I have this writing superstition that, if I’m waiting to hear back about a submission the best thing to do is go on a walk with my dogs––by the time I get back, an answer might be waiting in my inbox. It’s rooted in the fact that I heard back about my first and third pro sales (the third never published because of some anthology issues) while I was at the dog park.

Brown and white dog in orange safety vest sniffs a stick while standing on an iced-over creek

The superstition doesn’t bear out most of the time, but that’s okay. Because I get some exercise, fresh air, and quality time with my dogs, which makes the whole interminable waiting part of being a writer slightly more bearable.

Cue that one Tom Petty song about waiting. You know the one…

Welcome to this month’s Wallowing in Ink, where I don’t have much news except that I finally submitted my R&R (revise and resubmit) and, you guessed it, I’m waiting to hear back. (I do have some news, scroll to the bottom for that.)

This month, I’ve rounded up some resources on R&Rs and pulled together some of my favorite recent reads (and listens).

Wait, What’s an R&R?

An R&R (or revise and resubmit, although you may hear people refer to it as rewrite and resubmit) is a request from an agent or editor who sees the potential in your work but wants to see some substantive changes before committing.

You can get R&Rs on any kind of writing. I knew about them from my time in academia, where they’re pretty common. Short story markets sometimes use them, agents may or may not be requesting them more often, and publishing house editors might also request them (though I have no personal experience with that last one).

Handling an R&R can be confusing and intimidating, so here are some of the resources I drew on while completing mine:

Kimberly Fernando’s “7 Steps for Tackling a Revise & Resubmit (R&R)”
Bookends “What to Consider with Every Revise & Resubmit”

NOTE: you never have to commit to an R&R. If the revisions requested don’t fit with your vision, don’t do them. Keep submitting elsewhere. (But give yourself some time to sit with the requests, because you may decide they fit with your vision after all.)

February Reads & Listens I Loved

I’ve hit a point in my writing career where I have friends whose stuff is out in the world, making waves, and it is one of the best experiences. I’m so bowled over by their talent, and you can be, too:

Alex Fox’s “Yung Lich and the Dance of Death” brightened my week, and the narration and beats by Eric Valdez are soooo good. This is one you definitely want to catch in audio.

Michelle Denham’s “Walking the Deep Down” may be little (it’s flash) but it is fierce.

Erik Grove’s “Home” is a brutal and beautiful story that feels really resonant with the specific garbage fire of the past few years.

K.S. Walker’s “River Bargain Baby” is gorgeous and gutting. As they write, “All the best stories start with desperation. A want so large it twists like hunger pangs tying your stomach up in knots.”

But this month, I’m not just bringing you prose. Music was my first real foray into storytelling, and I still learn so much from songwriters about the rhythm and emotion of stories it’s not even funny. I’m a not-so-secret Bluegrass and folk kid. I was the lead guitarist, singer, and songwriter in a family band that toured regionally. I’ve been digging back into those roots, recently, and this month brought me some gems.

Nickel Creek is doing a reunion album and tour?!?!?! I’ve been listening to their new track, “Holding Pattern” on repeat.

Also, this Tiny Desk concert by Indigo Girls is a balm to the fucking soul. Hearing them sing “Closer to Fine” as older adults was a delightful experience I didn’t know I needed.

Finally, it’s the time of year when creeks start to wake up from the deep freeze. They are furious, frantic, rushing beneath crumbling layers of ice to get on with the business of the year. I love the sound of their roaring rush because it means that winter’s losing its grip. Here’s a snippet I caught the other day.

News

I’m giving a workshop at Flights of Foundry! The program hasn’t been released yet, but it will be on audio transcription as part of the art of what you’re doing. More information when I have it!

Also, the cover was revealed for an anthology I have a short story in!

Apex Magazine - Science Fiction & Fantasy Zine @apexmag

✨✨✨COVER REVEAL✨✨✨ Strange Libations: An Anthology of Dark Cocktails! Edited by @Marissavu and coming soon to a bar top near you! Cover art by Denis Graf (deviantart.com/degrafo) and Cover Design by Mikio Murakami (@SilentQDesign on IG!) 🍸🪄🍷👻🍹💀🧉🕸️🏺🕷️

You can find my flash, “Hair of the Dog,” in Apex’s Strange Libations anthology soon!

Thank you for wallowing with me,

Courtney

Wallowing in Ink

Wallowing in The Wait