Poetry Submissions-Take the Next Shot

 

Khara House is encouraging people to engage in the submission process via the May Submit-O-Rama Challenge on her blog, Our Lost Jungle. The challenge is designed to give writers/visual artists support during the process, through the information provided on the blog and the fact that others  are taking the challenge. Whether you are a rookie, a novice or a veteran of the submission process, I recommend that you take a look at the posts. In addition to providing great information, they are very entertaining.

 

I am a willing participant in this challenge and that is an important step for me. By my own standards, I really haven't made a lot of submissions.

 

I have done a lot more open mics than I have submissions. Many people probably think that reading  work aloud is more terrifying than sending it in to an editor. I felt it was a better opportunity because I could at least get to the table. I know my voice gave away how nervous I was, but the important thing to me was that I had the chance to read.

 

I have had a harder time sending out a submission knowing that the likelihood of rejection far outnumbers the likelihood of acceptance and that that is the norm. I have heard the stories of others who have sent multiple submissions to a publication or sent the same work to multiple publications  before receiving an acceptance. Intellectually, I understood that's what I should be doing; but I couldn't get comfortable with it. That is, until recently.

 

What turned things around? A post-game interview I heard during this year's NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. One of the best shooters on a team was having an off night, but made a key shot down the stretch. In the interview, the player was asked how he felt about taking that shot when he wasn't shooting well. He said you don't doubt yourself. You take the next shot, and you always think its going to go in.

 

When I heard that, I immediately thought of the submission process. I have always loved sports and was fortunate to have a career working in sports. I needed that sports analogy in order to really come to terms with the process.

 

S-o-o-o, Pond has the curser in perfect position. She hits the send button and.... 

 

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