January has been a busy month. Besides the start of school, I have been trying to keep up on individual writing/reading/publishing goals. This past month, I think I’ve written five new poems. I say think because I’m never really sure when I am finished with a poem. I really like to let my poems breathe a bit before I send them out to find homes. Once, I wrote this poem that I thought I really liked — I sent said poem out five or six times and got rejected. I took another hard look at that poem and ended up breaking it apart and writing two poems — like when a worm breaks in half and both parts wiggle away. The good news is that both poems got published!
I digress. I wanted to send poems out to 10 journals per month this year, and this past month, I barely made that goal. Do I not know enough journals? Am I not simultaneously submitting enough? Am I not writing enough poems to send out? I’m not sure, but I promised myself that I would be more aggressive this year with submissions, so I need to work on this number.
Other number news? Three acceptances and one rejection. And many, many journals that still have my poems. Plus, I did end up reading 10 poetry collections this past month (full length collections and chapbooks). Like I mentioned before, it’s going to be a great year in poetry!
A final note for the month: for those who preordered my new chapbook, publishing schedule is on time, so Wearing Heels should be in your mailbox very soon!
The Scrapper Poet 
mariegauthier Said:
on January 31, 2012 at 4:18 pm
First, 3 acceptances & 1 rejection is a terrific ratio — congratulations!
Second, 10 submissions each & every month would mean, for me, that journals suddenly started responding much more promptly, that I was simsubbing a crazy amount, and that I was writing really well and really often. Good luck with that! 😉
mariegauthier Said:
on January 31, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Oh, and P.S., I’m very much looking forward to seeing my copy of your chapbook in my mailbox. Hooray for on-time pub dates!
Kathleen Kirk Said:
on January 31, 2012 at 7:47 pm
You sound busy and productive in great ways. Yay on all of this!
Jeannine Hall Gailey Said:
on January 31, 2012 at 10:04 pm
Pat yourself on the back – I think 10 subs a month is very ambitious! I mean, a good kind of ambitious. And three acceptances a month – great stuff!
Karen Said:
on January 31, 2012 at 10:57 pm
Thanks everyone — we will see what February brings!