How Much Short Story Rejection is Enough?

If you look back fondly on the first time a little girl on the school playground kicked you in the balls, submitting short stories for online magazine publication might be for you. Most of those sites that pay pro or semi-pro rates have an acceptance rate in the single digits so prepare yourself for A LOT of rejection. Think of it as building character or earning your stripes.

I'm telling you this so those of you just getting into the game don’t get too discouraged. It typically takes a ton of “no”s before you get a “yes”. No matter how good your work is, that slush reader and then that senior editor have to take a shine to it. It doesn't just have to be good; it needs to match their tastes. And they don't just need to like it, but like it more than hundreds of other submissions. 

It's sort of like selling bagged ice in Alaska. Sure, there's a market, it's just not a very big one.

So how much rejection is enough?

Personally, I've written over a dozen short stories but just got published for the first time last month on Blank Fiction with a piece entitled Vestiges. With that credit in my back pocket, now it's time to look for the next one.

I keep a list of all desirable targets filtered by genre. They're desirable because they either pay for stories or if not, they're well-established with a large audience. If/when I run out of targets on this list, it's time to consider self-publishing on sites like Amazon or even on this very blog. If you think the story is a good one, don't file it away in a drawer, share it!

Becoming a successful writer is all about building an audience. It takes a thick skin, but getting eyeballs on the page is the name of the game. Keep writing, keep submitting, and keep up your guard!