Submissions and submission

One of the fun-ish things about being a knitwear designer is the submission of patterns/samples to yarn companies and publishing outlets.  Once you release your pattern to one of these, you have to wait for the submit-ee to get back to you before you publish it or submit it anywhere else.  (Rules are rules.) And no matter when the pattern was requested, (or manuscript, for that matter) the submit-ees seem to take their sweet time about letting you know how they're going to use your work and when they plan to pay you for it.  When they like your work, it's great.  When it's not for them, it's heartbreaking.

I have submissions out to several outlets including print and yarn companies, and at this point am amazed at how much knitting and designing I've done this year that I can't show anybody because of all the exclusivity rules.  (Even a Ravelry post is out of the question.)

All of this comes to mind because I made yet another submission yesterday, and to my surprise, was not greeted by an email about its acceptance first thing this morning.  (Patience is a virtue I do not possess.)  In fact,  I didn't receive any word at all. That's standard.  They'll talk to me when they're good and ready.  However, I don't have to like waiting.

I'm trying to be mellow about this.  Every time I add to the list of projects out in the world waiting to be accepted or rejected, it gets a little harder.  I'm aiming to be peaceful and accept what comes.  But seriously, I'd rather be accepting acceptances.