelines/

So This Was February 2022

I’ve made 80 submissions. 69 rejections. 2 acceptances. 2 stories being held.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-Sidekicks was accepted by A Hero Of A Different Stripe, Oct 6th 2021.
Madam Midnight Fucks Shit Up was sold to Synthetic Reality Magazine, Feb 15th ’22
PROVISIONAL SALE IF MARKET GOES AHEAD, TO BE LOGGED.

CAVEAT:-Be aware, I am now adding stubs for titles which have sold, but I’ve not yet received official permission to announce as sold yet. These are just an aide memoire for me, and my increasingly terrible short-term memory.

There are currently 43 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-
Stranding Room was released at Abyss & Apex, January 1st, 2022.

LESSONS LEARNED:-

(This is a new segment, I’ll be adding tips for myself for future blogs.)
Add sales as stubs as soon as those are received. Temp entries until announced then replace with official info.
Add releases as soon as info is received to Shape Of Things To Come. This means I don’t forget.
Add stubs to Shape Of Things To Come for unannounced sales.
Create entries for the Submission Challenge each day, as they come in or go out.
I chose to remove the Stories On Hold section as I didn’t want any markets to feel pressure to buy stuff.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!
Bag Of Bones will be released in 206 Word Stories, Mar 1st ’22.
Tuck & Roll will be released in Automobilia, Apr ’22. (DTBC).
Secret Project TBA, Spring 2022. (DTBC)
Where They Fear To Tread will be released in Jersey Pine Ink’s Trees Anthology, Summer 2022. (DTBC)
Call Back, Any Time! will be released in Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 2022. (DTBC)
Potential sale to future anthology, late 2022. (TBC)
Sidekicks will be released in A Hero Of A Different Stripe. Feb 2023. (DTBC)

There’s some other stuff coming, I can’t officially talk about it yet. Just know it IS coming.
When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.
I’ve got 2 stories being held. I’m hoping a few manifest into sales.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

I wrote 12 new stories this month, a total of 11717 words.
Anything handwritten yet to type up doesn’t count.

Jan ’22 Submission Challenge Round-up

Jan 01 – While I was all set to sub to Fantasy magazine, a quick scan of their guidelines say they’re only open to BIPOC authors this subs period. So I had to switch to my alt markets.
King Of The Mountain went to Clarkesworld. No clue how that’ll land there, Neil is so vague with his “What do you write?” feedback.
The Concentration Camp went to Galaxy’s Edge. It’s good to see them bounce back after Mike’s sad passing recently. Let us send them the best SF to honour his memory.
Subs made=2. Rejections=0. On Hold=4.

Jan 02 – Mission 334; Mannequin World subbed to Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Edgar’s Spaceboot Shop subbed to SFS Stories. I did have a 3rd market for today – Flash Point SF, but they are currently closed until Jan 15th, so I’ll be subbing there later in the month. This helps me a lot, some of the mid-month markets might turn out to be non-starters as many haven’t answered back since the September challenge. It’ll be helpful to have a spare to use when I need it.
Todays rejection came from The Arcanist, on Dream Journal #4. This was actually received in December but due to my terrible memory, I forgot to log it then, so I’ve logged it now.
Subs made=4. Rejections=1. On Hold=4.

Jan 03 – A Fragile Reality subbed to Seize The Press. I did have plans to also sub to Compelling SF but despite the fact the Flametree newsletter said they’d be open, their editor said otherwise. It would have been nice of him to say something on the subs page instead of the main page of the site. Nothing from this round has been rejected yet, I’m always of the mind, the longer they take to decide, the less chance it’s getting rejected. Although that’s one of the several million lies writers tell themselves.
EDIT, SEVERAL HOURS LATER:- After a ton of faffing about, trying to get the correct information, Sixteen Tons was subbed to Compelling Science Fiction Short Stories.
EDIT, EVEN LATER:-Got a rejection from Cosmic Roots on Mission 334; Mannequin World.
Subs made=6. Rejections=2. On Hold=4.

Jan 04 – A rejection from Clarkesworld on King Of The Mountain. No feedback because Clarkesworld just don’t. And now a 7 day wait before I can sub again there. Which I will, because I can.
Sent The Bounty to Apex Magazine & Escaping The System to Martian Magazine. No drama getting stuff out today, for the first time this year.
EDIT:-LATER THE SAME DAY… Got an email about a story being held for consideration, can’t say where yet.
EDIT, EVEN LATER:-And news just in, a rejection from Barrelhouse Cryptozoology on A Pale Imitation.
Subs made=8, Rejections=4, On hold=5.

Jan 05 – Sent Father, Are You Sleeping? to Dark Recesses (Online). I realised when I sent that I’d subbed my other story there to the wrong place. Still, it’s logged now. And sold.
Also sent The Suicide Drive to Micro Madness. No sales or acceptances yet, this year. So far, just rejections and submissions.
Subs made=10, Rejections=4, On hold=5.

Jan 06 – Just the one sub going out today. I’ve got spares but I am saving those for some of the more possibly awkward days in the middle of the month. Egg Witch went to Three-Lobed Burning Eye.
EDIT:- A rejection from from PodCastle on Dungeons, No Dragons. It’s not challenge related, that was sent in November but as it arrived now, it gets logged now.
Subs made=11, Rejections=5, On hold=5.

Jan 07 – Again, just a single submission today, same reason as yesterday. Handyman went to Electric Spec.
EDIT:- A rejection also arrived, from Felis Futura: An Anthology of Future Cats on Muse.
Subs made=12, Rejections=6, On hold=5.

Jan 08 – Quite a late set of subs today as I was with my writers group for a few hours actually writing stuff! First sub was supposed to be going to Rockets and Robots, after reading their guidelines for R rated stories, I felt what I had selected was a little too adult in the themes.
Sent Feeding Time to Spring Into SciFi.
I wanted to sub to Flame Tree’s Christmas Gothic call, but my story wasn’t long enough and I didn’t feel I could stretch it much longer than it already was.
Subs made=13, Rejections=6, On hold=5.

Jan 09 – A couple of nice easy subs today. The Recently Declassified History Of South Bend Flight School to Sci Phi Journal. They’ve switched from email to using Duosoma, where I already had an account so that was fairly simple for me to get that sent off. Also subbed In The Natural Language Processing Station to Daily Science Fiction. Another fairly easy sub, the minor matter of running the text through a diacritics remover then pasting it into the box.
Subs made=15, Rejections=6, On hold=5.

Jan 10 – My first sub, to Apparition Lit got thrown out the moment I saw their twitter feed today. It’s not merely a themed call, but they’d also put up a picture. Obviously my pre-selected flash piece had no chance of fitting that, so no sub there. They are coming close to making my shit list, if I’m being honest.
I sent Get Me To The Church to Asimov’s. Also had Andromeda Spaceways as a spare market so I sent them Wizard Of The Day. I wasn’t sure when they were closing so thought I’d get one in there as quickly as possible. ASM are one of my dream markets, so never pass up a chance to sub there.
EDIT:-Got a rejection from No from Apex Mag on The Bounty.
EDIT, LATER:-A rejection from SFS Stories on Edgar’s Spaceboot Shop. The Hauntings came back from The Periodical, Forlorn as they’ve cancelled that project. It’s not a rejection so I’m not logging it as such.
Subs made=17, Rejections=8, On hold=5.

Jan 11 – A nice easy day today. I sent Meat Is Murder to Penumbric & This Is Not A Side Quest to Clarkesworld. I had to have a quick goosey to see what else than SF they took, and it said fantasy so I said why the fuck not and punted that out to them.
EDIT:-I also got a rejection from Seize The Press on A Fragile Reality, later in the evening.
Probably my last sub there as I don’t have anything else like that & don’t generally write it often either.
Subs made=19, Rejections=9, On hold=5.

Jan 12 – No from Factor Four on I Screamed Into The Cosmic Void And All I Got Was A Lousy T-shirt. That was my final sub of 2021, not challenge related but (sing along if you know the words) as it came in now, it had to be logged.
Only sub of the day was The Doppleganger Exchange to Infinite Worlds. They don’t send out rejections so I marked the spreadsheet for when 90 days from today is. It’s in April, by the way.
EDIT:-Late evening rejection from Clarkesworld on This Is Not A Side Quest. I haven’t sent much fantasy there, so I’ll be trying them with more to see how it goes.
Subs made=20, Rejections=11, On hold=5.

Jan 13 – A few stories went out today, but we started with a rejection. No from Paper Butterfly Flash Fiction on Dear Toaster. They told me that made it to 2nd stage consideration. People are liking that story, but not enough to buy it. Got to look into what will make that last connection.
Sent One Night Stand to Radon Journal – They just got listed on the open calls Facebook page so will now get deludged with stuff so I figured I’d get in quick. Now I regret not subbing yesterday, like I was going to. Good intentions and all that jazz.
A Pale Imitation went to Splatter Ink Publishing; Cryptid Carnage. They’ve got a Facebook page but no website, very odd.
And finally I sent Method One to Analog.
Subs made=23, Rejections=12, On hold=5.

Jan 14 – An interesting day today. Facebook not wanting to load or taking forever or several refreshes. I was set to sub to Cosmic Horror Monthly but they haven’t replied to my last sub made almost a year ago, so nothing went there.
Lucky for me I’ve been accumulating spare markets so I sent Scenario Twelve to James Gunn’s Ad Astra.
EDIT, AFTER LOOKING INTO SOME SHIT:-I’ve Been Everywhere, Man was returned by Welkin Mag, as they closed.
As it’s not a rejection, my stats remain the same.
Subs made=24, Rejections=12, On hold=5.

Jan 15 – Just the one submission today, Dinner With A Dead Man to Fractured Lit. I also had Silver Blade as a market but they say you can’t sub there again within a year after being published there.
EDIT:- A rejection back from Cosmic Horror Monthly on A Monster Under Every Bed. Charles said I was okay to sub again right away so I sent The Concentration Camp to Cosmic Horror Monthly.
Subs made=26, Rejections=13, On hold=5.

Jan 16 – Another single sub today, I sent To My Amazement to Planet Scumm. Normally around this time of the month I’ve already made my 1st sale of the year. I can’t let that mindset pull me down, never assume sales are going to be made. That’s a sense of entitlement I seriously do not deserve. Yet. I’ll earn it the hard way though.
Subs made=27, Rejections=13, On hold=5.

Jan 17 – A bit of a busier day today. Started with a rejection from Martian Magazine on Escaping The System.
3 subs went out, eventually. Imogen Bleeds In A Paisley Beret to Anotherealm, Have You Seen The Lemon Tree to Flash Point SF. I was set to send out 2 today then had a quick look through who was open on the weekly Submission Grinder newsletter and ended up sending Fairytales, And Lies to Daikaijuzine.
Subs made=30, Rejections=14, On hold=5.

Jan 18 – Another market crapped out on me at super short notice today. Strange Horizons, who are already incredibly tough to break. Fortunately I was good for back-ups.
I sent Moon Walker to Bourbon Penn, I really do want to break them as their vibe very much resounds with me. Also sent Home Is Where The Heart Is to Tales from the Moonlit Path. It’s a theme of Bloody Valentine so I was thinking a vampire story might work there, especially that one.
Subs made=32, Rejections=14, On hold=5.

Jan 19 – Found a rejection which had fallen into my junk folder. No from Daily Science Fiction on In The Natural Language Processing Station, that was a bit of a shame, I was hoping they’d like that. Still, it means I can probably get a 2nd sub off to them before the end of the month.
I sent Loyalty Test to Interzone, I don’t think that’s been anywhere yet so it’ll be interesting finally testing the water. Dial Stuck On Summer went to Gwyllion Magazine, they are publishers of Welsh SF and I am half-Welsh so I qualify. I think my spleen is Welsh?
Subs made=34, Rejections=15, On hold=5.

Jan 20 – A bit of work today as I had some optional markets. First up, a rejection from Three-Lobed Burning Eye on Egg Witch. Bit of a shame that, I thought they’d like it enough to buy the samn thing, but apparently not.
How Do You Get To Memory Lane went to FFO, they were my main market for today. Also sent The Trouble With Being A Sword Of Truth… to Clarkesworld. I did have another market available but I’m saving them for tomorrow.
EDIT:-Got a rejection in the evening from Interzone on Loyalty Test. Andy is quick, honest & polite. I’ll probably try to get 1 more to him before the end of the month. Not sure how I’ll cope if he closes Interzone which I know is a possibility.
Subs made=36, Rejections=17, On hold=5.

Jan 21 – Busy enough day today, started out writing a story for 2hrs, from 1am to 3am. Decent sleep, just got my subs done. First, 2 rejections from Electric Spec on Handyman & Starward Shadows on Starliner Down. Starliner Down, they’d been holding it for over 200 days while making super encouraging noises, only to drop it now they’ve decided they aren’t doing quarterly issues due to money. I had the feeling that was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier to take. Still, onwards and upwards.
A new story went out today, 11 Walls In The World to F&SF. As well as something I’ve been trying to sell for a while now, Death In Tunnel 3 to The Deadlands.
Subs made=38, Rejections=19, On hold=4.

Jan 22 – Short day today. Just the 1 sub, sent Volunteer To Be A Martyr to Proton Reader. I’m not sure if it’ll fit, but it was worth a punt.
Subs made=39, Rejections=19, On hold=4.

Jan 23 – Another quiet day. 1 rejection from Clarkesworld on The Trouble With Being A Sword Of Truth… I’ve got the room to get them 1 more sub this month if I want to. Not sure yet, we’ll see on the day, I guess?
And just the 1 submission too, Into The Labyrinth to Mythaxis.
Subs made=40, Rejections=20, On hold=4.

Jan 24 – Surprisingly enough, a 2nd quiet day for subs. I know it’s all coming at the end of the month, because that’s how I stacked it, when I was selecting my last 8 days.
Sent The Burning Towers to Metaphorosis.
Still no sales yet. I’ll admit, it’s quite disheartening, but have to keep telling myself I can’t expect sales, I have to earn them. I believe in the stories and am sure I’ve picked the right ones for each market. Things will turn around soon. Otherwise this is definitely the last year of the challenge.
Not as quiet as I’d have liked, got a rejection back from Metaphorosis on The Burning Towers.
I ardently dislike same day rejections but with certain markets you expect it.
Subs made=41, Rejections=21, On hold=4.

Jan 25 – These quieter days are starting to get to me. I need a lift, soon. Just the one sub today, I sent Sixteen Tons to Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award. Had to make minor revisions to the story so it fitted their date criteria, but otherwise it was fine. Oh, and some reworks on the quoted lyric so it no longer has copyright isses for being a lyric. I changed it enough to be covered under fair use or parody, both of which are legal.
Subs made=42, Rejections=21, On hold=4.

Jan 26 – Another rejection today, a fairly quick one – from The Deadlands on Death In Tunnel 3.
Managed 2 subs today, sending Cell 115 to Not One of Us and after a bit of picking and choosing I sent Hush, Hush, The Princess Is Sleeping to Factor Four Mag.
A late evening rejection snuck in just before 10pm, that was a no from Tales from the Moonlit Path on Home is Where the Heart Is.
Subs made=44, Rejections=23, On hold=4.

Jan 27 – More going out today because I want to cover as many bases as possible this month, whether I make a sale or not. Field Motivator Unit 349 Joins The Townswomens Guild to The Arcanist – I like that story & hope it sells somewhere, Playing For Keeps to Craft Lit – that was an attempt to channel Ray Bradbury, it hasn’t been to many places so I’m curious to see how it fares & I sent Welcome To The Death Machine Factory Tour to Fantastic Other. That’s a new market with token pay but I’ll try anywhere if they are paying.
EDIT:- Made a teatime sub, Benchmark to Horror That Represents You. I wrote that sepcially for teh call, but it’s open enough to go to other SF & lit/spec markets if it craps out.
Subs made=48, Rejections=23, On hold=4.

Jan 28 – Quite late doing my subs today, almost teatime before I got done. Did a bit of shifting about, 3 went out today. I sent She, Of The Tribeless to The Future Fire, Wondershit to Daily Science Fiction & The Death Of A Secret Policeman to Interzone.
Subs made=51, Rejections=23, On hold=4.

Jan 29 – Just the one submission today, I sent The Payment Room to NewMyths.
It was supposed to be two but the other market isn’t open until Feb 1st, so that’s not happening.
Also got news from Dark Recesses Press that my story there made it through 1st stage reading to further consideration.
Subs made=52, Rejections=23, On hold=4.

Jan 30 – Another day where it was supposed to be 2 subs & ended up being 1. I sent A Fine Body to The Lorelei Signal. I had The Mesozioc Reader as my other market but they haven’t reopened again yet. I might still sub to either Clarkesworld or SFS Stories today. We’ll see, I guess? I’ve got a story to type up which I should have done yesterday and didn’t. Hopefully I’ll get that done too.
EDIT:- A series of late evening rejections all from the same place. No from ZNB Noir on Befriend a robot, ZNB Shattering the Glass Slipper on Life Is Grim & ZNB Brave New Worlds on Mission 334; Mannequin World.
Subs made=53, Rejections=26, On hold=4.

Jan 31 – A few more rejections today, from NewMyths on The Payment Room, Galaxy’s Edge on The Concentration Camp & Interzone on The Death Of A Secret Policeman. I forgot to log Interzone on the 29th so I’m logging it today, my bad, sorry. I got some really nice feedback from Galaxy’s Edge which made me feel a bit better.
I could have made 5 subs today but I went with 3, sending They Who Dare to Escape Pod, Empty Chest to 34 Orchard & I Dream Of Plastic to Electric Spec.
Subs made=56, Rejections=29, On hold=4.

Despite making no sales, it hasn’t been a bad month. I have to keep faith in the stories & that I chose the right ones for each market. Only time will tell.

So This Was January 2022

I’ve made 56 submissions. 29 rejections. 0 acceptances. 4 stories being held.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-
Sidekicks was accepted by A Hero of a Different Stripe, Oct 6th 2021.
While I realise this was from last year, I only recently received permission to announce this so I’m doing that now, here.

CAVEAT:-
Be aware, I am now adding stubs for titles which have sold, but I’ve not yet received official permission to announce as sold yet. These are just an aide memoire for me, and my increasingly terrible short-term memory.

There are currently 71 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-

Stranding Room Only. Abyss & Apex Issue 81: 1st Quarter 2022. 1st Jan ’22.

LESSONS LEARNED:-

(This is a new segment, I’ll be adding tips for myself for future blogs.)
Add sales as stubs as soon as those are received. Temp entries until officially announced then replace with official info.
Add releases as soon as info is received to Shape Of Things To Come. This means I don’t forget over the month.
Add stubs to Shape Of Things To Come for unannounced sales.
Create entries for the Submission Challenge each day, as they come in or go out.
I chose to remove the Stories On Hold section as I didn’t want any markets to feel pressure to buy stuff.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

Tuck & Roll will be released in Automobilia, February, 2022. (DTBC).
Secret Project TBA, Spring 2022. (DTBC)
Where They Fear To Tread will be released in Jersey Pine Ink’s Trees Anthology, Summer 2022. (DTBC)
Call Back, Any Time! will be released in Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 2022. (DTBC)
Sidekicks will be released in A Hero of a Different Stripe, Feb 2023. (DTBC)

There’s some other stuff coming, I can’t officially talk about it yet. Just know it IS coming.
When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.
I’ve got 4 stories being held. I’m hoping a few manifest into sales. One hold from last year fell through but it wasn’t entirely unexpected when I heard what the market were going through.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-
I wrote 13 new stories this month, a total of 10,500 words.
I did handwrite one story at the end of the month, but as it hasn’t been typed up, it can’t be counted or classed as finished, but it exists.

In terms of the New Years Resolution I didn’t make, I am already more than halfway to completing it. No sales yet, but I am hopeful. One story from the challenge has made it to further consideration so things aren’t all bad. I am upset that Omicronworld didn’t make their deadline yet again, but at this point it’s hard to believe that Automobilia is ever coming out. Still, I got paid.

Ray’s Writing Checklist

If you’ve decided to sit down and get some writing done, you want to free your mind of possible future distractions. With this list, it might help you do that.

1) A drink, cold or otherwise. Saves you walking later.
2) A snack of your choice when you get the munchies. Same as above.
3) Go to the bathroom before you start. Better out than in.
4) Music to listen to, a queue of at least 2 hours. Even if you don’t write that long, you might skip tracks.
5) Headphone, to listen to above music. No distractions.
6) Enough light so you can see screen & keyboard.

That’s it. Now get writing!

2022 Awards Eligible Work

The following works are eligible for the Nebula, Hugo & BSFA Awards in the short story category.
NOTE: REPRINTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE OUTSIDE THEIR PUBLICATION YEAR.

Stranding Room Only. Abyss & Apex Issue 81: 1st Quarter 2022. 1st Jan ’22.

[This is an ongoing thread, updates will appear as stories are released.]

So This Was 2021

2020=356 subs.
317 rejections.
16 acceptances.
18 pubs.
9 ISFDB credits.
54 stories written, 88,033 words.

2021=458 subs.
406 rejections.
22 acceptances.
25 pubs.
11 ISFDB credits.
75 stories written, 85,117 words.

75 stories and 1 poem (206 words).
flash 1k or lower-31 titles, 16,690 words
Over 1k-34 titles, 58,040 words
Stories sold of various lengths-11 titles, 10,181 words
85,117 words written this year. (Not including reviews or non-fiction publications.)

21 stories published. 4 non-fiction pieces published.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-

Letters From The Phased Photonic Travel Company sold to Utopia Science Fiction, Jan 14th 2021.
Rescue Me sold to Hireath Publishing, Jan 31st 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It sold to The Angry Noodle, Feb 23rd 2021. (1st non-fiction sale!)
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green sold to The Lorelei Signal, Mar 7th 2021.
Overground sold to COLP, Apr 5th 2021.
The Message sold to Stupefying Stories, Apr 28th 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams sold to Stupefying Stories, May 23rd 2021.
For Sale; Used Time Machine. No Refunds! sold to Stupefying Stories, Jun 1st 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme sold to Flash In A Flash, Jun 20th 2021.
Officer Down, Permanently sold to Sanitarium Magazine, Jul 2nd 2021.
Too Hot To Handle sold to Stupefying Stories, Jul 12th 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low sold to Silver Blade, Jul 15th 2021.
A Life Of Mystery sold to 34 Orchard, Jul 18th 2021.
Party Of Five sold to The Lorelei Signal, Jul 26th 2021.
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb sold to Stupefying Stories, Jul 26th 2021.
The Office Girl sold to Executive Dread, Aug 22nd 2021.
Photo Sympathy sold to US/THEM, Sep 3rd 2021.
1 SALE TBA, AWAITING PERMISSION, Oct 6th 2021.
Call Back, Any Time! sold to Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 27th Oct 2021.
Diversion To Fahla Bha’la sold to Dark Recesses Press, 3rd Nov 2021.
Hot Dust was accepted by Starry Eyed Press for their Space Treks Anthology, 6th Nov 2021.
To Have, And To Hold sold to Starward Shadows Quarterly, 25th Nov 2021.
Where They Fear To Tread sold to Jersey Pine Ink’s Trees Anthology, 6th Dec 2021.

CAVEAT:-Be aware, I am now adding stubs for titles which have sold, but I’ve not yet received official permission to announce as sold yet. These are just an aide memoire for me, and my increasingly terrible short-term memory.

There are currently 46 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-

Lost Souls was released at Daily Science Fiction, Jan 27th 2021.
Grandmothers Shoes was released at Bards And Sages Quarterly, April issue, Mar 30th 2021.
Overground was released in COLP:Underground, May 23rd 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams was released at Stupefying Stories, May 28th 2021.
The Message was released at Stupefying Stories, Jun 4th 2021.
For Sale: Used Time Machine. No Refunds! was released at Stupefying Stories, Jun 7th 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme was released at Flash In A Flash newsletter, Jun 25th 2021.
Letters From the Phased Photonic Travel Company was released at Utopia Science Fiction, Vol 2, Issue 6, Jun 30th 2021.
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green was released at The Lorelei Signal, Jul 4th, 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low was released at Silver Blade Magazine, Issue 50 – Summer 2021 Jul 15th 2021.
Too Hot To Handle was released at Stupefying Stories, Jul 29th 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It was released at The Angry Noodle, Jul 30th 2021. [Nonfiction]
Officer Down, Permanently was released at Sanitarium Issue #4, Aug 13th 2021.
Rescue Me was released in Shelter Of Daylight, Sept 24th 2021.
Party Of Five was released at The Lorelei Signal, Oct 4th 2021.
Photo Sympathy was released in US/THEM, Oct 30th 2021.
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb was released at Stupefying Stories, Nov 6th 2021.
All Clued Out was released in 34 Orchard, Issue 4, Autumn 2021, Nov 10th 2021.
The Office Girl was released in Executive Dread: Tales of Office Horror, Nov 11th 2021.
36 Hours In The Space Force was released in Tales From The Space Force, Nov 13th 2021.
Diversion To Fahla Bha’la was released at Dark Recesses Press, Dec 5th 2021.

LESSONS LEARNED:-

(This is a new segment, I’ll be adding tips for myself for future blogs.)
Add sales as stubs as soon as those are received. Temp entries until officially announced then replace with official info.
Add releases as soon as info is received to Shape Of Things To Come. This means I don’t forget over the month.
Add stubs to Shape Of Things To Come for unannounced sales.
Create entries for the Submission Challenge each day, as they come in or go out.
I chose to remove the Stories On Hold section as I didn’t want any markets to feel pressure to buy stuff.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

Stranding Room will be released at Abyss & Apex, January 1st, 2022.
Tuck & Roll will be released in Automobilia, January 31st, 2022. (DTBC).
Secret Project TBA, Spring 2022. (DTBC)
Where They Fear To Tread will be released in Jersey Pine Ink’s Trees Anthology, Summer 2022. (DTBC)
Call Back, Any Time! will be released in Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 2022. (DTBC)
1 SALE TBA, PUBLISHING, Feb 2023. (DTBC)

There’s some other stuff coming, I can’t officially talk about it yet. Just know it IS coming.
When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.
I’ve got 4 stories being held. I’m hoping a few manifest into sales.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

I wrote 6 new stories & 1 poem this month, a total of 6416 words.
I did handwrite one story on December 31st, but as it hasn’t been typed up, it can’t be counted or classed as finished, but it exists.

Hot Dust didn’t come to fruition. Starry Eyed Press weren’t interested in having me take part in the edit process which I simply couldn’t allow so they cancelled the sale offer. If a market won’t allow you to be part of the edit process, say no to them, no matter how much money they are offering. Nothing is worth that.

In terms of purely getting stuff done, this has been my best year ever. Joined Codex, got permabanned. Joined SFWA. Still with them.

I’m not setting any New Years Resolutions for 2022 BUT… I would like to finish 26 stories I’ve never completed for whatever reason. They can be outlines, stuff I already started and ran out of steam on, but that’s the target. And it’s my only target.

So This Was November 2021

I’ve made 447 new submissions. 387 rejections. 20 acceptances. 4 stories being held and 1 still awaiting permission to announce.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-

Letters From The Phased Photonic Travel Company sold to Utopia Science Fiction, Jan 14th 2021.
Rescue Me sold to Hireath Publishing, Jan 31st, 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It sold to The Angry Noodle, Feb 23rd 2021. (1st non-fiction sale!)
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green sold to The Lorelei Signal, Mar 7th 2021.
Overground sold to COLP, Apr 5th 2021.
The Message sold to Stupefying Stories, Apr 28th 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams sold to Stupefying Stories, May 23rd 2021.
For Sale; Used Time Machine. No Refunds! sold to Stupefying Stories, Jun 1st 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme sold to Flash In A Flash, Jun 20th 2021.
Officer Down, Permanently sold to Sanitarium Magazine, Jul 2nd 2021.
Too Hot To Handle sold to Stupefying Stories. Jul 12th 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low sold to Silver Blade, Jul 15th 2021.
A Life Of Mystery sold to 34 Orchard, Jul 18th 2021.
Party Of Five sold to The Lorelei Signal, Jul 26th 2021.
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb sold to Stupefying Stories, Jul 26th 2021.
The Office Girl sold to Executive Dread, Aug 22nd 2021.
Photo Sympathy sold to US/THEM, Sep 3rd 2021.
1 SALE TBA, AWAITING PERMISSION, Oct 6th 2021.
Call Back, Any Time! sold to Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 27th Oct 2021.
Diversion To Fahla Bha’la sold to Dark Recesses Press, 3rd Nov, 2021.
Hot Dust was accepted by Starry Eyed Press for their Space Treks Anthology, 6th Nov 2021.
To Have, And To Hold sold to Starward Shadows Quarterly, 25th Nov 2021.

CAVEAT:-Be aware, I am now adding stubs for titles which have sold, but I’ve not yet received official permission to announce as sold yet. These are just an aide memoire for me, and my increasingly terrible short-term memory.

There are currently 58 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-

Lost Souls was released at Daily Science Fiction, Jan 27th 2021.
Grandmothers Shoes was released at Bards And Sages Quarterly, April issue, Mar 30th 2021.
Overground was released in COLP:Underground, May 23rd 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams was released at Stupefying Stories, May 28th, 2021.
The Message was released at Stupefying Stories, June 4th, 2021.
For Sale: Used Time Machine. No Refunds! was released at Stupefying Stories, June 7th, 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme was released at Flash In A Flash newsletter,June 25th, 2021.
Letters From the Phased Photonic Travel Company was released at Utopia Science Fiction, Vol 2, Issue 6, June 30th, 2021.
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green was released at The Lorelei Signal, July 4th, 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low was released at Silver Blade Magazine, Issue 50 – Summer 2021, July 15th, 2021.
Too Hot To Handle was released at Stupefying Stories, Jul 29th 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It was released at The Angry Noodle, July 30th 2021.
Officer Down, Permanently was released at Sanitarium Issue #4, August 13th, 2021.
Rescue Me was released in Shelter Of Daylight, September 24th, 2021.
Party Of Five was released at The Lorelei Signal, October 4th 2021.
Photo Sympathy was released in US/THEM, October 30th 2021.
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb was released at Stupefying Stories, November 6th 2021.
All Clued Out was released in 34 Orchard, Issue 4, Autumn 2021, November 10th 2021.
The Office Girl was released in Executive Dread: Tales of Office Horror, November 11th 2021.
36 Hours In The Space Force was released in Tales From The Space Force, 13th November 2021.

LESSONS LEARNED:-

(This is a new segment, I’ll be adding tips for myself for future blogs.)
Add sales as stubs as soon as those are received. Temp entries until officially announced then replace with official info.
Add releases as soon as info is received to Shape Of Things To Come. This means I don’t forget over the month.
Add stubs to Shape Of Things To Come for unannounced sales.
Create entries for the Submission Challenge each day, as they come in or go out.
I chose to remove the Stories On Hold section as I didn’t want any markets to feel pressure to buy stuff.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

Diversion To Fahla Bha’la will be released at Dark Recesses Press, December 5th, 2021.
Tuck & Roll will be released in Automobilia, 20th December 2021. (DTBC).
To Have, And To Hold will be released at Starward Shadows Quarterly, December 2021. (DTBC)
Stranding Room will be released at Abyss & Apex, January 1st, 2022.
Call Back, Any Time! will be released in Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 2022. (DTBC)
Secret project TBA, Spring 2022. (DTBC)
1 SALE TBA, PUBLISHING, Feb 2023. (DTBC)

There’s some other stuff coming, I can’t officially talk about it yet. Just know it IS coming.
When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.
I’ve got 4 stories being held. I’m hoping a few manifest into sales.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

I wrote 1 new story this month, a total of 1700 words.
Nanowrimo fell apart fairly quickly, I lost all motivation to write.

SFWA Short Story Market List 2021

I first compiled this data last year here:- https://raymondwriteswrongs.wordpress.com/2020/11/20/sfwa-short-story-market-list/ and wanted to do it again to see how different the list was this year.

Here are the markets, I’ve tried to put them into alphabetical order. Several markets were referred to in different ways, hopefully all these are unique entries.
___________________________

Allegory
Anathema Magazine
Apex Magazine
Apparition Lit
Arizona State University Center for Science and the Imagination
Asimov’s
Augur Magazine
Baffling Magazine
Black Static
Beneath Ceaseless Skies
Bourbon Penn
Clarkesworld
Constelación
Cossmass Infinities
Curious Blue Press
Daily Science Fiction
Dark Magazine
Dark Matter Magazine
Departure Mirror
Diabolical Plots
Escape Pod
Fantasy & Science Fiction
Fantasy Magazine
Fireside Fiction
Fiyah
Fusion Fragment
Grist
Infinite Worlds
Kaleidotrope
khōréō magazine
Laksa Media Groups
Lamplight Magazine
Lightspeed
Mermaids Monthly
Metaphorosis
Mysterion
Nightmare Magazine
Nature
On Spec Magazine
Orion’s Belt
Podcastle
Pseudopod
Selene Quarterly Magazine
Shoreline of Infinity
Speculatively Queer
Strange Horizons
Tenebrous Press
The Dark
The Deadlands
The Dread Machine
The Nature of Cities
The New Yorker
Tor.com
Transit Lounge Publishing
Translunar Travelers Lounge
Trepidatio Publishing
Uncanny
Underland Arcana
Utopia Science Fiction
WordFire Press
Zooscape