I am a terribly disorganized person. Ask anyone who knows me. But sometimes, I come up with an idea that really helps save my sanity. Not a new idea, by any means, but an idea that works.

In 2013, when I was proposed my insane 300 rejection challenge, I created a spreadsheet in Excel that helped me keep track of submissions:

My Submissions Spreadsheets – Blank Submissions (1)

If anyone thinks that will help them too, feel free to do so.

When it was time to move into 2014, I copied my spreadsheet and went through it to see what was still open — I hadn’t heard from the publisher one way or the other. Those I left at the top of the page with a gray background to remind me they weren’t new submissions.

As it is time to transition to 2015, I am preparing to do the same thing…and see that there are still a few submissions from 2013 that have never been responded to.

Which leads me to the title of this post.

After awhile, it is a fairly safe bet that a piece is available for resubmission. In my case, most of these stray orphans are poems, and I was wanting to do a new chapbook anyway, so they will probably find a home there.

The point is, if you haven’t heard from a publisher/market in over a year, it is time to “Let it go.” Send the piece somewhere else or otherwise repurpose it. Otherwise, you will drive yourself crazy.

The other thing I use my spreadsheet for is tracking income.  Since I always pay the sales tax instead of adding it to the price of my books, that column is included. Here’s that sheet too.

My Submissions Spreadsheets – Blank Income

People with more income might need more columns!

Happy New Year!