Tracking Submissions

A few weeks ago on Twitter, I asked the #poettues community group about how they track submissions.  I had started something quite a while ago, but had not really ever cleaned it up and wanted to solicit feedback from others who might be trying similar things.  I did get some good feedback, and it seems like I am on the right track.  Basically everyone that does track uses either a spreadsheet, email, or a notebook with spreadsheet-like columns to track submissions and their results.

That said, I decided I should post my spreadsheet out here in case anyone else wants to use it.

Cameron's Poem Submission Tracker

So, how do you use it?

Easy.  Go into the first tab (Lit Mags) and start filling out the information on the publications that you wish to submit to.  If you need more than 50, be sure to INSERT rows above line 50 to make sure it shows in the drop down on the second tab.  First tab columns are:

• Publication: Name of the publication
• Web: Their Website address
• Submit To: Email, web page, or postal address where to send submissions
• Submission Guidelines: Any web location of their submission guidelines or notes you wish to add
• Submissions Open/Close: Dates when they accept submissions.  Use "Year Round" if they accept all the time.  Spreadsheet will check against current date to mark as green if you are open to submit or red if not.
• Notes: notes
• Cover Letter: Place to make notes about what type of cover to send
• Response: When you should expect a response
• Last Submission: When you last submitted to this publication

Then the second tab (Poems), enter the poems and where you've sent them.

• Poem: title
• Date Written: um...
• Submitted To: Should show a list of publications from the first tab
• Date Submitted: When you sent it to them
• Submission Type: How you sent it to them (Email, Online, Snail Mail)
• Response Received: The date you heard back (use this to update the Response notes on first tab)
• Result: They liked it, they didn't, they want to wait, they sent to someone else
• Comments: yours or theirs
• Disposition: If they rejected it, what you plan to do with it.

The spreadsheet is unlocked, so feel free to do with it as you please.  The way I intend to use it is as follows:

• As I find new publications that I would like to submit to, add them to the first tab
• As I write new poems that I don't decide to publish on my blog, I add them to second tab
• As I submit a chunk of those poems on the second tab, update them with where I sent and then flag that publications "Last Submission" on the first
• When I hear back, mark them, and then if I choose to resubmit, copy the poem line and paste as a separate entry if I am going to revise/resubmit or submit elsewhere.
• I'd probably also flag any that I decide to save for a chapbook or book.
• In the event that I publish something myself on my blog following a rejection, I'll probably drop it off the list (most likely if it is rejected a couple of times and I don't want to make further revisions)
• Periodically, review my ratios of submissions to acceptance/rejections and make note of my throughput rates, best publications that I am having success with, etc.

So there you go.  Hopefully this is helpful to someone!