September

It's a new month and it already feels like fall. The past few days have only been in the 50s and low 60s here in southern Michigan, an odd but welcome shift in weather. Just when I was beginning to think of it as fall the radio tells me that it'll be back in the 80s by the end of the week.

With September comes thoughts of school. Many places have already started back up, but I'll not return to the classroom until after Labor Day which means I am loving this extra week I have. And no, my syllabus is not written.

What September also brings is the opening of some of many print literary magazines. Some begin in September to overlap with the school year (and therefore with their slush readers) and some do it simply to limit submissions. Either way markets all over the place are going to be popping open.

The best advice I've heard is to submit as close to the beginning of the reading period as possible (assuming you have something ready to go) because this will get you the quickest response time. Essentially, it's getting your Christmas shopping done early to beat the lines and the crowds. Although there's two sides to beating the crowds; you may hear back quickly if you submit early, but it'll most likely be a rejection, and you'll have to wait for an acceptance. Of course, getting a rejection quickly means that you can pick up and keep going ... still, it comes with a certain amount of pain and makes the whole process smack of masochism.

I'll try to focus on the happy cappuccino instead.