Hi, I am new to this group. I am well-published as an academic and I have recently started writing short stories. Fiction was always my first love. It's been a wonderful experience but also a challenging one, especially as I am writing in English and it's not my first language. I have submitted two stories so far. I wonder if you could share your experiences of submitting your first story. I thought academic publishing was tough but the fiction world seems even tougher. I have received quite a few rejections despite the reviews being very encouraging. Any word of wisdom is welcome. Thank you so much!