When I started submitting (mostly) stories to journals or competitions, it involved printing, a trip to the post office and paying for the letter and a self addressed envelope for the reply. Basically, just like Jane Austen. Every now and then, a publication would allow an email submission. Back then, each piece was carefully selected and sent out. Back then, simultaneous submissions were too difficult.

With email, and Submittable, as well as some digital submission systems and Google docs, submitting writing has never, truly been easier. Then again, it is easier to make mistakes, upload the wrong title, and lose track of what you have sent where.

This leads me to two things. For my own mental health, I do now keep track of every thing I submit. I use Writer’s Database, but I have used other systems, and made my own lists. No list is ever perfect – as it involves human intervention in keeping it updated. Yet this work is crucial, and time consuming.

The other thing is about simultaneous submissions. Many, many publications accept or even encourage simultaneous submissions (thank you, all of you). Which is why this morning, I spent an hour using Submittable and email to inform publications that three poems were accepted for publication and they should be considered withdrawn.

Writing is work. Finding journals, following their guidelines, and submitting poems to them are work. Accepting publication, and sending out messages to simultaneous submissions is another lot of work that you might not envisage happening, until it does. A lot. Even more than I expected for January, given another three poems were accepted after being submitted on the weekend.

Back to the work.

Writing Record update 2022.

• Rejections: 21
• Pending: 104
• Acceptances: 4