Aug 23, 2023·edited Aug 23, 2023Liked by Jenise Cook
If you are not getting paid or prestige, I, personally, don’t see the point of submitting to “journals.” Why let someone who is not paying you decide if your stories get published? Publish them yourself on Substack and build your own following instead of a journal’s. 🤓
Hi Jenise, great to hear about your writing life and updates. Other than sending a couple of submissions to Five Minutes in 2022 (100-word micro memoir...you should submit to them!), I haven’t bothered sending any of my stories to traditional publishers. I’ve pretty much been going all in here on Substack. I would like to find some venues that will publish “previously published” stories and send a few off in that manner, but I’m not as keen to let my fiction sit around in a queue collecting dust these days. I’d rather get them in front of readers!
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment, Justin! I think you'll like the story that's coming up this Friday. You might have critiqued it on Scrib; I don't remember. But, it's a longer piece, 500 words, and one of my favorites.
I hear you about not wanting to leave stories waiting in a queue. I agree 100%. Readers want stories to read, we want to write good stories, so... we publish here. 😊
Thanks for mentioning Five Minutes. I'll check them out.
I've also suffered from the writing block syndrome. I just say to myself, someday, not just now. I'm hopeful, though. Thanks for the update. Cooking and gardening, I'm still working on those things, too. Hugs to you.
Hey Jenise, Can't appreciate the publishing world as I am just dabbling here. With ongoing upgrades to Substack as Notes and Follow, it probably is affecting our processes. I see some writers pausing or altering their rhythms as well. Trust me, I'm trying to find that balance of reading, writing, commenting and content as well. I confess to enjoying the interraction but do feel I need to focus more on my writing. Always enjoying the posts, Jenise--fall is almost here!
Keep on dabbling, just mud, and thank you for reading and leaving a comment here.
May we all find the best balance for each of us. I'm still trying to find mine.
Regarding fall... I'm feeling ambivalent. We had a very hot summer, and our autumn tends to come quickly, leave, and then it gets cold. I'd love an extended autumn with temps in the high 60s for many weeks.
If you are not getting paid or prestige, I, personally, don’t see the point of submitting to “journals.” Why let someone who is not paying you decide if your stories get published? Publish them yourself on Substack and build your own following instead of a journal’s. 🤓
Wise words!
It’s been a year and I have only a small number of subscribers. But, they chose me, versus a journal, and that’s very special. 🥰
Hi Jenise, great to hear about your writing life and updates. Other than sending a couple of submissions to Five Minutes in 2022 (100-word micro memoir...you should submit to them!), I haven’t bothered sending any of my stories to traditional publishers. I’ve pretty much been going all in here on Substack. I would like to find some venues that will publish “previously published” stories and send a few off in that manner, but I’m not as keen to let my fiction sit around in a queue collecting dust these days. I’d rather get them in front of readers!
Can’t wait to read your upcoming work!
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment, Justin! I think you'll like the story that's coming up this Friday. You might have critiqued it on Scrib; I don't remember. But, it's a longer piece, 500 words, and one of my favorites.
I hear you about not wanting to leave stories waiting in a queue. I agree 100%. Readers want stories to read, we want to write good stories, so... we publish here. 😊
Thanks for mentioning Five Minutes. I'll check them out.
Looking forward to it, Jenise! Here’s a link: https://www.fiveminutelit.com/
I've also suffered from the writing block syndrome. I just say to myself, someday, not just now. I'm hopeful, though. Thanks for the update. Cooking and gardening, I'm still working on those things, too. Hugs to you.
Hugs, Darlene!
When you're ready to resume writing, you'll know.
I appreciate you reading and leaving a comment, and helping me develop a teeny tiny community here. 😊
Of course:) I appreciate you.
Hey Jenise, Can't appreciate the publishing world as I am just dabbling here. With ongoing upgrades to Substack as Notes and Follow, it probably is affecting our processes. I see some writers pausing or altering their rhythms as well. Trust me, I'm trying to find that balance of reading, writing, commenting and content as well. I confess to enjoying the interraction but do feel I need to focus more on my writing. Always enjoying the posts, Jenise--fall is almost here!
Keep on dabbling, just mud, and thank you for reading and leaving a comment here.
May we all find the best balance for each of us. I'm still trying to find mine.
Regarding fall... I'm feeling ambivalent. We had a very hot summer, and our autumn tends to come quickly, leave, and then it gets cold. I'd love an extended autumn with temps in the high 60s for many weeks.