Close to a year of rejections before someone in the universe turned the tap on. Start a spreadsheet to track everything and just keep submitting. Develop a solid pipeline with no shortage of opportunities.

-Abbie Doll, “imma stay in namaste—,” “the unrelenting everything” & “i american’t right now,” Volume XXX, 2026

My first two pieces I put out were accepted for publication in anthologies. I thought, “Wow, this publication thing is a piece of cake!” I’ve learned to dislike cake. Like any diet, make a plan and stick to it as best as possible. Stay organized and focused. Keep paraphrasing Edison. You’re not failing. You’re successfully finding publishers that aren’t right for you. Good luck with that last one. Good luck in general.

-Bob Blatz (with Linda Blatz), “Every Life Has a Purpose Shovel,” “Main Line Fibonaccis” & “Aftermath,” Volume XXX, 2026

I think managing your expectations is key. Just keep working at it, and remember what brought you to writing in the first place. Throw it out into the world, but do it for the love of the game.

-Nicholas Barnes, “twenty-eight pomegranates” & “belonging,” Volume XXX, 2026

Write, write, write. Then write. Worry about publication later.

-Sydney Lea, “Orb Weaver at My Writing Cabin,” Volume XXX, 2026