Getting Ink

Woot!

I got a reply today from the Indiana Review. I had submitted some stuff to them AGES ago, and only today got some feedback. Despite the rather lengthy lag, this was some great news.

Here’s the big thing with submitting writing to be considered for publication: getting ink. This is a term that writers use that signifies their submission got some sort of nod. “Getting ink” is a positive. It’s a great sign. Short of actually getting a piece of writing accepted, getting ink is what it’s all about.

Magazines/journals get a crapload of writing every week. Hell, every day. The famous ones are innundated with manuscripts, cover letters, pages and pages and pages. For an editor to even jot a note down like “this came close, try again” is huge.

Any sort of written response is a good sign, be it praise or suggestions for improvement. It’s an indication they’re interested, and that you should send more work.

The Indiana Review is a big publication to appear in, from what I recall, so I’m delighted to get such a positive response from them.

Woot!