Publication Anxiety

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Abstract

ys assume my work will not be good enough. I always assume I will make mistakes. Thus, I always assume I should not submit most of my writing to a publication.</li><li><b>Finding the Right Fit — </b>I have not submitted to a number of the publications where I am a writer because I never feel like what I’ve written fits there. This is also a confidence problem. Sometimes I think it is not the right fit because I don’t think it is good enough. I struggle to decide where to submit and then decide to make it easier on myself and self-publish.</li><li><b>Comparison to Others — </b>I read the articles that other authors publish at various publications and then I look at what I’ve written and it pales in comparison. Why would a publication take my work when there are so many better writers out there?</li><li><b>Laziness — </b>Finally, I will admit that many times it is just plain laziness. I don’t want to take the time to think about where it might fit. I don’t want to deal with the wait when I do submit. It’s just easier to hit the publish button and move on with life.</li></ul><p id="9b95">Am I alone in this? Do others struggle with submitting to publications?</p><p id="853c">Speaking of publications — I started a publication for articles on Books and Reading. At first, it was just a place to separate my book related writing from my random other stuff. I have decided to open it to submissions. Click the link below to read about it.</p><div id="fa

Options

44" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/reading-is-a-novel-idea-now-open-for-submissions-ff02a79b7c82"> <div> <div> <h2>Reading Is A Novel Idea Now Open For Submissions</h2> <div><h3>A new books and reading publication now open for your submissions</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*KoPnPvbHehfCpdUe45jFYQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="09f4"><b><i>Not yet a Medium member? Use the link below to join and get unlimited reads for $5 a month and support writers like me.</i></b></p><div id="0b3d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://theycallmetater.medium.com/membership"> <div> <div> <h2>Join Medium with my referral link - Alan Simpson</h2> <div><h3>As a Medium member, a portion of your membership fee goes to writers you read, and you get full access to every story…</h3></div> <div><p>theycallmetater.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*BaNe3Jp8UWRexNDE)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Why I hesitate to submit my writing to any publications

I have asked to be added as a writer for several publications on Medium. I just counted my options and I can submit this to 15 different publications. There is a 50/50 chance I will self-publish instead of submitting it somewhere. Why is that? Let me count the ways.

Loss of Control — When I submit an article to a publication I have no idea what will happen next. Will they publish it? Will they reject it? Will they have something that needs to be fixed? If they publish when will it publish? If I self-publish, I don’t have any of these questions. For someone with anxiety, this is a better scenario.

Lack of Confidence — Over on my personal blog I can vomit some words on the page, publish, and not worry about the quality of my writing, a missed typo, or a random grammar mistake. When I self-publish here, I worry about it more, but not as much as I do if I submit to a publication. I always assume my work will not be good enough. I always assume I will make mistakes. Thus, I always assume I should not submit most of my writing to a publication.

Finding the Right Fit — I have not submitted to a number of the publications where I am a writer because I never feel like what I’ve written fits there. This is also a confidence problem. Sometimes I think it is not the right fit because I don’t think it is good enough. I struggle to decide where to submit and then decide to make it easier on myself and self-publish.

Comparison to Others — I read the articles that other authors publish at various publications and then I look at what I’ve written and it pales in comparison. Why would a publication take my work when there are so many better writers out there?

Laziness — Finally, I will admit that many times it is just plain laziness. I don’t want to take the time to think about where it might fit. I don’t want to deal with the wait when I do submit. It’s just easier to hit the publish button and move on with life.

Am I alone in this? Do others struggle with submitting to publications?

Speaking of publications — I started a publication for articles on Books and Reading. At first, it was just a place to separate my book related writing from my random other stuff. I have decided to open it to submissions. Click the link below to read about it.

Not yet a Medium member? Use the link below to join and get unlimited reads for $5 a month and support writers like me.

Writing

Publication Anxiety

Why I hesitate to submit my writing to any publications

Reading Is A Novel Idea Now Open For Submissions

A new books and reading publication now open for your submissions

Join Medium with my referral link - Alan Simpson

As a Medium member, a portion of your membership fee goes to writers you read, and you get full access to every story…