I didn't want to deal with rejection so I used self-publishing alternatives. I've also submitted a book to Random House's "HYDRA" imprint. I wonder if they'll like it enough?
Speaking as someone who has been rejected several times, the key is to not think of your writing like a precious baby. It's not a precious baby. When you're writing it, yeah, it's a big part of you spilling onto the page. I respect the process and the emotion that goes into it. But once you're finished and start submitting, it ceases being that and becomes a product. The same as if you were selling vacuum cleaners. You have to separate yourself from thinking you're doing something wrong or whatever. Like any salesman, you have to go door to door (market to market) until you find the one that wants your story.
Just write, send it out, and if it gets rejected say, "OK, who's next on my list" and send it to them. Editors are people the same as everyone else. They have tastes, likes, dislikes, etc. That's why they always say, "Read our publication before you submit something." So my number one suggestion: read the publications you're submitting to. Find out what kind of stuff they like reading. Read their guidelines. What do they not like reading if anything?
The only way to get accepted is to keep writing and keep submitting. That's really all you can do. Try to keep learning and if an editor gives you some advice, see if it works for you or not. I wouldn't take every single editors' advice, but if it's a publication you respect, then it's probably a good idea to listen to their suggestions. If you're only getting form rejections, that's fine too. Keep learning, writing, and reading.
Maybe others who have been widely published can offer better advice, but coming from someone who's been rejected a good deal (which most writers have), it's normal.
It is OK to write with the goal of making money. It is probably a very bad idea to write with the idea of making money *quickly*. It's a little like buying lottery tickets because you need the money for next month's rent. It's not a good idea.
@Devora : There are easier ways to make money than writing short stories. If you're passionate about your stories and want to see them published so you can gain a broader readership, then money is just a nice little extra. Once you get to where you have some name recognition, you may notice markets opening up to you more, even some may solicit you for anthologies or collections.
My suggestion would be to branch out with your writing if money is concern. Just writing short stories may not be enough. If you're trying to fund other projects, how much money are you needing to fund them? Find any market, project, etc. that will pay you for writing. The more you're writing, the more your name is getting out there, the more money you may make.
But nothing is promised in writing. Even if you are making money, it's probably going to trickle in at first, so you have to figure out how to make that work.
You're doing it for money?
That is the worst possible reason to start writing seriously. Write seriously towards creating a career, by all means, but to write seriously to make money tomorrow? That way madness lies.
I've been writing seriously for 20 years and I've made about $10,000. All of it in the last two years. And the really bad news? I'm regarded as quite successful in my country.
I've been trying to get published by literary magazines for some time now, but so far i'm getting constant rejection after rejection.
I'm wondering how I should best cope with the constant rejection.
What should i do to finally get one of my works accepted?