It Could Actually Be Inconvenient If I Get Any More Short Stories Accepted This Year

This might sound a bit counter-intuitive (not to mention potentially ungrateful), but it could actually be a bit inconvenient if I get any more short stories accepted this year. Frankly, I’m conflicted. I still want to get more acceptances…but it might be better if any I get come in starting January so they can start on next year’s tally.

I’ve already had my best year ever short story-wise with 9 acceptances. My best year before this one (last year) was only 7. The more I get this year will make this year even tougher to ever be able to beat again. I could have peaked.

However, that isn’t the real reason further 2012 short story acceptances could be inconvenient. You see, last year I read 318 books. That was good and all, but it seemed like I might have been spending a bit too much time reading and not enough time writing. I decided not to stop reading, but to write at least a little more in 2012 even at the expense of reading.

And, I have. I’ve read about 229 books so far this year, so I’ll definitely not hit as high as 318. Instead, I’ve written a draft of a short novel and 10 short stories this year (not to mention about 30 book reviews or more). 4 of those short stories were actually written this month, though I still need to type one of them up.

As it happened, I finished the draft of the first short story this month and realized where the numbers were at. I thought to myself: Hmm, you could actually have your new short stories meet or exceed the stories that got accepted this year. After that thought, I stopped procrastinating and actually dedicated some serious time to writing. And now here I am, goal met…having written one more story this year than the number I got accepted.

So, you see the issue. I have plenty of stories submitted out there. I definitely want them accepted. However, if I get any more accepted this year then I would have to write even one more. It would be a good problem to have, but it would make me have to work a lot harder.