Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

Tally-Ho!

My blogging time with Poetry Has Value may have reached its end, but that doesn’t mean I can’t continue to share my poetry submission stats with you. So here’s the report for the month of May.

Also, if you’re new to these posts, it may be helpful for you to know that I work very hard to submit my work mainly to paying venues that don’t charge fees for journal/website publication. If you’re similarly looking for paying calls and contests that don’t charge submission fees, you’re always welcome to check my monthly newsletter (and with my weekly “Monday Markets” posts on this blog). And if you’d like to know more about how, generally speaking, I choose where to send my work, this Literary Hub essay remains a good standby.

On with the May report:

Venues to Which I Submitted Poetry and Total Poems Submitted: (9) Jewish Review of Books (1 poem; this was something of a Hail Mary pass for one hard-to-place poem, because as a subscriber, I was already aware that they don’t typically publish poetry), Lehrhaus (1 poem), Literary Hub (1 poem; see note immediately below), Pedestal (1 poem for “War” issue), Reform Judaism blog (1 poem; nonpaying), Riddled with Arrows (4 poems), Slice (1 poem), Tablet (1 poem), You Are Here (“War” issue; 1 poem; nonpaying)

Rejections Received: (10) Belmont Story Review, Hospital Drive, Jewish Review of Books, Lit Hub (turns out they don’t take submissions; their poetry editor works with writers with forthcoming collections), Meridian contest, Notre Dame Review, Pedestal, Riddled with Arrows, The Rush, Tablet

Acceptances: (1) Reform Judaism blog

Publications: (0) 

Money Spent: $0

Money Earned: $0

May TOTAL: $0

Total Money Spent in 2017: $0

Total Money Earned in 2017: $225

2017 TOTAL: $225

Total Submissions in 2017: 44 (“packets”)

Total Rejections in 2017: 34

A June Report Preview

That one accepted poem? It ran on the Reform Judaism blog late last week, timed to complement Saturday’s haftarah reading. Once again, I thank the amazing women of my Jewish-text-study-and-writing group for helping me generate the first version of “Unsolved Mysteries of Samson and Delilah.”

Work-in-Progress

Also from the poetry realm: I am continuing to work on assembling the manuscript that’s due by month’s end for the August workshop I’ll be attending. This is hard work, people! But I’m keeping at it. (Deadlines are awesome that way.)

4 thoughts on “Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

  1. Judithm says:

    Erika, Your honesty and generous impulse to share your experience are admirable. I look forward to reading all of the poems when they are published.

    Judith

    1. Erika Dreifus says:

      Well, let’s hope that day comes! 😉

  2. Erika—

    I just used your book at a short story workshop taught at the convention of the Women’s Rabbinic Network, held this year in Baltimore. Well-appreciated as always, and should generate more sales! Thank you.

    1. Erika Dreifus says:

      Thank you so much!

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