I Didn’t Receive Any of The Dozen Residencies I Applied To This Year…. And That’s Okay

On a blue background sits a graphic of an open book with pages spread apart as if mid flip. Sectioned between the pages are landscape representations of spring, summer, fall, and winter. Over this in a centered white column of text with a black outline in three rows is "I Shot My Shot... And Missed... And That's Okay". — *There are many stages to this journey. Even when it feels dreary, there’s more to come. Image made by the author in Canva.*

Since I decided to leave my 9-5, work full-time on my writing, and live off my savings in 2021, I’ve tried various different avenues and learned so many things the hard way.

Anyone on this publishing journey knows that it isn’t simply or easy. In fact, the best descriptor I’ve heard for it and continue to use is “nebulous“. It’s not impossible. It’s not rigged. It’s just nebulous. There are many paths to success, many opportunities, many potential potholes to fall into.

First, I dove head first into my novel. You can’t do anything without a manuscript, so that was my first priority, my only priority. Thus, I entered my hermit phase. This was a rough time, if I’m being honest looking back. I had burnt myself out at my last job(s) and needed time to heal. While writing can be immensely helpful with healing, it’s also extremely draining on an already empty tank.

After finishing my novel, I started querying… and learned a lot of hard lessons along the way. Writing your book and selling your book are two very different skillsets. But I kept working at it.

And I wrote another book, edited it, continued writing. A lot of published authors did not debut with the first book they wrote and queried. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that when you write your first book, you’re literally learning for the first time how to write a book: how to finish a manuscript, how to edit it, how to send it out for criticism and make edits based on them, how to query your book, everything.

Throughout this time, I shifted back and forth on related writing stuff. I grew my base on Medium despite frustrations. I wrote short stories, but struggled with the differences between crafting a story over a few thousand words versus a few hundred pages. I tried and kinda failed at making a website.

For 2026, I decided I would focus on getting my writing “out there” in different ways in addition to querying my novel. I started a Substack. I started the submission grind on short stories again now that I had relearned how to craft short fiction. And I started applying to residencies, fellowships, awards, etc.

I wrote about the experience after I had a few under my belt here:

And now I’m in fall of 2026. Most of those opportunities I applied to have made decisions.

So far, I’ve received none of them. Not a single residency, fellowship, or award. They’ve been offered to probably much more experienced writers than I.

In our business, you have to grow numb to rejection, but yeah, it’s… well, rejection.

I had to shoot my shot. There was a zero percent chance of getting them if I didn’t apply even though I knew my chances may not be that high (pretty damn slim if I’m being honest for some of them).

But yeah, seeing them come in one after the other. It’s… rejecting.

Instead, I have to focus on what I learned through the process. And the truth is, I did learn/ gain at least a few things.

The background features typed pages with written edits. In the middle is a typewriter. Over this background is the title in centered black text with gray outline in three rows: "So... So... So..." "Many Edits..." "And Iterations..." — *As with most projects, the edits, revisions, rewrites, iterations were enormous. Photos by me of some of my pen-edited pages and my typewriter. Image created by the author in Canva.*

Lesson/ Result 1: I workshopped my pitch, synopsis, and first 10-50 pages of specifically one project extensively.

I really nailed them by the end. Now that I’m querying that project, I’m set. I can rattle those off like no one’s business now and I’m so much better at selling this project than I was at selling my first manuscript. I truly believe, even though I didn’t receive these opportunities, that my query is super strong now. I’m so excited to see what will come of it.

Hands from the bottom right try to hammer an orange square plastic toy block into a red plastic toy frame's circle slot with a yellow plastic toy hammer. In the top left is the title in black lettering: "We Don't Always Fit". — *We’re all babies again any time we try something new. We don’t immediately know what will or won’t work. We don’t always see the immediate clues. Image made by the author in Canva.*

Lesson/ Result 2: Not every opportunity is the right opportunity.

It’s important to apply for opportunities when they come up, but there are infinite reasons why this opportunity may not be the right one for you. One of the first opportunities I applied for was a “Work-in-Progress” Award and the project was a work-in-progress, but especially through applying to all these opportunities, it’s now ready for querying so it’s not really applicable any more.

Similarly, many residencies are to help you finish a project, which is great, but I also kinda ended up finishing it on my own while waiting to hear back. While good for me, clearly this wasn’t the best project to apply for these opportunities for me right now. Don’t get me wrong, if I won these opportunities, there would have been ways for me to utilize the opportunity such as gaining expert opinions on my manuscript, query materials, coordinating with experts in the publishing business, and maybe even self-publishing.

But yeah, I did the work anyway without the residency, fellowship, award.

A collage of painted and multi-media art including handprints with various colors of paint, a painted light bulb, and a bucket spilling paint and other items. In the top right in stamped lettering with random capitalization is the title "New ideas". — *A few of these residencies and other opportunities sent the creative sparks flying! Image made by the author in Canva.*

Lesson/ Result 3: I came up with some pretty cool new projects.

As I said, I figured out along the way that maybe that main project that I’m querying now wasn’t the best project for these types of opportunities. Residencies and Fellowships really work best with projects that are well-formed, but earlier in the processing stage.

For some of them, I came up with some completely new projects that I’m so excited about. I’ll keep trying to make these happen, applying to opportunities that would help me finish, and eventually finish on my own if necessary. But I’m not sure if I would have come up with some of them (at least right now) if I wasn’t pushed to new creative endeavors by some of these really cool opportunities.

A cropped close up of a race with feet and legs running on asphalt with blurs of motion. The title sits near the bottom left in yellow letters with black outlines: "Ready... Set... Submit!" — *When the deadline is fast approaching, it is indeed a sprint to the finish. It was good training, if nothing else. Image made by the author in Canva.*

Lesson/ Result 4: I learned how to pump out these applications quicker.

Some of these I was able to find ahead of time and have months to prep for. Others had less than a week’s notice. While I know some of these were likely not my best work, it was super inspiring to prove to myself that I could put together a solid application on such short notice.

As many of us know, you have to be willing and able to try for an opportunity when it presents itself. Even if it’s due that week or that day. Now that I’ve worked through these, I’ve gained the confidence and am better prepared to apply to opportunities in the future.

On a gray background sits a month calendar with multiple dates marked with thumbtacks or various colors of circles. Centered at the top is the title in black letters: "Deadlines Incoming..." — *My calendar is marked, the plans are in motion. There’s always a chance to try again. Image made by the author in Canva.*

Lesson/ Result 5: I have all of them in my calendar for next year.

I didn’t know about any of these before this year! And now I I do.

I plan on applying to these opportunities again when they open up for the next round. Just because I didn’t get them this year doesn’t mean I won’t in the future.

Just like with any rejection in the publishing field (or any likely), you can’t let it stop you; it’s simply on to the next. As I talked about in a recent Substack post, a rejection can even be a win.

That’s all I have this time. Thanks for tuning in. What about you? Have you applied for these types of opportunities before? What’s your track record? What did you learn from the experience?

Let’s learn together to help all of us rise together.

Until next time.

s.m.h. cooper