About a month ago I got the exercise out, polished it up, and read it to the class on a night when I didn't have anything new to read. The teacher ( leader? mentor? coach?) suggested I send it to a publication looking for some flash fiction.
With nothing to lose, I hopped on duotrope and found an Ezine looking for flash fiction submissions. I sent it, they took it, and today I am published for the first time!
While I was feeling brave enough to send things out, I also sent a poem to First Things. Within three weeks of mailing off my envelope I had received a lovely handwritten rejection letter from the poetry editor in reply. It was so gracious that I didn't feel bad at all.
It feels good just to do something. And while I'm practicing, practicing, practicing (I'm giving myself at least ten years to be any good--isn't that generous of me?), I can enjoy the little thrill that comes from putting my work out there. Plus it's good for cultivating humility and thickening the skin.
In other publishing news, Shaun was interviewed by a freelance writer he works with for this publication. You can find Shaun's mug and sage advice (or blather, as he called it) on page 39 of the linked pdf.
In news that is totally unrelated:
-My new haircut is just not working out and I may have to go in for the dreaded "fix" appointment.
-Willem is being an absolute troll these days. He's never hit or pushed or scratched another kid, but it's open season when it comes to his brother.
-Nels is just about to lose his first baby tooth. This is a very good thing, because the new tooth is already up-and-at-'em right behind it. Sometimes kids look weird with their new adult-sized teeth, but in Nels's case, bigger teeth will be better. His baby teeth look like tic-tacs.
Well, that ought to do it for today.
Cheers.
9 comments:
Well Done on publishing your flash fiction! I'm sure this is just the beginning. How wise of you to give yourself at least ten years to get better and better. Reminds me of Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers: The Story of Success. Have you read it?
Thanks, Danica. I haven't actually read the book, but I've absorbed a lot of it through reviews/synopses of it. Definitely a big influence on my approach :)
Congratulations!
Yes, it does "feel good just to do something".
Right now, I'm feeling real good about something that I'm doing nothing about!
What a clever story. That was an enjoyable read. Congrats! That's really great.
I love a tale with a twist.
Gypsy got a story published; Shaun gave a really cool interview for a geeks; Lois Thorpe was invited to contribute a chapter for a book; I'm feeling professionally inadequate.
But nevermind my sulking. Your story is great and I gotta give you props for submitting something to First Things. When I get around to submitting something, I'm definitely going to be too fearful to try that.
Yay! You are so talented and much braver than you give yourself credit for. Good job.
I have gone back for the "fix" appointment myself and not really been any happier. So sorry :(
Congrats! I guess we'll never get there if we don't try and take the risk right? I'm so proud of you!!
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